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SOURCE: “Private Grief into Public Action: The Rhetoric of John of Gaunt in Richard II,” in Studies in Philology LXXXIV, No. 3, Summer, 1987, pp. 338-67.
In the following essay, Gopen analyzes the rhetorical structure of Gaunt's deathbed speech and discusses how this speech informs other issues in the play.
John of Gaunt's Deathbed Speech
| 31 | Methinks I am a prophet new inspired |
| And thus, expiring, do foretell of him: | |
| His rash fierce blaze of riot cannot last | |
| For violent fires soon burn out themselves; | |
| 35 | Small show’rs last long, but sudden storms are short; |
| He tires betimes that spurs too fast betimes; | |
| With eager feeding food doth choke the feeder; | |
| Light vanity, insatiate cormorant, | |
| Consuming means, soon preys upon itself. | |
| 40 | This royal throne of kings, this scept’red isle, |
| This earth of majesty, this seat of Mars, | |
| This other Eden, demi-paradise, | |
| This fortress built by Nature for herself | |
| Against infection... |
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This section contains 8,781 words (approx. 30 pages at 300 words per page) |
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