151Language

Since both An Humorous Dayʼs Mirth and Loveʼs Labourʼs Lost play on the acquisition and punning use of words, it is no surprise that linguistic comparison can be made between the two. In his introduction to Loveʼs Labourʼs Lost, Woudhuysen notes several similarities between Shakespeareʼs play and An Humorous Dayʼs Mirth, most of which have been mentioned in the Date and Sources sections of the Textual Introduction. Two further possible examples are included in this section, since they involve borrowings of language. In 1.2 Armado uses the phrase ‘pretty and patheticalʼ (ll. 92-93), which also appears in An Humorous Dayʼs Mirth (1.36) and The Widowʼs Tears (3.1.120-1).^[98] Woudhuysen also suggests that the word ‘preambulateʼ used by Armado at 5.1.74 is copied by Chapman, and uses this example to support changing the Q and F reading from ‘preambulatʼ, despite the occurrence antedating the first OED entry.^[99]

152Further similarities between the language and word-play of the two comedies are noted below. It is difficult and dangerous to identify specific lines as source material which might simply be products of a shared cultural and linguistic background. However, the instances below are recorded for interestʼs sake, particularly because the words involved present difficulty of interpretation in either play.

153Just such an example is the reference in An Humorous Dayʼs Mirth to Lemot as an ‘imp of desolationʼ (TLN 311). When Armado calls Moth ‘dear impʼ (1.2.5), Woudhuysen notes that use of the word as a noun is quite rare in Shakespeare, only occurring twice in this play and twice in two others. ‘Desolationʼ also occurs in Loveʼs Labourʼs Lost at 1.2.153, but causes the editor confusion since its context calls for a different word. It appears again in 5.2.357 to imply ‘loneliness, solitarinessʼ. Lemot is again referred to as Florilaʼs ‘desolate proverʼ in 6.24. A description of Berowne by Rosaline in Loveʼs Labourʼs Lost could also be used of Lemot:

His eye begets occasion for his wit,
For every object that the one doth catch
The other turns to a mirth-moving jest,
Which his fair tongue, conceitʼs expositor,
Delivers in such apt and gracious words
That aged ears play truant at his tales
And younger hearings are quite ravished,
So sweet and voluble is his discourse.
(2.1.69-76)

154The passage captures Lemotʼs fondness for mirth and jests, as well as his charming gift with language, a gift he can easily use to mislead or hurt other characters.

155The opportunity for word play on Lemotʼs name, in French literally meaning ‘the wordʼ, is mirrored in Mothʼs name. In 5.1 Costard punningly comments to Moth that he marvels ‘thy master hath not eaten thee for a wordʼ (ll. 38-39), playing on the French pronunciation of Moth as mot. Chapman develops the theme in Scene 5 of An Humorous Dayʼs Mirth, in which Martia and Lemot engage in a battle of wits which almost becomes a slanging match, and all the women present take part. Every possible meaning of mot, mote and moat is employed until Lemot concludes the section with a further pun: ‘Hereʼs a poor name run out of breath quicklyʼ (TLN 492). Without drawing breath, the dialogue turns to the Latin lesson as a source of mirth.

156Shakespeare employs this theme over the next couple of years in The Merry Wives of Windsor and also in Henry V, where the subject of the lesson has become English. Lemot invites Martia to ‘Decline me, or take me a hole lowerʼ (TLN 505), correctly observing the proverbial origin of the phrase, and therefore explaining its use in Loveʼs Labourʼs Lost. Moth advises his master, Armado, ‘let me take you a buttonhole lowerʼ (5.2.696), meaning that he will unbutton his masterʼs clothes for the fight, but the phrase also implies humiliation.

157Lemot flirtatiously humiliates Martia with his sexual invitation, but she rejects his advance and continues with her Latin declination. The resulting joke, observed and articulated by a crowing Labesha, is that Martia calls Lemot an ass by declining ‘moto, motas‘ (TLN 508). An identical joke is included in 5.2 of Loveʼs Labourʼs Lost, where Holofernes, playing Judas Maccabeus in the show, is called an ass: ‘Jud-as away!ʼ exclaims Berowne (l. 622). Both plays include a joke about the state of a characterʼs shirt, or lack of it, with reference to Rowley and Armado. All An Humorous Dayʼs Mirth lacks is the concluding cuckoo song from Loveʼs Labourʼs Lost, for a play in which every husband is either almost cuckolded or has attempted to cheat on his wife.

