APLIT Weak Masters the Tempest

8/2/2019 APLIT Weak Masters the Tempest

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Weak MastersAuthor(s): M. K. Flint and E. J. DobsonReviewed work(s):Source: The Review of English Studies, New Series, Vol. 10, No. 37 (Feb., 1959), pp. 58-60Published by: Oxford University PressStable URL: http://www.jstor.org/stable/510465 .

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58 NOTESbeginning, and he uses its comic effects for dialogue as well as monologue.The same is true of Henry V (II. i), where Pistol enters in blank verse.

All this strongly suggests that the composition of Pistol's first scene wasnot fully planned; that the idea of making him an habitue of the theatrewas not originally in Shakespeare's mind; and that it came to him when hehad reached the end of the natural development of his first design forPistol the swaggerer-conceivably after a short break in composition.S. MUSGROVE

WEAK MASTERSIN The Tempest,v. i. 41 Prospero refers to his elves and 'demy-puppets' as'weake Masters', a phrase which (as Professor Frank Kermode points outin his recent Arden edition) has 'not been satisfactorily explained'-somuch so that some editors, including J. D. Wilson in the New Cambridgeedition, follow Hanmer in emending masters to ministers. But in fact theusage has several parallels. In Macbeth, iv. i. 63 the 'first witch' refers tothe apparitions which the witches call up as 'our Masters'. Mr. Kermodehas pointed out that Spenser, in F.Q., III. viii. 4, similarly describes the'sprights' which a witch 'was wont to entertaine' as 'the maisters of herart', and that Ben Jonson, in a note to the Masque of Queens,speaks of thewitches' 'little masters or martinets'. O.E.D. cites two instances of thediminutive maisterel(l), in the same sense of 'familiar spirit', from Gaule'sMagastromancer(I652). Finally Spenser, in F.Q., II. vii. 7, calls a pilot'scard and compass 'the maysters of his long experiment'.No sense of the ordinary word master will fit these instances; for familiarspirits are not the masters, but the instruments, of those who control them'(Prospero's spirits are at his bidding, to be set free when he chooses), andthe pilot's card and compass are his tools. Evidently we have to do with adisguised form of the obsolete word mister, from OFr. mestier (ModFr.metier) and ultimately from popular Latin *misteriumfor ministerium,forone of the many senses of this word is 'instrument or tool employed in theexercise of a craft or skill'. Of this sense O.E.D. cites (under mister sb.1,II. b) only a single English instance, from Holland's Howlat (c. 1450),where the reference is to a pen; but Godefroy2 gives French instances inwhich it is to instruments of music and of torture. This word, in its literalsense of 'tool', would obviously be appropriate to the second passage cited

Jonson seems to have thought that the 'martinets' (a diminutive of Martin; see O.E.D.under martinet2) were the 'little masters' of the witches because they summoned anddismissed their conventions; but he is apparently trying to rationalize the use of the word.2 Dictionnaire de l'ancienne languefranfaise, v (Paris, x886), under mestier.

58 NOTESbeginning, and he uses its comic effects for dialogue as well as monologue.The same is true of Henry V (II. i), where Pistol enters in blank verse.

All this strongly suggests that the composition of Pistol's first scene wasnot fully planned; that the idea of making him an habitue of the theatrewas not originally in Shakespeare's mind; and that it came to him when hehad reached the end of the natural development of his first design forPistol the swaggerer-conceivably after a short break in composition.S. MUSGROVE

WEAK MASTERSIN The Tempest,v. i. 41 Prospero refers to his elves and 'demy-puppets' as'weake Masters', a phrase which (as Professor Frank Kermode points outin his recent Arden edition) has 'not been satisfactorily explained'-somuch so that some editors, including J. D. Wilson in the New Cambridgeedition, follow Hanmer in emending masters to ministers. But in fact theusage has several parallels. In Macbeth, iv. i. 63 the 'first witch' refers tothe apparitions which the witches call up as 'our Masters'. Mr. Kermodehas pointed out that Spenser, in F.Q., III. viii. 4, similarly describes the'sprights' which a witch 'was wont to entertaine' as 'the maisters of herart', and that Ben Jonson, in a note to the Masque of Queens,speaks of thewitches' 'little masters or martinets'. O.E.D. cites two instances of thediminutive maisterel(l), in the same sense of 'familiar spirit', from Gaule'sMagastromancer(I652). Finally Spenser, in F.Q., II. vii. 7, calls a pilot'scard and compass 'the maysters of his long experiment'.No sense of the ordinary word master will fit these instances; for familiarspirits are not the masters, but the instruments, of those who control them'(Prospero's spirits are at his bidding, to be set free when he chooses), andthe pilot's card and compass are his tools. Evidently we have to do with adisguised form of the obsolete word mister, from OFr. mestier (ModFr.metier) and ultimately from popular Latin *misteriumfor ministerium,forone of the many senses of this word is 'instrument or tool employed in theexercise of a craft or skill'. Of this sense O.E.D. cites (under mister sb.1,II. b) only a single English instance, from Holland's Howlat (c. 1450),where the reference is to a pen; but Godefroy2 gives French instances inwhich it is to instruments of music and of torture. This word, in its literalsense of 'tool', would obviously be appropriate to the second passage cited

