Proteus’ speeches and analyses.
Even as one heat another heat expels…
Source
Arden | William C. Carroll. London: Arden Shakespeare, 2004
PROTEUS
Even as one heat another heat expels,
Or as one nail by strength drives out another,
So the remembrance of my former love
Is by a newer object quite forgotten.
Is it mine eye, or Valentine’s praise,
Her true perfection, or my false transgression
That makes me reasonless to reason thus?
She is fair; and so is Julia that I love–
That I did love, for now my love is thawed,
Which like a waxen image ‘gainst a fire,
Bears no impression of the thing it was.
Methinks my zeal to Valentine is cold,
And that I love him not as I was wont.
O, but I love his lady too too much,
And that’s the reason I love him so little.
How shall I dote on her with more advice
That thus without advice begin to love her?
‘Tis but her picture I have yet beheld,
And that hath dazzled my reason’s light;
But when I look on her perfections,
There is no reason but I shall be blind.
If I can check my erring love, I will;
If not, to compass her I’ll use my skill.
Exit
Thought Counts
Arden | 2004
Short: 1
Medium: 8
Long: 0
Total: 9
End-stopped: 9
Mid-line: 0
Periods: 6
Exclamations: 0
Questions: 2
Unfinished: 1
Proteus needs the audience to:
Demonstrate their approval of his intentions.
Thoughts
Arden | 2004
PROTEUS
1. Even as one heat another heat expels,
Or as one nail by strength drives out another,
So the remembrance of my former love
Is by a newer object quite forgotten.
2. Is it mine eye, or Valentine’s praise,
Her true perfection, or my false transgression
That makes me reasonless to reason thus?
3. She is fair; and so is Julia that I love–
4. That I did love, for now my love is thawed,
Which like a waxen image ‘gainst a fire,
Bears no impression of the thing it was.
5. Methinks my zeal to Valentine is cold,
And that I love him not as I was wont.
6. O, but I love his lady too too much,
And that’s the reason I love him so little.
7. How shall I dote on her with more advice
That thus without advice begin to love her?
8. ‘Tis but her picture I have yet beheld,
And that hath dazzled my reason’s light;
But when I look on her perfections,
There is no reason but I shall be blind.
9. If I can check my erring love, I will;
If not, to compass her I’ll use my skill.
Exit
Line Analysis
Arden | 2004
PROTEUS
Even as one heat another heat expels, 11 | 10R
Or as one nail by strength drives out another, 11w
So the remembrance of my former love 10
Is by a newer object quite forgotten. 11w
Is it mine eye, or Valentinè’s praise, 9
Her true perfection, or my false transgression 11w
That makes me reasonless to reason thus? 10R
She is fair; and so is Julia that I love– 12 | 11
That I did love, for now my love is thawed, 10
Which like a waxen image ‘gainst a fire, 10R | 11w
Bears no impression of the thing it was. 10R
Methinks my zeal to Valentine is cold, 10R
And that I love him not as I was wont. 10R
O, but I love his lady too too much, 10
And that’s the reason I love him so little. 11w
How shall I dote on her with more advice 10
That thus without advice begin to love her? 11w
‘Tis but her picture I have yet beheld, 10R
And that hath dazzlèd my reason’s light; 10R
But when I look on her perfectiöns, 10R
There is no reason but I shall be blind. 10R
If I can check my erring love, I will; 10R
If not, to compass her I’ll use my skill. 10R
Exit
Phrasing and Tempo
Arden | 2004
PROTEUS
Even as one heat <c> another heat expels,
Or as one nail <c> by strength drives out another,
So the remembrance of my former love
Is by a newer object <c> quite forgotten. pause
Is it mine eye, <c> or Valentine’s praise,
Her true perfection, <c> or my false transgression
That makes me <c> reasonless <c> to reason thus? pause
She is fair; <c> and so is Julia <c> that I love– slowly | slowly?
That I did love, <c> for now my love is thawed, slowly
Which like a waxen image ‘gainst a fire,
Bears no impression of the thing it was. pause
Methinks my zeal to Valentine is cold,
And that I love him not as I was wont. pause slowly
O, <c> but I love his lady too too much, slowly?
And that’s the reason I love him so little. pause
How shall I dote on her with more advice
That thus without advice begin to love her? pause
‘Tis but her picture I have yet beheld,
And that hath dazzled my reason’s light; slowly
But when I look on her perfections,
There is no reason but I shall be blind. pause
If I can check my erring love, <c> I will;
If not, <c> to compass her <c> I’ll use my skill. pause
Exit
Sounds
Arden | 2004
PROTEUS
Even as one heat another heat expels,
Or as one nail by strength drives out another,
So the remembrance of my former love
Is by a newer object quite forgotten.