158Lemot describes one of Blanvelʼs humours thus: ‘he will speak the very selfsame word to a syllable after him of whom he takes acquaintanceʼ (TLN 65-66). He then gives an example of this, in which the imaginary Blanvel repeats word for word whatever Lemot says. When his character enters shortly afterwards, he neither disappoints nor contradicts Lemot. After a short series of repeated phrases Lemot goes about plotting his next intrigue, and Blanvelʼs humour is forgotten until the end of the scene. The joke seems to lie in the fact that, because of his repetition of everything Lemot says, it is difficult to encourage Blanvel to exit. He rejects Lemotʼs politeness at offering to follow him in, his repetitious quirk forcing the compliment to be returned to Lemot.

159An example of this word for word repetition also occurs in Loveʼs Labourʼs Lost when the King of Navarre welcomes the French Princess to his court. Berowne expresses recognition of Rosaline in the line, ‘Did not I dance with you in Brabant once?ʼ (2.1.114). Rosaline flirtatiously repeats the line back at him, word for word. The joke is, of course, that if he danced with her, she must have also danced with him, but Rosaline also uses the device as a clever way of wrong-footing Berowne. Chapman uses the same trick but turns it into a humour all of its own, a feature of Blanvelʼs character. The incident is important in An Humorous Dayʼs Mirth since it illustrates at an early stage Lemotʼs control over language, particularly other peopleʼs. He chooses lines he knows Blanvel can and will repeat.

160Lemotʼs second predictive language game occurs in the ordinary, while the gallants are clustered together, playing cards as they wait for their dinner. When Lemotʼs question prompts a predictable response from Rowley, the idea of the game is placed in Lemotʼs mind. He boasts to Catalian, ‘I could have told thee before what he would have saidʼ (TLN 1238-1239). When Catalian denies the possibility of this sort of trick, Lemot is goaded into action. He remarks that just as he knows Rowleyʼs ‘gay outsideʼ (TLN 1220-1221) disguises his ‘foul and sweatyʼ undergarments (TLN 1221), Lemotʼs wit can permeate the entire assembled company: ‘Thou seest hereʼs a fine plump of gallants, such as think their wits singular, and their selves rarely accomplished. Yet to show thee how brittle their wits be, I will speak to them severally, and I will tell thee before what they shall answer meʼ (TLN 1241-1246). Lemot prefaces his prediction of Rowleyʼs reply with ‘Whatsoever I say to Monsieur Rowleyʼ (TLN 1248). This is simply the linguistic magicianʼs sleight of hand, since Lemot carefully chooses what he says to each victim, in order to prompt the predicted response. Fortunately for Lemot the gallantsʼ and lordsʼ responses are characterised by their proverbial content, illustrating his comment on their ‘brittle witsʼ, which are founded on unoriginal stock phrases. Jaquesʼs entry at TLN 1285 conveniently ends the game, since Lemot has run out of specimens, and the new sport of concealing the King's party begins.

161The word games highlight Lemotʼs dexterity with language in overt usage. More cunning is the way in which Lemot chooses language carefully when undertaking ordinary dialogue with other characters. The principle is very similar: a game is still being played, but it is a different type, prompting action and response rather than innocuous phrases. Of particular interest is the relationship between Lemot and each of the higher ranking women. The Countess is suspicious of Lemot but not clever enough to take his words at anything but face value. Lemot preys on the Countessʼs jealousy of her younger husband and she responds as forecast:

Lemot. Hark you, madam, have you no more care of the right of your husband, than to let him talk thus affectionately with another?
Countess. Why he speaks not for himself, but for his cousin Colinet.
Lemot. Godʼs my life! He tells you so. Nay, an these excuses may serve, I have done.
Countess. By the mass, now I observe him, he looks very suspiciously indeed.
(TLN 590-598)

162As well as placing pressure on the tense relationship between husband and wife, Lemot makes subtle but constant reference to the Countessʼs old age, further heightening the gap between them. When Lemot refers to the ladies present as ‘passing lovelyʼ (TLN 476-477), the Countess comments on his flattering ways and is curtly reminded of her seniority when he explains he meant she was ‘passing from your lovelinessʼ (TLN 484). Again, in Scene 9, Lemot prefaces his information that Moren is at the ordinary with ‘that light hussy Martiaʼ (TLN 364-365) with a reference to the Countessʼs age (TLN 1361). He continues by referring to her ‘motherly careʼ (TLN 1366), pointing to her as a maternal, rather than wifely, figure to her husband. This is delivered as if a compliment, but is actually an anxiety-prompting comment, much as the apparently careless but actually careful comments of Iago fire Othelloʼs jealousy.

