Today, a day of remembrance and thanks, is a wonderful chance to post this speech - yet again. I never pass up a chance to put these words up here.
This day is called the feast of Crispian:
He that outlives this day, and comes safe home,
Will stand a tip-toe when the day is named,
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 remember'd.
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 remember'd;
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 accursed they were not here,
And hold their manhoods cheap whiles any speaks
That fought with us upon Saint Crispin's day.
-- Henry V, Act IV, sc. iii, by William Shakespeare
I love that monologue...
Did you ever see that movie with Danny Devito, where he is hurting for a job and ends up teaching some failing army recruits. He doesn't know what to do, so he ends up teaching them Hamlet?
Really cheezy movie... But there is a cool scene where one of his 'students' recites this monologue in front of his prick of a drill sergeant. Gave me chills first time I saw it...
Posted by: Curtis at November 11, 2004 10:02 AMThat sounds hysterical - I know I haven't seen it, but the title is on the tip of my tongue ...
Posted by: red at November 11, 2004 10:15 AMIs Marky Mark in it?
Posted by: red at November 11, 2004 10:15 AMOnce again:
Is it only on this blog that we can go from Shakespeare to Marky Mark in only 2 comments?
No but seriously folks:
To all of our soldiers, past and present: thank you.
Posted by: red at November 11, 2004 10:16 AMI second that sentiment..
But no, I don't think Marky Mark was in it. It was one of those movies that you only watch because you are home from school in the middle of the day and HBO is playing it nonstop. I am convinced nobody else would have watched it. I can't possibly overstress the cheeze factor of this movie.
But I still thought it was great.
Posted by: Curtis at November 11, 2004 10:43 AMFound it... renaissance man:
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/6303326811/002-2500016-6415206?v=glance
Posted by: Curtis at November 11, 2004 10:46 AMOh, of course ... hahahaha
"I cannot possibly overstress the cheesiness"...haha
Posted by: red at November 11, 2004 10:48 AMMy son's school had a Veteran's Day program this morning. He's in the choir and they sang a medley of military theme songs, the band played a couple of songs, and then they had the children who had brought a veteran go up one at a time and introduce them.
It was so sweet seeing 11- and 12-year-old kids go up and say things like, "This is my grandpa and he served in the Navy during WW2. His boat sunk in the Pacific and he floated 52 hours before he was found." (That was one of the stories.) They had veterans from WW2, Korea, Vietnam, Desert Storm, and even one guy home from Iraq.
Then they told the story of "Taps" and a little kid who probably just learned to play the trumpet got up and played it *beautifully*. "Choked up" doesn't even begin to cover the reactions in the audience.
It was a great tribute to our armed forces.
"children who had brought a veteran"
Gulp. I wasn't even THERE, and I feel all choked up right now.
Posted by: red at November 11, 2004 12:44 PMI do love this speech.
As for Renaissance Man, yes, it is VERY cheesy, and yet, part of what I actually love about that moment in it is that the guy so passionately gets out King Henry's whole speech in this thick Brooklyn accent.
Thanks for reminding me: I have to call my grandfather today. I don't know if he'll make it until next Veteran's Day. :-(
Posted by: Dave J at November 11, 2004 12:44 PMYou are most welcome, Dave J. :)
Posted by: red at November 11, 2004 12:45 PMDearest: while it is a passably good speach, the play is Shakespeare at his most jingoistic. love, dad
Posted by: dad at November 12, 2004 09:36 AMOut of curiosity, do you have a favorite film version of Henry V? I'd be interested to hear your well-read and very poetic opinion.
Personally, once I saw Branagh's version, it set a very high bar of comparison. Olivier's has a certain style that is very evocative of the WWII period in which it was made, but it feels less emotional to me.
(Then again, I'm very much a Branagh fan, and there's now a rumor he's going to direct "The Magic Flute" on screen. Which would send me to flights of rapture.)