Is it mine eye, or Valentine’s praise,
Her true perfection, or my false transgression
That makes me reasonless to reason thus?
She is fair; and so is Julia that I love–
That I did love, for now my love is thawed,
Which like a waxen image ‘gainst a fire,
Bears no impression of the thing it was.
Methinks my zeal to Valentine is cold,
And that I love him not as I was wont.
O, but I love his lady too too much,
And that’s the reason I love him so little.
How shall I dote on her with more advice
That thus without advice begin to love her?
‘Tis but her picture I have yet beheld,
And that hath dazzled my reason’s light;
But when I look on her perfections,
There is no reason but I shall be blind.
If I can check my erring love, I will;
If not, to compass her I’ll use my skill.
Exit
Rhetoric
Arden | 2004
PROTEUS
Even as one heat another heat expels, (simile, imagery, antithesis)
Or as one nail by strength drives out another, (simile, imagery, antithesis)
So the remembrance of my former love (comparison, antithesis)
Is by a newer object quite forgotten.
Is it mine eye, or Valentine’s praise, (list, antithesis)
Her true perfection, or my false transgression (antithesis)
That makes me reasonless to reason thus?
She is fair; and so is Julia that I love– (antithesis, imagery)
That I did love, for now my love is thawed,
Which like a waxen image ‘gainst a fire, (simile, imagery)
Bears no impression of the thing it was.
Methinks my zeal to Valentine is cold, (metaphor)
And that I love him not as I was wont.
O, but I love his lady too too much,
And that’s the reason I love him so little. (antithesis)
How shall I dote on her with more advice
That thus without advice begin to love her? (antithesis, rhetorical question)
‘Tis but her picture I have yet beheld,
And that hath dazzled my reason’s light; (imagery, metaphor)
But when I look on her perfections,
There is no reason but I shall be blind.
If I can check my erring love, I will; (personification)
If not, to compass her I’ll use my skill. (antithesis)
Exit
Before and After
Arden | 2004
MILAN: The DUKE’s Palace
Enter PROTEUS
VALENTINE
Welcome, dear Proteus! Mistress, I beseech you,
Confirm his welcome with some special favour.
SILVIA
His worth is warrant for his welcome hither,
If this be he you oft have wish’d to hear from.
VALENTINE
Mistress, it is: sweet lady, entertain him
To be my fellow-servant to your ladyship.
SILVIA
Too low a mistress for so high a servant.
PROTEUS
Not so, sweet lady: but too mean a servant
To have a look of such a worthy mistress.
VALENTINE
Leave off discourse of disability:
Sweet lady, entertain him for your servant.
PROTEUS
My duty will I boast of; nothing else.
SILVIA
And duty never yet did want his meed:
Servant, you are welcome to a worthless mistress.
PROTEUS
I’ll die on him that says so but yourself.
SILVIA
That you are welcome?
PROTEUS
That you are worthless.
Re-enter THURIO
THURIO
Madam, my lord your father would speak with you.
SILVIA
I wait upon his pleasure. Come, Sir Thurio,
Go with me. Once more, new servant, welcome:
I’ll leave you to confer of home affairs;
When you have done, we look to hear from you.
PROTEUS
We’ll both attend upon your ladyship.
Exeunt SILVIA and THURIO
VALENTINE
Now, tell me, how do all from whence you came?
PROTEUS
Your friends are well and have them much commended.
VALENTINE
And how do yours?
PROTEUS
I left them all in health.
VALENTINE
How does your lady? and how thrives your love?
PROTEUS
My tales of love were wont to weary you;
I know you joy not in a love discourse.
VALENTINE
Ay, Proteus, but that life is alter’d now:
I have done penance for contemning Love,
Whose high imperious thoughts have punish’d me
With bitter fasts, with penitential groans,
With nightly tears and daily heart-sore sighs;
For in revenge of my contempt of love,
Love hath chased sleep from my enthralled eyes
And made them watchers of mine own heart’s sorrow.
O gentle Proteus, Love’s a mighty lord,
And hath so humbled me, as, I confess,
There is no woe to his correction,
Nor to his service no such joy on earth.
Now no discourse, except it be of love;
Now can I break my fast, dine, sup and sleep,
Upon the very naked name of love.
PROTEUS
Enough; I read your fortune in your eye.
Was this the idol that you worship so?
VALENTINE
Even she; and is she not a heavenly saint?
PROTEUS
No; but she is an earthly paragon.
VALENTINE
Call her divine.
PROTEUS
I will not flatter her.