163Lemotʼs contact with Martia lacks the acerbic scorn he pours on the Countess. In Scene 5 they engage in a quick-fire battle of wits, in which Martia demonstrates agility in punning on Lemotʼs name and her knowledge of Latin. When his innuendo reaches sexually explicit territory, and he invites her to take him a hole lower (TLN 504), her response is to retreat: ‘Nay, sir, Iʼll leave when I am wellʼ (TLN 513). He is the powerful commander of language and she goes only so far before backing down and acknowledging defeat. Lemot is then able to stand aside and talk with Martia, informing her of the planned trip to the ordinary, knowing she will agree. There is almost a sexual chemistry between the two, but his referral to her as a hussy in Scene 9 perhaps reveals disgust at her willingness to flirt with several men at once.

164In many ways Florila provides Lemot with his greatest challenge. Strictly directed by her religion, Florila represents the instantly recognisable Puritan. Lemotʼs aim is primarily to incense her husband, but part of his motivation must also lie in his suspicion of Florilaʼs hypocrisy. Littering her language with Biblical references and pious sentiments, her Puritanism is also expressed through her humble clothing, since both Blanvel (TLN 118) and Labervele (TLN 232) refer to her milkmaidʼs clothing. Just as Florila rejects Laberveleʼs suggestion that she wear a velvet hood (TLN 235), she also pounces on Catalianʼs ‘idle wordsʼ (TLN 281):

‘My ladyshipʼ, and ‘my honourʼ! They be words which I must have you leave...ʼ My duty to youʼ, or ‘I desire youʼ, were a great deal better than ‘my ladyshipʼ, or ‘my honourʼ.
(TLN 280-283)

165In his previous lines, Labervele has objected to Catalianʼs presumptuous use of pronoun:

Catalian. Why, sir, I have a message to my lady from Monsieur du Barte.
Labervele. To ‘your ladyʼ! Well, sir, speak your mind to ‘your ladyʼ.
(TLN 273-275)

166For Florila, the noun phrase is more objectionable than the pronoun, and she helpfully points Catalian to more appropriate exemplary phrases. His tongue-in-cheek response is to thank her for her ‘Christian admonitionʼ (TLN 284).

167Labervele and his wife have a curious relationship with words, which are feared as incitements to sin and temptation, even if the actual words used are harmless. For example, Labervele objects to Lemot craving a word with Florila, responding rather hysterically: ‘These words are intolerable, and she shall hear no moreʼ (TLN 317). Anxiety about speech and language, clothes and status, religious behaviour and sin is the manifestation of jealousy and tension within the inter-generational relationship. As it turns out, Labervele is right to be wary and Florila is correct to be guarded, since as soon as Lemot appears he penetrates her zealous piety.

168Lemot disguises his assault on Florilaʼs hypocrisy as a religious test. He has come to ‘prove your constancyʼ (TLN 328). This immediately puts Florila at her ease and ensures that she will welcome his advances. Labervele, however, responds with exclamatory rage. When Florila initially balks at being kissed, Lemot persuades her that it is the surest test, a test she must undergo in order to claim herself chaste and honourable. Her invitation to explain the philosophical benefits of kissing effectively allows Lemot to woo Florila. He does so with a romantic description of ‘the stronger assault against your constancyʼ (TLN 372), by penetration of her ears and lip with words and kisses. Lemotʼs careful choice of erotic language quickly works on Florila, so that by the end of his speech she is convinced and urges him to kiss her with the phrase ‘prove my constancyʼ (TLN 376).

169Once over the first hurdle, Lemot proceeds to the next, persuading Florila she should begin socialising in order to take the test to more extreme levels. This appeals both to her Puritan pride and her subdued desires, so that ‘this is perfect trial indeedʼ (TLN 414). Lemot achieves what Labervele tentatively suggested, but withdrew from, that is, convincing Florila to put off her melancholy reclusiveness, prove her constancy, and pass ‘the full test of experimentʼ (TLN 409-410).

170This next stage of Florilaʼs test begins when Lemot returns in Scene 6. In order to encourage Florila to remove her final pompous barriers against him, Lemot must falsely convince her of his love for her: he swears ‘I am shot thorough with your loveʼ (TLN 706-707). Her guard comes down, she confesses her reciprocal love for him, and he is at last in a position to inform her of the ‘private meeting/ This day at Veroneʼs ordinaryʼ (TLN 750-751), a suggestion which would have been rejected outright without Lemotʼs careful wooing of her suppressed spirits. Witnessing Florilaʼs false signs and her plan to lie about fasting inspires Lemot to play one final time with equivocal language before his exit. He informs Labervele he has ‘the constantest wife that ever –ʼ (TLN 764-765), before purposefully cutting himself off without finishing the sentence. This ensures that, without lying, Lemot is also reassuring Labervele of his wife's exemplary conduct, and is necessary to enable the grand 'ordinary' plan to come to fruition.

