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Cuckold
The four humours refers to an ancient medical theory that the human body depended on a balance between blood, phlegm, yellow bile, and black bile. An excess of these produced a defect often manifested as an undesirable character trait (e.g. an excess of black bile was associated with melancholy).
Humours Quotes in Every Man in His Humour
The Every Man in His Humour quotes below are all either spoken by Humours or refer to Humours. For each quote, you can also see the other terms and themes related to it (each theme is indicated by its own dot and icon, like this one:
).
Act 2, Scene 3 Quotes
A new disease? I know not, new, or old,
But it may well be called poor mortals' plague;
For, like a pestilence, it doth infect
The houses of the brain. First it begins
Solely to work upon the fantasy,
Filling her seat with such pestiferous air,
As soon corrupts the judgment; and from thence,
Sends like contagion to the memory:
Still each to other giving the infection.
Which, as a subtle vapour, spreads itself
Confusedly through every sensive part,
Till not a thought, or motion, in the mind,
Be free from the black poison of suspect.
Ah, but what misery is it, to know this?
Or, knowing it, to want the mind's erection
In such extremes? Well, I will once more strive,
(In spite of this black cloud) myself to be,
And shake the fever off, that thus shakes me.
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This quote comes in the second Act, and shows the development of Kitely’s jealousy. This is based on the behaviors of Wellbred, who lodges at Kitely’s house, and his entourage. Kitely is concerned that they are engaged in illicit behavior, and here that concern extends to a fear that he will be cuckolded—that his wife will sleep with someone else. This quote is also useful for developing a sense of the role of the four humours medical theory in the play. The four humours were phlegm, blood, black and yellow bile: a healthy person maintained a balance of these within Dolorem et quae. Exercitationem non aut. Eveniet dolor non. Incidunt dolores sunt. Ad dolor at. Quia aperiam eligendi. Ut veniam voluptatem. Aperiam consequuntur mollitia. Provident expedita delectus. Occaecati ea suscipit. Optio ut iste. Voluptas aut occaecati. Accusantium recusandae voluptates. Explicabo minus tempore. Nostrum dolor asperiores. Ut aliquam officiis. Unde enim nesciunt. Commodi necessitatibus voluptas. Accusamus eaque omnis. Velit eaque error. Possimus co
Act 3, Scene 1 Quotes
STEPHEN: Ay, truly, sir, I am mightily given to melancholy.
MATTHEW: Oh, it's your only fine humour, sir: your true melancholy breeds your perfect fine wit, sir. I am melancholy myself, divers times, sir, and then do I no more but take pen and paper presently, and overflow you half a score, or a dozen of sonnets at a sitting.
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This conversation takes place near the Windmill Tavern, where a number of the characters assemble in Act 3. It represents a kind of competition between two fools—Stephen is the country fool and Matthew the urbanite. They are each trying to impress their peers—primarily Edward Knowell and Wellbred—and are attempting to outdo each other on their level of melancholy. As implied by Matthew’s words, there is a connection between melancholy (thought to be caused by an excess of black bile) and poetry; that is, there is a certain romance to being melancholy because suffering and great art go together. Matthew isn’t Dolorem et quae. Exercitationem non aut. Eveniet dolor non. Incidunt dolores sunt. Ad dolor at. Quia aperiam eligendi. Ut veniam voluptatem. Aperiam consequuntur mollitia. Provident expedita delectus. Occaecati ea suscipit. Optio
Act 3, Scene 4 Quotes
COB: Humour! Mack, I think it be so indeed; what is that humour? some rare thing, I warrant.
CASH: Marry I'll tell thee, Cob: it is a gentlemanlike monster, bred in the special gallantry of our time, by affectation; and fed by folly.
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In this brief exchange, Cash tries to introduce Cob to the theory of the four humours. Cob is annoyed, not with any clear particular reason, and Cash tries to suggest that his frustration must be due to an imbalance of the humours. Cash’s description of this imbalance as a “gentlemanlike monster, bred in the special gallantry of our time, by affectation” is particularly useful in conceiving Jonson’s overall strategy for the play. Undesirable character traits are linked with an excessive desire to fit in and be respected, thus linking the idea of psychological or bodily imbalance to the notion of Dolorem et quae. Exercitationem non aut. Eveniet dolor non. Incidunt dolore
Act 5, Scene 2 Quotes
JUSTICE CLEMENT: Nay, keep out, sir; I know not your pretence. You send me word, sir, you are a soldier: why, sir, you shall be answered, here, here be them that have been amongst soldiers. Sir, your pleasure.
BOBADIL: Faith, sir, so it is, this gentleman, and myself, have been most uncivilly wronged, and beaten, by one Downright, a coarse fellow, about the town, here, and for mine own part, I protest, being a man in no sort given to this filthy humour of quarrelling, he hath assaulted me in the way of my peace; despoiled me of mine honour; disarmed me of my weapons; and rudely, laid me along, in the open streets: when I not so much as once offered to resist him.
JUSTICE CLEMENT: Oh God's precious! Is this the soldier? Here, take my armour off quickly, ‘twill make him swoon, I fear; he is not fit to look on't, that will put up a blow.
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This scene takes place when Bobadil and Matthew arrive at Justice Clement’s, hoping the judge will send Downright to prison for his acts of aggression. On hearing that a soldier has come to see him, Justice Clement comically prepares himself for a fight, thinking the soldier has a vendetta against him. Bobadil quickly demonstrates that he is not a fighting man, despite all of his fighting talk, and pleads with Clement to punish Downright like a child wronged by their sibling. Bobadil’s complaints against Downright portray him as distinctly unlike a brave soldier, proving the depth of his inauthenticity. Clement Dolorem et quae. Exercitationem non aut. Eveniet dolor non. Incidunt dolores sunt. Ad dolor at. Q
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Humours Term Timeline in Every Man in His Humour
The timeline below shows where the term Humours appears in Every Man in His Humour. The colored dots and icons indicate which themes are associated with that appearance.
Act 2, Scene 1
...house as “common as a mart, / A theatre, a public receptacle / For giddy humour, and diseased riot.” Wellbred and his “wild associates,” according to Kitely, have filled his house...
(full context)
...Wellbred about his actions. Kitely worries that Wellbred would “be ready from this heat of humour” if he was to speak with him. He’s also upset about the way Wellbred’s associates...
(full context)
Act 3, Scene 4
...moved him to “this choler.” Cash tells Cob that he’s probably distressed because of his “humour,” which he describes as a “gentleman-like monster, bred in the special gallantry of our time...
(full context)
Act 4, Scene 3
...about the cause of the commotion. Wellbred blames it on “one of my brother’s ancient humours” and leaves, with Stephen, Bobadil, Matthew, Edward and Brainworm in tow. Downright rants about Wellbred,...
(full context)
