"This day is call'd...." Topic

This day is call'd the feast of Crispian.
He that outlives this day, and comes safe home,
Will stand a tip-toe when this day is nam'd,
And rouse him at the name of Crispian.
He that shall live this day, and see old age,
Will yearly on the vigil feast his neighbours,
And say "To-morrow is Saint Crispian."
Then will he strip his sleeve and show his scars,
And say "These wounds I had on Crispin's day."
Old men forget; yet all shall be forgot,
But he'll remember, with advantages,
What feats he did that day. Then shall our names,
Familiar in his mouth as household words—
Harry the King, Bedford and Exeter,
Warwick and Talbot, Salisbury and Gloucester—
Be in their flowing cups freshly rememb'red.
This story shall the good man teach his son;
And Crispin Crispian shall ne'er go by,
From this day to the ending of the world,
But we in it shall be rememberèd—
We few, we happy few, we band of brothers;
For he to-day that sheds his blood with me
Shall be my brother; be he ne'er so vile,
This day shall gentle his condition;
And gentlemen in England now a-bed
Shall think themselves accurs'd they were not here,
And hold their manhoods cheap whiles any speaks
That fought with us upon Saint Crispin's day.

YouTube link

So I ask the assembled group when you hear or read what Shakespeare wrote are you:
1. inspired
2. turned off
3. don't care either way

1.
How can it be otherwise?

1.

1 – like War Wizard sez

I thought it was called Chucky, the Notorious Killer Doll Day? link

1, with a huge bullet

youtu.be/DjZWL3bq8gw

it's a good inspirational speech, but this is better….

Once more unto the breach, dear friends, once more;
Or close the wall up with our English dead.
In peace there's nothing so becomes a man
As modest stillness and humility:
But when the blast of war blows in our ears,
Then imitate the action of the tiger;
Stiffen the sinews, summon up the blood,
Disguise fair nature with hard-favour'd rage;
Then lend the eye a terrible aspect;
Let pry through the portage of the head
Like the brass cannon; let the brow o'erwhelm it
As fearfully as doth a galled rock
O'erhang and jutty his confounded base,
Swill'd with the wild and wasteful ocean.
Now set the teeth and stretch the nostril wide,
Hold hard the breath and bend up every spirit
To his full height. On, on, you noblest English.
Whose blood is fet from fathers of war-proof!
Fathers that, like so many Alexanders,
Have in these parts from morn till even fought
And sheathed their swords for lack of argument:
Dishonour not your mothers; now attest
That those whom you call'd fathers did beget you.
Be copy now to men of grosser blood,
And teach them how to war. And you, good yeoman,
Whose limbs were made in England, show us here
The mettle of your pasture; let us swear
That you are worth your breeding; which I doubt not;
For there is none of you so mean and base,
That hath not noble lustre in your eyes.
I see you stand like greyhounds in the slips,
Straining upon the start. The game's afoot:
Follow your spirit, and upon this charge
Cry 'God for Harry, England, and Saint George!'

…oh and 1. ofcourse

1

It is amazing if you watch Brannagh and Oliviers back to back.
One is calm,powerful in its silence buildup
the other is you can feel the energy building at a rapid pace to the violence to come.

Definitely 1. And of course Bill Pullman's take on it from "Independence Day".("We will not go quietly into the night;we will not vanish without a fight…")

1 of course …

1.

1 for both!

1 when I get swept up in the moment
4 Pensive, when I think of young men getting swept up in the moment and not considering the consequences and perhaps the cause being supported by such rhetoric. And Shakespeare covered that too, in the night before the battle, and the scene (death of Falstaff?) before the invasion.

I prefer Branagh.

1. Inspired and reaching for my longbow.

1. IMO, Branagh's production is a masterpiece, of a masterpiece. Just my opinion. Cheers!

Love Branagh!

link

1. Although I love Branagh's Henry V, my personal favorite version of this speech is by Mark Rylance, it's very naturally delivered and human, without a lot of bombast:

YouTube link

1

1. Branagh all the way.

1

1

1

I prefer this one.

Arise, arise, Riders of Théoden!
spear shall be shaken, shield shall be splintered,
a sword-day, a red day, ere the sun rises!
Ride now, ride now, ride! Ride for ruin and the world's ending!
Death! Death! Death!
Forth Eorlingas!

1

After his hatchet job on Macbeth,the bard can take a hike.

3

I can't help but think of John Keegan's description of the men at Agincourt waiting to fight, and waiting, and waiting, and having to crap their armor.

Just delivered this speech as part of a Shakespeare showcase.

One of greatest speeches in the English language. The "Into the Breach" speech has power too but its basically a long "Charge" shout out. Crispin's Day on the other hand is one of persuasion – changing the mood of the army.

No need to try and rate Olivier's and Barangh's versions – both great with great battle scenes – both marvelous takes. Not as fond of Rylance's version – though he's a great actor.

TomT

Shakespeare…definitely had a way with words. 1!

1ish – about 7 of 10 on the inspiration scale. For the 10 of 10, I go to another fairly well-known Brit:

I say to the House as I said to ministers who have joined this government, I have nothing to offer but blood, toil, tears, and sweat. We have before us an ordeal of the most grievous kind. We have before us many, many months of struggle and suffering.

You ask, what is our policy? I say it is to wage war by land, sea, and air. War with all our might and with all the strength God has given us, and to wage war against a monstrous tyranny never surpassed in the dark and lamentable catalogue of human crime. That is our policy.

You ask, what is our aim? I can answer in one word. It is victory. Victory at all costs – Victory in spite of all terrors – Victory, however long and hard the road may be, for without victory there is no survival.

Let that be realized. No survival for the British Empire, no survival for all that the British Empire has stood for, no survival for the urge, the impulse of the ages, that mankind shall move forward toward his goal.

I take up my task in buoyancy and hope. I feel sure that our cause will not be suffered to fail among men. I feel entitled at this juncture, at this time, to claim the aid of all and to say, "Come then, let us go forward together with our united strength."

Them Brits sure to talk purty.

Branagh

Might it not be seen as cock-eyed propaganda which persists in venerating a bloody-minded army with war-criminal characteristics in a rotten cause? Just thought I'd inject some balance. I'll prepare myself to suffer your slings and arrows … bard like.

venerating a bloody-minded army with war-criminal characteristics in a rotten cause?

That covers a lot of armies throughout many time periods … E.g. the Germans and Japanese in WWII …

1 and Branagh.

1