Herbert Ward wrote: > How did music so completely escape its low-class association, > and drama so completely fail?
Music, as such, was not associated with "low" class. Musicians occupied valued positions in churches and noble/royal households, and every well-bred person was expected to be able to sight-sing or play lute or virginal (as Elizabeth herself did). > Shakespeare often refers to musicians as persons of low > class, eg from "Romeo and Juliet" (paraphrased from memory): > > Zounds, do you take me for a minstrel? > [Draws sword.] > Here is my fiddlestick, that will make you dance. Mercutio was not mistaken for a minstrel; he was punning on the word "consort" to pick a fight with Tybalt. Note that there is no stage direction about drawing his sword, though it's obvious that that's what his "fiddlestick" is: BENVOLIO By my head, here come the Capulets. MERCUTIO By my heel, I care not. Enter TYBALT and others TYBALT Follow me close, for I will speak to them. Gentlemen, good den: a word with one of you. MERCUTIO And but one word with one of us? couple it with something; make it a word and a blow. TYBALT You shall find me apt enough to that, sir, an you will give me occasion. MERCUTIO Could you not take some occasion without giving? TYBALT Mercutio, thou consort'st with Romeo,-- MERCUTIO Consort! what, dost thou make us minstrels? an thou make minstrels of us, look to hear nothing but discords: here's my fiddlestick; here's that shall make you dance. 'Zounds, consort! BENVOLIO We talk here in the public haunt of men: Either withdraw unto some private place, And reason coldly of your grievances, Or else depart; here all eyes gaze on us. MERCUTIO Men's eyes were made to look, and let them gaze; I will not budge for no man's pleasure, I. -- To get on or off this list see list information at http://www.cs.dartmouth.edu/~wbc/lute-admin/index.html