Jonson seems to have thought that the 'martinets' (a diminutive of Martin; see O.E.D.under martinet2) were the 'little masters' of the witches because they summoned anddismissed their conventions; but he is apparently trying to rationalize the use of the word.2 Dictionnaire de l'ancienne languefranfaise, v (Paris, x886), under mestier.


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from Spenser, and metaphorically employed would suit the other cases,in which elves, apparitions, and familiar spirits are the 'instruments' ofsupernatural power. Hence also the apparently inconsistent adjective inThe Tempest:the elves are the 'weak instruments'of Prospero's rough magic.As for the form taken by the word, explanation must surely start fromthe fact that the written forms maister and master were freely pronouncedmister.' It would perhaps be possible to argue that the printers of Spenserand Shakespeare, in a desire to be 'correct', have substituted maister (inSpenser) and master (in Shakespeare) for an intended mister 'instrument';but the instance in Jonson, and still more Gaule's form maisterel,make thisvery unlikely. It is much more probable that the identity in pronunciationhas led to blending and confusion of mister 'instrument' and master, withthe consequence that the latter has taken over the sense 'instrument' fromthe former.2If master, being thus a substitute for mister, has the sense 'instrument',it also has an ultimate semantic connexion with minister (since mister isultimately from ministerium);and it is interesting that minister(s)occurs insimilar contexts.3 Examples in Shakespeare are Tempest,I. ii. 275 and III.iii. 87, and All's Well, II. i. I40 and II. iii. 40. Another possible instance,at first sight especially striking, is in Troilus and Cressida,Prologue, 3-5:

their shippesFraughtwith the ministersand instrumentsOf cruell Warre.Here 'ministers and instruments' could be a doublet like Hamlet's 'bookand volume', which would be typical of Troilus and Cressida; but it isprobably safer to assume that a distinction is intended, ministersreferringto the soldiery and instruments to the weapons. In view of this closeequivalence of minister and master (in the special sense here considered),it is possible that a further instance of the latter occurs in The Tempest, I.ii. I62-3, where Prospero, who had earlier (I3I-2) told Miranda howThe ministers for th' purposehurried thenceMe, and thy cryingselfe,

The form mister (which develops rather from maister than from master; cf. pritheefrom pray thee) is recorded from I551 (see O.E.D. under mister sb.2), but is certainlyolder, since the exactly comparable mistress < maistresseoccurs earlier.2 Cf. O.E.D. under mystery2,where it is suggested that in the senses 'handicraft, craft,trade, profession', &c., and 'trade-guild', &c., 'there was probably confusion with maistrie,MASTERY'.Cf. also Godefroy's supplement (vol. x, Paris, 1902), which records under mestierinstances (dated 1285 and 1346) in which the word is spelt maistier. In English, mister in thesense 'need' is spelt maister in The Destruction of Troy (1. 35), the manuscript of which hasbeen convincingly dated c. I540 by C. A. Luttrell in Neophilologus, xlii (I958), 38-50.3 Hence the possibility of substituting ministersfor masters in Temp., v. i. 41, as editorshave suggested. See also Gaule's reference to 'maisterels, and ministrels' in the second ofthe passages cited by O.E.D. under maisterel(l.