171Scene 12 demonstrates Lemotʼs aptitude for lying as much as his linguistic skill. Faking a hurt right arm, Lemot invents the Kingʼs danger in order to goad the Queen into finding her husband in the company of Martia. He also taunts the poor Queen with a misleading narrative, making her think the King no longer loves her and finds her abhorrent, while the next moment reassuring her that he is faithful. The Queen can be forgiven for assuming that when Lemot describes the King as blind, the reference is to visual deprivation, since Lemotʼs description of the Kingʼs condition involves him groping ‘about in corners,/ Void of the cheerful light should guide us allʼ (TLN 1599-1600). Lemot employs duplicitous language as his major tool with which to expose the Queenʼs folly. The King is not blind in sight, but in reason, ‘whose light you know/ Should cheerfully guide a worthy kingʼ (TLN 1615-1616).

172Lemot uses a similar duplicitous trick when misleading the Queen into thinking the Kingʼs ‘instrument of procreationʼ (TLN 1629), his penis, is about to be removed from his person. The Queen, like the Countess, is guilty of accepting Lemotʼs equivocal language at face value. As has been mentioned earlier, the climax of Scene 12 is also graced by another of Lemotʼs predictive word games, in which Foyes, Labervele and the Countess inquire about the identity of a daughter, a son and an earl, one of whom relates correctly to each of the inquirers.

173The influence Lemot has on other characters manifests itself in the colouring of their linguistic register with his specifically chosen words. When, in Scene 10, Foyes and the Countess bang on the doors of the ordinary, they cry out for ‘the strumpetʼ and ‘this harlotʼ (TLN 1391-1392). The reference is to the woman in the company of the King, Martia, but Foyes is obviously unaware of his daughterʼs involvement. Labervele knocks at the door with his favourite cry, ‘puritans ... murderersʼ (TLN 419 and 1389), which appellation is in stark contrast with the lords and gentlewomen who are actually inside, and include Laberveleʼs own wife. These assumptions are based on Lemotʼs lies and expose the charactersʼ folly and gullibility.

174In 1606, an act was passed stating that if any persons ‘jestingly or prophanely speak or use the holy name of God or of Christ Jesus, ... [they] shall forfeit for every such offence by him or them committed Ten poundsʼ [3 Jac.I.c.21]. It is obvious from the use of oaths that An Humorous Dayʼs Mirth predates this act. God and heaven are referred to most frequently, with examples including ‘By heavenʼ (Lemot, TLN 60), ‘God save youʼ (Colinet, TLN 170), ‘iʼ Godʼs nameʼ (Labervele, TLN 243-244), ‘Godʼs my passionʼ (Labervele, TLN 310), ‘Godʼs my lifeʼ (Lemot, TLN 595), ‘By the massʼ (Countess, TLN 597), ‘by Jesusʼ (Countess, TLN 605), ‘Godʼs precious coalsʼ (Dowsecer, TLN 921), ‘for Godʼs sakeʼ (Labesha, TLN 569), ‘in the name of Godʼ (Jaquena, TLN 1038-1039), ‘by the Lordʼ (Berger, TLN 1128), and ‘ʼSbloodʼ (Berger, TLN 1268). Oaths are employed to indicate surprise, haste and anger, as well as simply padding out everyday speech.^[100]

175Interestingly, for one with such a Christian wife, all Laberveleʼs oaths contain the word ‘Godʼ and all occur when he is most under threat in Scene 4. The care with which Lemot chooses his vocabulary is illustrated in Scene 5, when his increase in swearing mimics the oath-punctuated speech of the Countess, with whom he is in conversation. Presumably Lemot is matching her linguistic register in order to reassure her, increasing the likelihood of her believing what he has to say concerning her husband. He also uses oaths at this point to convey his feigned shock at her allowing Moren speak with Martia. In Scene 7, when Foyes exclaims ‘Byʼrladyʼ (TLN 1008), Labesha, the hopeful prospective son-in-law, matches it with ‘Byʼrlordʼ (TLN 1009). More oaths occur in Scene 8 than any other, possibly confirming the bad reputation of drinking dens. However, it would be careless to overlook the fact that this scene is one of the longest in the play, and is therefore more likely to contain more oaths, and is also a scene detailing extensive dramatic action, in turn prompting exclamatory language.

176Some characters have their own quirky, individual oaths, such as Labeshaʼs ‘By skies and stonesʼ (TLN 1356 and 437), and Laberveleʼs ‘Godʼs my passionʼ, used twice in Scene 4 (TLN 250 and 310). Perhaps the most gruesome oath, ʼsblood, makes its first appearance in Bergerʼs mouth (TLN 1273), and, although he is noted for his chiding by Lemot (TLN 1268), Jaques (TLN 1338), Catalian (TLN 1545) and Lemot (TLN 1701) subsequently also use it in mildly exclamatory ways.