VALENTINE
O, flatter me; for love delights in praises.
PROTEUS
When I was sick, you gave me bitter pills,
And I must minister the like to you.
VALENTINE
Then speak the truth by her; if not divine,
Yet let her be a principality,
Sovereign to all the creatures on the earth.
PROTEUS
Except my mistress.
VALENTINE
Sweet, except not any;
Except thou wilt except against my love.
PROTEUS
Have I not reason to prefer mine own?
VALENTINE
And I will help thee to prefer her too:
She shall be dignified with this high honour–
To bear my lady’s train, lest the base earth
Should from her vesture chance to steal a kiss
And, of so great a favour growing proud,
Disdain to root the summer-swelling flower
And make rough winter everlastingly.
PROTEUS
Why, Valentine, what braggardism is this?
VALENTINE
Pardon me, Proteus: all I can is nothing
To her whose worth makes other worthies nothing;
She is alone.
PROTEUS
Then let her alone.
VALENTINE
Not for the world: why, man, she is mine own,
And I as rich in having such a jewel
As twenty seas, if all their sand were pearl,
The water nectar and the rocks pure gold.
Forgive me that I do not dream on thee,
Because thou see’st me dote upon my love.
My foolish rival, that her father likes
Only for his possessions are so huge,
Is gone with her along, and I must after,
For love, thou know’st, is full of jealousy.
PROTEUS
But she loves you?
VALENTINE
Ay, and we are betroth’d: nay, more, our, marriage-hour,
With all the cunning manner of our flight,
Determined of; how I must climb her window,
The ladder made of cords, and all the means
Plotted and ‘greed on for my happiness.
Good Proteus, go with me to my chamber,
In these affairs to aid me with thy counsel.
PROTEUS
Go on before; I shall inquire you forth:
I must unto the road, to disembark
Some necessaries that I needs must use,
And then I’ll presently attend you.
VALENTINE
Will you make haste?
PROTEUS
I will.
Exit VALENTINE
Even as one heat another heat expels,
Or as one nail by strength drives out another,
So the remembrance of my former love
Is by a newer object quite forgotten.
Is it mine, or Valentine’s praise,
Her true perfection, or my false transgression
That makes me reasonless to reason thus?
She is fair; and so is Julia that I love–
That I did love, for now my love is thawed,
Which like a waxen image ‘gainst a fire,
Bears no impression of the thing it was.
Methinks my zeal to Valentine is cold,
And that I love him not as I was wont.
O, but I love his lady too too much,
And that’s the reason I love him so little.
How shall I dote on her with more advice
That thus without advice begin to love her?
‘Tis but her picture I have yet beheld,
And that hath dazzled my reason’s light;
But when I look on her perfections,
There is no reason but I shall be blind.
If I can check my erring love, I will;
If not, to compass her I’ll use my skill.
Exit
Definitions
Arden | 2004
PROTEUS
Even as one heat another heat expels,
Or as one nail by strength drives out another,
So the remembrance of my former love
Is by a newer object quite forgotten.
Is it mine eye, or Valentine’s praise,
Her true perfection, or my false transgression
That makes me reasonless to reason thus?
She is fair; and so is Julia that I love–
That I did love, for now my love is thawed,
Which like a waxen image ‘gainst a fire,
Bears no impression of the thing it was.
Methinks my zeal to Valentine is cold,
And that I love him not as I was wont.
O, but I love his lady too too much,
And that’s the reason I love him so little.
How shall I dote on her with more advice
That thus without advice begin to love her?
‘Tis but her picture I have yet beheld,
And that hath dazzled my reason’s light;
But when I look on her perfections,
There is no reason but I shall be blind.
If I can check my erring love, I will;
If not, to compass her I’ll use my skill.
Exit
Translation
Arden | 2004
PROTEUS
Even as one heat another heat expels,
Or as one nail by strength drives out another,
So the remembrance of my former love
Is by a newer object quite forgotten.
Is it mine eye, or Valentine’s praise,
Her true perfection, or my false transgression
That makes me reasonless to reason thus?
She is fair; and so is Julia that I love–
That I did love, for now my love is thawed,
Which like a waxen image ‘gainst a fire,
Bears no impression of the thing it was.
Methinks my zeal to Valentine is cold,
And that I love him not as I was wont.
O, but I love his lady too too much,
And that’s the reason I love him so little.
How shall I dote on her with more advice
That thus without advice begin to love her?
‘Tis but her picture I have yet beheld,
And that hath dazzled my reason’s light;
But when I look on her perfections,
There is no reason but I shall be blind.
If I can check my erring love, I will;
If not, to compass her I’ll use my skill.
Exit