I was fortunate to take in the Opus Arte production of “As You Like It” filmed in HD at the Shakespeare Globe Theatre.
In Act II scene vii there is a poem set to music which I hadn’t heard of before: “Blow! Blow! Thou Winter Wind”. To set the seen Orlando and the elderly servant Adam have fled the court of Duke Frederick. They arrive in Forest of Arden hungry and exhausted.
Orlando is prepared to wrest some food from a group in the forest with sword drawn. To his surprise he discovers they are more than happy to feed he and Adam. Orlando and Adam find civility in the ‘untamed’ pastoral forest whereas they could not find civility in the court from which they fled.
| Original Text AMIENS (sings) Blow, blow, thou winter wind. Thou art not so unkind As man’s ingratitude. Thy tooth is not so keen, Because thou art not seen, Although thy breath be rude. Heigh-ho, sing heigh-ho, unto the green holly. Most friendship is feigning, most loving mere folly. Then heigh-ho, the holly. This life is most jolly. Freeze, freeze, thou bitter sky, That dost not bite so nigh As benefits forgot. Though thou the waters warp, Thy sting is not so sharp As friend remembered not. Heigh-ho, sing heigh-ho, unto the green holly. Most friendship is feigning, most loving mere folly. Then heigh-ho, the holly. This life is most jolly. |
Modern English AMIENS (singing) Blow, blow, winter wind. You aren’t as harsh As men’s ingratitude.Your teeth aren’t as sharp, As you are invisible, Even though your breath is an assault. Heigh-ho! Sing, heigh-ho! Sing to the green holly. Most friendship is false, most love simply foolishness. Then heigh-ho, to the holly. This life is really jolly. Freeze, freeze, you bitter sky, Your bite isn’t as painful As when good deeds are forgotten. Even though you can freeze water Your sting is not as sharp As the friend who is forgotten. Heigh-ho! Sing, heigh-ho! Sing to the green holly. Most friendship is false, most love simply foolishness. Then heigh-ho, to the holly. This life is really jolly. |
(source: http://nfs.sparknotes.com/asyoulikeit/page_100.html)
This melancholy poem might seem strange in the middle of a comedy. It is my supposition that Shakespeare is explaining his justification in writing a comedy about such knotty issues as human relationships and love. The poem suggests that human nature is far crueler than mother nature. “Heigh-ho to the holly” lauds the virtues of nature and the holly which is an evergreen. An evergreen, in turn, maintains its green colour despite the harshness of the weather around it. It is my further supposition that Shakespeare is suggesting that despite human nature’s fickle character, beauty and virtue persist and “This life is most jolly”.
(shuttle ahead to 5:00)
What an inightful analysis of this scene in “As You Like It”. rlw
such a flawless xplanation………….
I really appreciate the comment, especially considering it’s regarding writing in an academic area. I find my blog suffers because I write about academic or esoteric topics. As such, I often don’t write as much as I’d like to. In short, I appreciate your appreciation. 🙂
ossum explination