(no subject)

[xiphias]

People are posting favorite lines and scenes from Shakespeare. Dunno why, but, okay.

So, the background here

Titus Andronicus, Act 4, Scene 2, the second half of it.

Background: the characters are Aaron the Moor, who is Evil But So Damn Cool, and ought to be played by Samuel L Jackson, Chiron and Demetrius, Queen Tamora's more-or-less interchangeable sons, who are also evil but nowhere near as cool, and a nurse carrying a baby.

Queen Tamora was Queen of the Goths, which is when she had these two sons, and, more recently, remarried to the Emperor of Rome, making her the Empress. And, as the scene starts, people have been waiting for her to give birth to the brand new heir to Rome.

Enter a Nurse, with a blackamoor Child in her arms

Nurse
Good morrow, lords:
O, tell me, did you see Aaron the Moor?

AARON
Well, more or less, or ne'er a whit at all,
Here Aaron is; and what with Aaron now?

Nurse
O gentle Aaron, we are all undone!
Now help, or woe betide thee evermore!

AARON
Why, what a caterwauling dost thou keep!
What dost thou wrap and fumble in thine arms?

Nurse
O, that which I would hide from heaven's eye,
Our empress' shame, and stately Rome's disgrace!
She is deliver'd, lords; she is deliver'd.

AARON
To whom?

Nurse
I mean, she is brought a-bed.

AARON
Well, God give her good rest! What hath he sent her?

Nurse
A devil.

AARON
Why, then she is the devil's dam; a joyful issue.

Nurse
A joyless, dismal, black, and sorrowful issue:
Here is the babe, as loathsome as a toad
Amongst the fairest breeders of our clime:
The empress sends it thee, thy stamp, thy seal,
And bids thee christen it with thy dagger's point.

AARON
'Zounds, ye whore! is black so base a hue?
Sweet blowse, you are a beauteous blossom, sure.

DEMETRIUS
Villain, what hast thou done?

AARON
That which thou canst not undo.

CHIRON
Thou hast undone our mother.

AARON
Villain, I have done thy mother.

Comments

[plumtreeblossom.livejournal.com]

Samuel L Jackson as Arron the Moor? I'm trying to see it... but I just can't.

[xiphias.livejournal.com]

Really? How do you see Aaron?

And, c'mon -- with a line like, "I've DONE thy mother," how can you NOT see SLJ in the role?

[plumtreeblossom.livejournal.com]

You don't think Sam is too old for the role? I think he has the powerful gravity of a mature actor, but I don't see that working for Aaron. I think of Aaron as young and sinewy and snake-like -- and planes notwithstanding -- Sam isn't that. I would cast him in a heartbeat as Lord Capulet, or Master Ford, or perhaps even Titus himself, but I see Aaron as younger, more slithery.

I'd certainly let Sam read for it though, on the chance that he could change my mind. :-)

[xiphias.livejournal.com]

I always have assumed that he and Tamora are about the same age, and Tamora has three two grown sons.

[gingicat]

Certainly impregnating someone when you have a dominant genetic trait that no-one else has is a way to make sure everyone knows the kid is yours... rather bad-ass, if it's an extramarital affair, so I can see why you thought of Samuel Jackson.

[xiphias.livejournal.com]

That's not the only reason. The character is just a genuine badass motherfucker. There may be other people in the play tougher, but nobody more badass.

[madcaptenor.livejournal.com]

I wonder if the verb "do" had the same meaning back then that it does now. (It wouldn't surprise me to learn it did.)

[cheshyre]

Yes. Yes it did.
And Measure for Measure includes a madam character named Mistress Overdone.

[xiphias.livejournal.com]

Hell, yes, it did. C'mon -- the line wouldn't make any sense otherwise, anyway.

[burgundy.livejournal.com]

Have you seen the movie version with Anthony Hopkins? Harry Lennix was Aaron, and I thought he was just awesome.

[bimmer1200.livejournal.com]

+1.

Mr. Lennix nailed Aaron, and was indeed awesome. He had this wonderful rolling, deep voice. The movie version, Titus, directed by Julie Taymor is an astounding piece of work, and one of my all time favorite adaptions of Shakespeare for the screen. Heck, its one of my all time favorite movies period.

[xiphias.livejournal.com]

That was the first version of Titus that Lis and I saw, and we liked it.

I don't know if it's my FAVORITE film adaptation -- I have a deep, bizzare fondness for Baz Luhrman's "Romeo + Juliet", the one with Leonardo DiCaprio and Claire Danes -- but I did truly enjoy it. I thought Anthony Hopkins also nailed Titus -- and, well, he has experience playing a cannabalistic psycho.

It's not my favorite "Titus Andronicus" that I've seen -- "Titus" is both tradgedy and farce, and the best production I saw managed to keep the balance a bit more carefully -- Taymor went more to the "farce" side than I think would have been perfect, but, nonetheless, I really liked it.

[bimmer1200.livejournal.com]

I have to agree about Luhrman's "Romeo + Juliet". It's the only DiCaprio film I can ever recall seeing as normallly his name is enough to keep me away. I saw it in college at the theater and was just completely absorbed by it. I even purchased a second ticket for the next show, despite some odd looks from my friends who were headed out drinking after fulfilling their obligation to see it for class.

I'll admit that my sample of versions of "Titus Andronicus" is exactly one. I've never seen it produced as a play, or another movie version, so I can't comment in that regard. I just know that I was captivated from the very beginning the first time I saw it, and it is one of those movies I bought on DVD the instant it came out. I'd read it several times, and always adored Aaron. (I prefer his speech before his death, but the above scene is powerful as well).

[xiphias.livejournal.com]

At the first Seder, Lis was talking to our friend Akiva about the death speech, and comparing it to Barabas's "I'm Such A Badass" speech from Marlowe's "Jew of Malta".

I love Aaron's death speech. He's not just an Evil Bad Guy, he's an Evil Badass.

You can argue about how much of that speech is actually true and how much is him just fucking with Lucius, because, what the hell, he's going to die anyway. But in either case, it makes Aaron The Shit.

Titus is playing at the Shakespeare Theater Company in Washington DC, through May 20th. I have no idea how easy or hard it is for you guys to get to DC for a weekend, but, if y'all have time and means, you may want to consider it. The above-named Akiva helped put it together. I also have no idea how their production will be.

Or, if you want to come to Boston, the ASP production, which is the one which I think is the best, is playing through the 22nd. . . I'd be willing to see it a second time with you and Undauntra. . .

[bimmer1200.livejournal.com]

I'll talk to the little lady and see what she thinks. That sounds like a fun trip if we can swing and I know Undauntra would just /loathe/ going to Boston (For certain values of loathe).

Thanks for the suggestion.

[carissakazyq.livejournal.com]

It's not just one of my favorite horror movies of all time, it's one of my favorite movies, period.

[theletterelle.livejournal.com]

AARON
Villain, I have done thy mother.

AUDIENCE
Oh, snap!

[xiphias.livejournal.com]

Ayup. And THAT is why I love Shakespeare. Rape, murder, cannibalism, dismemberment, and "yo' mama" jokes -- this play has it all!

[rubynye.livejournal.com]

Yeah, *exactly*. I'm trying to stop giggling, and failing.

Love!

[(Anonymous)]

Make peace, not war!