NOTES 59


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now refers to Gonzalo as having been appointed 'Master of this designe'.Obviously he may mean no more than that Gonzalo had been put in chargeof the operation; but it is possible, in view of his earlier use of the wordministers,that he means that Gonzalo had been appointed to carry out thedesign, to be its 'instrument'. M. K. FLINTE. J. DOBSON

'AND WITHOUT THORN THE ROSE'AMONGhe rare delights of Paradise were flowers of all colours and roseswithout thorns: 'Flours of all hue, and without Thorn the Rose' (ParadiseLost, iv. 256). On the second hemistich of this line some light may yetbe shed. The first commentary, with its irrelevant allusion, is disappoint-ing. Hume wrote: 'According to the general Superstition, that the Earth,before it was accursed for Mans Sin and Punishment, brought forth noThorns, Gen. 3. Vers. I8. But whether the charming Rose had its Guardabout it originally, that every rude Hand might not sully and prostituteits blushing Beauties, is not determinable' (Paradise Lost, 5th ed., i695).Succeeding comment is mentioned and supplemented by a correspondent,identified only as E., in The European Magazine and London Review,November I795 (xxviii. 296). After quoting the line from Paradise Lostthe correspondent writes:

This, some one has observed,is an Italian conceit. Bentleyhas expungedthewhole line, as unfit for a serious poem. 'But it should be remembered',saysNewton in his note, 'that it was part of the curse denounceduponthe earthforAdam'stransgression, hat it should bringorth thornsandthistles.-Gen. iii. I8.And from hence the general opinion has prevailed,that there were no thornsbefore; which is enoughto justify a Poet in sayingthe rose was without thorns.'He then makes the first significant contribution: he cites and quotes St.Basil as an authority:The followingextractsfrom Basilwill serve to corroborate he Editor'sremark.Milton readthe Fathers. Some few references o Basilhave been madeby Peck;but this obvious imitation has escapedhim: ...rosa tuncspiniscarebat;posteaveropulchritudini lorisadjunctae unt spinae;ut afficeremurmoerore,odoris suavitatipropinquo;memoresdelicti,propterquod spinas et tribulos damnatatellus protulit.-Hom. 5. De Germinatione

Terrae.A similar observation occurs in his Third Oration, De Paradiso. Milton'shemistich and these passagesfrom Basil, when comparedtogether, manifest astrikingcoincidenceof thought and expression. The Father and the Poet have

now refers to Gonzalo as having been appointed 'Master of this designe'.Obviously he may mean no more than that Gonzalo had been put in chargeof the operation; but it is possible, in view of his earlier use of the wordministers,that he means that Gonzalo had been appointed to carry out thedesign, to be its 'instrument'. M. K. FLINTE. J. DOBSON

'AND WITHOUT THORN THE ROSE'AMONGhe rare delights of Paradise were flowers of all colours and roseswithout thorns: 'Flours of all hue, and without Thorn the Rose' (ParadiseLost, iv. 256). On the second hemistich of this line some light may yetbe shed. The first commentary, with its irrelevant allusion, is disappoint-ing. Hume wrote: 'According to the general Superstition, that the Earth,before it was accursed for Mans Sin and Punishment, brought forth noThorns, Gen. 3. Vers. I8. But whether the charming Rose had its Guardabout it originally, that every rude Hand might not sully and prostituteits blushing Beauties, is not determinable' (Paradise Lost, 5th ed., i695).Succeeding comment is mentioned and supplemented by a correspondent,identified only as E., in The European Magazine and London Review,November I795 (xxviii. 296). After quoting the line from Paradise Lostthe correspondent writes:

This, some one has observed,is an Italian conceit. Bentleyhas expungedthewhole line, as unfit for a serious poem. 'But it should be remembered',saysNewton in his note, 'that it was part of the curse denounceduponthe earthforAdam'stransgression, hat it should bringorth thornsandthistles.-Gen. iii. I8.And from hence the general opinion has prevailed,that there were no thornsbefore; which is enoughto justify a Poet in sayingthe rose was without thorns.'He then makes the first significant contribution: he cites and quotes St.Basil as an authority:The followingextractsfrom Basilwill serve to corroborate he Editor'sremark.Milton readthe Fathers. Some few references o Basilhave been madeby Peck;but this obvious imitation has escapedhim: ...rosa tuncspiniscarebat;posteaveropulchritudini lorisadjunctae unt spinae;ut afficeremurmoerore,odoris suavitatipropinquo;memoresdelicti,propterquod spinas et tribulos damnatatellus protulit.-Hom. 5. De Germinatione

Terrae.A similar observation occurs in his Third Oration, De Paradiso. Milton'shemistich and these passagesfrom Basil, when comparedtogether, manifest astrikingcoincidenceof thought and expression. The Father and the Poet have

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