Shakespeare and the Art of Verbal Seduction

Ice-breaking Everyone is a stranger, including you, and Shakespeare does something about it. He creates perfect openers. When complicated people bump into each other, it's the delicate drama of the first impression. It's pure comedy, if not pure tragedy, fantasy, or history. Which is why it's pure felicity for Shakespeare to appear suddenly on the scene to sort things out. Chief among the playwrights he makes himself invisible by letting every sort of human character shine through him. He is sheer camouflage. Use his lines as sheer bricolage. Open these pages, and do it yourself. When there was tension in the playhouse, Shakespeare got people's attention. "O for a muse of fire," he said, and into the play everybody went. Go and do likewise. Melt your audience of one. But assuming you can't come up with the perfect words at the perfect time, at least create the impression that you can. Learn to play with Shakespeare's wit and go for a happy accident. Today's awful lines are offal, but Shakespeare keeps chat-up standards up. There's no point in reinventing genius. His down-to-earth message: Please, be discriminating. Revel in human strangerhood without ruining the neighborhood. Avoid the groans, say what succeeds. Use these certified good lines as needed, and when they run out, bow out. Retire offstage. If you think you need more, you honestly need to leave people alone. All's Well That Ends Well Are you meditating on virginity? 1.1.108 Now I see The myst'ry of your loneliness. 1.3.165-66 Fair maid, send forth thine eye. 2.3.52 [You're] a fair creature. 3.6.112 They told me that your name was Fontybell. 4.2.1 Antony and Cleopatra Come, you'll play with me, sir? 2.5.6 How now, friend Eros? 3.5.1 Where hast thou been, my heart? 3.13.177 As You Like It [You] are fair with [your] feeding. 1.1.11-12 What shall be our sport then? 1.2.29 How now Wit, whither wander you? 1.2.53-54 Your heart's desires be with you! 1.2.187 O excellent young man! 1.2.201 Gentleman, wear this for me. 1.2.236 In my voice most welcome shall you be. 2.4.85 If ladies be but young and fair, They have the gift to know it. 2.7.37-38 Sit you down in gentleness. 2.7.124 Be blest for your good comfort. 2.7.135 Where dwell you pretty youth? 3.2.328 Are you native of this place? 3.2.331 Your accent is something finer than you could purchase in so removed a dwelling. 3.2.333-34 [You] seem to have the quotidian of love upon [you]. 3.2.356 I profess curing [love madness] by counsel. 3.2.393 Well, the gods give us joy! 3.3.41 The sight of lovers feedeth those in love. 3.4.53 Why do you look on me? 3.5.41 [I know you] not very well, but I have met [you] oft. 3.5.106 [You are] a pretty youth-not very pretty- But sure . . . proud, and yet [your] pride becomes [you]. 3.5.113-14 I prithee, pretty youth, let me be better acquainted with thee. 4.1.1-2 My errand is to you, fair youth. 4.3.6 [You] play the swaggerer. 4.3.14 I should have been a woman. 4.3.175 I know you are a gentleman. 5.2.53 Look upon [me], love [me]. I worship you. 5.2.81 Let me have audience for a word or two. 5.4.150 Cymbeline [You are] the fairest that I have look'd upon. 2.4.32 Come, here's my heart. 3.4.79 By Jupiter, an angel! or, if not, An earthly paragon! Behold divineness. 3.7.15-16 For beauty, [you make] barren the swell'd boast Of him that best could speak. 5.5.162-63 For feature, [you] lame The shrine of Venus. 5.5.163-64 [You are] a shop of all the qualities that man Loves woman for. 5.5.166-67 [You are] worthy To inlay heaven with stars. 5.5.352-53 Hamlet What art thou that usurp'st this time of night? 1.1.49 And now, whaHill, Wayne F. is the author of 'Shakespeare and the Art of Verbal Seduction', published 2003 under ISBN 9780609809679 and ISBN 0609809679.