Shakespeare's forgotten foods

Food in Shakespeare

Shakespeare often uses food as a metaphor for different aspects of life. The four main categories

for his use of food this way are: feasting as formation of individual and social identity, food

and sex, food as weakness, and food as violence and death.

La preparazione

Marmellate

Carne (carbonadoes and larding)

Pane

Torte

Marmellate““Whilst they, distilledWhilst they, distilled

Almost to jelly with the act of Almost to jelly with the act of fear,fear,

Stand dumb and speak not to Stand dumb and speak not to him.”him.”

(Amleto I)(Amleto I)

“It is supposedHe that meets Hector issues from our choiceAnd choice, being mutual act of all our souls,Makes merit her election, and doth boil,As 'twere from us all, a man distill'dOut of our virtues;”

(Troilo e Cressida I)

Carne (carbonadoes and larding)

“Before Corioli he scotched him and notched him like a carbonadoe.”

(Coriolano IV)

“(…) swats to deathAnd lards the lean earth

as he walks along”

(Enrico IV, II)

Pane“Would mouth with a beggar, thought she smelt like

brown bread and garlic.” (Misura per misura, III)

Torte

The Winter's Tale:Act 4, Scene 3“ What am I to buy for our Sheep-Shearing feast ? Three pound of

sugar, five pound of currants, rice-what will this sister of mine do with rice ? (…) I must have saffron to colour the warden pies; mace; dates, none- that's out of my notes; nutmegs; seven; a race or two of ginger,

but that I may beg; four pound of prunes and as many raisins o'th'sun”

The Comedy Of Errors: Act 5, Scene 1“Unquiet meals make ill digestions.”

Twelfth Night: Act 3, Scene 4“Here's the challenge; read it: I warrant there's vinegar and pepper

in't.”

Spices

WineMacbeth: Act 2, Scene 3“Drink sir, is a great provoker of three things….nose painting, sleep and urine. Lechery, sir, it provokes, and unprovokes; it provokes the desire but takes away the performance.”Henry IV Part II: Act 2, Scene 4“A man cannot make him laugh – but that’s no marvel; he drinks no wine.”Othello: Act 2, Scene 3“Good wine is a good familiar creature, if it be well used.”Othello: Act 2, Scene 3“O thou invisible spirit of wine! If thou hast no name to be known by, let us call thee devil!”

Twelfth Night: Act 2, Scene 3“Do you think because you are virtuous, that there shall be no more cakes and ale?”

Henry V: Act 3, Scene 2“I would give all my fame for a pot of ale.”

The Ale

MeatAntony and CleopatraAntony and Cleopatra: Act 2, Scene 1: Act 2, Scene 1

““Eight wild boars roasted whole at breakfast, but twelve persons there.”Eight wild boars roasted whole at breakfast, but twelve persons there.”

Twelfth NightTwelfth Night: Act 1, Scene 3: Act 1, Scene 3

““I am a great eater of beef and I believe that does harm to my wit.”I am a great eater of beef and I believe that does harm to my wit.”

Henry IV Part IIHenry IV Part II: Act 5, Scene 1: Act 5, Scene 1

““A’ shall answer it. Some pigeons, Davy, a couple of short-legged hens, a joint A’ shall answer it. Some pigeons, Davy, a couple of short-legged hens, a joint of mutton, and any pretty little tiny kickshaws, tell William cook.”of mutton, and any pretty little tiny kickshaws, tell William cook.”

Double, double toil and trouble,Fire burn and caldron bubble.

2ND WITCH: Fillet of a fenny snake,In the caldron boil and bake.Eye of net and toe of frog,

Wool of bat and tongue of dog,Adder's fork and blindworm's sting,

Lizard's leg and howlet's wing,For a charm of powerful trouble,

Fire burn and caldron bubble.ALL: Double, double toil and trouble,

Fire burn and caldron bubble.3RD WITCH: Scale of dragon, tooth of wolf,

Witches' mummy, maw and gulfof the ravined salt-sea shark,

Root of hemlock digged i' the dark,Liver of blaspheming Jew,

Gall of goat and slips of yewSlivered in the moon's eclipse,Nose of Turk and Tatar's lips,Finger of birth-strangled babe

Ditch-delivered by a drab,Make the gruel thick and slab.Add thereto a tiger's chaudron,

For the ingredients of our caldron.ALL: Double, double toil and trouble,

Fire burn and caldron bubble.

Pubblico di allora e pubblico di oggi

Sonetto LXXVTu sei per la mia mente, come cibo Tu sei per la mia mente, come cibo

per la vita.per la vita.

Come piogge di primavera, sono per Come piogge di primavera, sono per la terra.la terra.

E per goderti in pace, combatto la E per goderti in pace, combatto la stessa guerrastessa guerra

che conduce un avaro, per che conduce un avaro, per accumular ricchezza.accumular ricchezza.

Prima, orgoglioso di possedere e, Prima, orgoglioso di possedere e, subito dopo,subito dopo,

roso dal dubbio, che il tempo gli roso dal dubbio, che il tempo gli scippi il tesoro.scippi il tesoro.

Prima, voglioso di restare solo con Prima, voglioso di restare solo con tete

poi, orgoglioso che il mondo veda il poi, orgoglioso che il mondo veda il mio piacere.mio piacere.

Talvolta, sazio di banchettare del tuo Talvolta, sazio di banchettare del tuo sguardo,sguardo,

subito dopo, affamato di una tua subito dopo, affamato di una tua occhiata.occhiata.

Non possiedo, né perseguo alcun Non possiedo, né perseguo alcun piacere,piacere,

se non ciò che ho da te, o da te io posso se non ciò che ho da te, o da te io posso avere.avere.

Così ogni giorno, soffro di fame e Così ogni giorno, soffro di fame e sazietà,sazietà,

di tutto ghiotto e d’ogni cosa privo.di tutto ghiotto e d’ogni cosa privo.

William ShakespeareWilliam Shakespeare