Begging and Poor in 3 Henry VI (1591)
Shakespeare's Henry VI, Part 3 has five instances of "beg" and 18 of "poor." Characters often act more like the self-concerned rich man in the gospel tale than like beggar Lazarus, with the exception of Henry, who, while a weak king, is more humble than most of his nobles. [Image cropped from The third Part of Henry the Sixt, with the death of the Duke of Yorke , in the Second Folio edition of 1632, via Folger Shakespeare Library Digital Image Collection . Creative Commons.] "Poor" in this play is often used to mean "pitiable," and often sarcastically by characters who lack pity ( *emphasis* mine): 1.1 York and Lancaster factions argue about their claims to the throne. Lord Clifford is impoverished by the death of his father but also by his thirst for revenge. Warwick calls him "poor Clifford" as one might taunt an enemy: Earl of Warwick: " *Poor* Clifford! how I scorn his worthless threats!" Under duress, He...