"Thy head is as full of quarrels as an egg is full of meat, and yet thy head hath been beaten as addle as an egg for quarrelling."
— Shakespeare, William (1564-1616)
Date
1597
Metaphor
"Thy head is as full of quarrels as an egg is full of meat, and yet thy head hath been beaten as addle as an egg for quarrelling."
Metaphor in Context
MERCUTIO
Nay, an there were two such, we should have
none shortly, for one would kill the other. Thou -- why,
thou wilt quarrel with a man that hath a hair more or
a hair less in his beard than thou hast. Thou wilt quarrel
with a man for cracking nuts, having no other reason
but because thou hast hazel eyes. What eye but such
an eye would spy out such a quarrel? Thy head is as
full of quarrels as an egg is full of meat, and yet thy
head hath been beaten as addle as an egg for quarrelling.
Thou hast quarrelled with a man for coughing in the
street because he hath wakened thy dog that hath lain
asleep in the sun. Didst thou not fall out with a tailor
for wearing his new doublet before Easter; with another
for tying his new shoes with old ribbon? And yet thou
wilt tutor me from quarrelling!
(III.i.15-29)
Nay, an there were two such, we should have
none shortly, for one would kill the other. Thou -- why,
thou wilt quarrel with a man that hath a hair more or
a hair less in his beard than thou hast. Thou wilt quarrel
with a man for cracking nuts, having no other reason
but because thou hast hazel eyes. What eye but such
an eye would spy out such a quarrel? Thy head is as
full of quarrels as an egg is full of meat, and yet thy
head hath been beaten as addle as an egg for quarrelling.
Thou hast quarrelled with a man for coughing in the
street because he hath wakened thy dog that hath lain
asleep in the sun. Didst thou not fall out with a tailor
for wearing his new doublet before Easter; with another
for tying his new shoes with old ribbon? And yet thou
wilt tutor me from quarrelling!
(III.i.15-29)
Provenance
HDIS (Drama)
Citation
Shakespeare, William. The Complete Works. Oxford Shakespeare. Electronic Edition for the IBM PC. Stanley Wells and Gary Taylor, Editor.
Date of Entry
08/10/2003
Date of Review
01/05/2010
