🎭 By this pale queen of night I swear
— Silvia, Two Gentlemen of Verona 4-2
[ACTING TIPS]
Silvia swears by the moon that she will never change her heart toward Proteus.
When a character refers to ”night” or “moon”, the 16th century audience, in broad daylight of the open air theatre, immediately believed that it was happening at night.
“Pale queen of night” means the silver-blue moon. The moon is pale with sorrow, also shows she is cold-hearted.
I think all these references are still popularly used in songs, poems, words in theatre or films, so we actors/directors need to know the symbolism.
This phrase also reminds me of Romeo, swearing his love to the moon and Juliet implores never do that for the moon changes its shape.
#shakespeare #english #actingtips #silvia #twogentlemenofverona #lifeinJapan #kimono
