"Alas, poor Romeo, he is already dead -- stabbed /with a white wench's black eye, run through the ear / with a love song, the very pin of his heart cleft with the / blind bow-boy's butt-shaft."
— Shakespeare, William (1564-1616)
Date
1597
Metaphor
"Alas, poor Romeo, he is already dead -- stabbed /with a white wench's black eye, run through the ear / with a love song, the very pin of his heart cleft with the / blind bow-boy's butt-shaft."
Metaphor in Context
BENVOLIO
Tybalt, the kinsman to old Capulet,
Hath sent a letter to his father's house.
MERCUTIO
A challenge, on my life.
BENVOLIO
Romeo will answer it.
MERCUTIO
Any man that can write may answer a letter.
BENVOLIO
Nay, he will answer the letter's master, how he
dares, being dared.
MERCUTIO
Alas, poor Romeo, he is already dead -- stabbed
with a white wench's black eye, run through the ear
with a love song, the very pin of his heart cleft with the
blind bow-boy's butt-shaft; and is he a man to encounter
Tybalt?
(II.iii.5-16)
Tybalt, the kinsman to old Capulet,
Hath sent a letter to his father's house.
MERCUTIO
A challenge, on my life.
BENVOLIO
Romeo will answer it.
MERCUTIO
Any man that can write may answer a letter.
BENVOLIO
Nay, he will answer the letter's master, how he
dares, being dared.
MERCUTIO
Alas, poor Romeo, he is already dead -- stabbed
with a white wench's black eye, run through the ear
with a love song, the very pin of his heart cleft with the
blind bow-boy's butt-shaft; and is he a man to encounter
Tybalt?
(II.iii.5-16)
Categories
Provenance
HDIS
Citation
Shakespeare, William. The Complete Works. Oxford Shakespeare. Electronic Edition for the IBM PC. Stanley Wells and Gary Taylor, Editor.
Date of Entry
08/08/2003
