Tuesday, June 5, 2012

In Act I scene 2 of As You Like It, what does Rosalind mean by the phrase "rib-breaking"?


The eldest
of the three wrestled with Charles, the duke's 
wrestler; which Charles in a
moment threw him, and broke three of 
his ribs, that there is little hope of
life in him: so he served 
the second, and so the third. Yonder they lie; the
poor old man, 
their father, making such pitiful dole over them that all
the 
beholders take his part with
weeping.



In connection with
this reporting made by Le Beau in As You Like It, act 1 scene 2,
that Rosalind used the phrase:


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But is there any else longs to see this broken
music 
in his sides? is there yet another dotes upon
rib-breaking? 
Shall we see this wrestling,
cousin?








Orlando,
youngest son of the late Sir Rowland de Boys, complains to Adam, an elderly family
servant, that his brother Oliver has unfairly withheld his late father's inheritance and
prevented him from being educated as a gentleman. Oliver enters and a heated argument
ensues. When Oliver learns that his brother plans to challenge Duke Frederick's
 wrestler,Charles, he plots with Charles to break his brother's neck during the
match.


The next day when Duke Frederick's daughter Celia,
his niece Rosalind, and the Fool, Touchstone, are in conversation, Le Beau enters to
report that a wrestling match is going to take place in which Charles, who has subdued
his first three opponents by breaking their ribs, shall face Orlando. It is in this
context that Rosalind mentioned the phrase.

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