The cracker-jack staff here at The Bard and the Bible blog missed posting last Monday’s insult-of-the-week. Heads have rolled, we assure you, and we hope it didn’t cramp your style too much not to have a new Shakespearean insult ready for use. We also hope the following Shakespearean insult will make up for the lapse. Ready?
This week we provide a veritable insult tornado from Henry IV, Part 1, spoken by Falstaff to none other than his drinking buddy, Prince Hal (Henry V):
‘Sblood, you starveling, you elf-skin, you dried neat’s tongue, you bull’s pizzle, you stock-fish! O for breath to utter what is like thee! you tailor’s-yard, you sheath, you bowcase; you vile standing-tuck! (1 Henry IV 2.4.227-229).
You may wish to parcel out those insults a little at a time, unless you have the swagger of the fat knight.
