A Soldier, a maverick, a guy who makes his way in the world by his own honor, patriotism and courage. He tries to save the foolish king. He is confronted by political spin doctors and voodoo merchants who sell honor to the highest bidder.
This make him angry and blunt.
He is the Bastard - the only good guy in Shakespeare's King John, a soldier of fortune due to his bar-sinister birth and hero of epic proportions. When the Bastard hears his King give in to compromise - 'False tickling Commodity' the Bastard holds forth:
Mad world! mad kings! mad composition!
John, to stop Arthur's title in the whole,
Hath willingly departed with a part, (L 575 )
And France, whose armour conscience buckled on,
Whom zeal and charity brought to the field
As God's own soldier, rounded in the ear
With that same purpose-changer, that sly devil,
That broker, that still breaks the pate of faith, (L 580 )
That daily break-vow, he that wins of all,
Of kings, of beggars, old men, young men, maids,
Who, having no external thing to lose
But the word 'maid,' cheats the poor maid of that,
That smooth-faced gentleman, tickling Commodity, (L 585)
Commodity, the bias of the world,
The world, who of itself is peised well,
Made to run even upon even ground,
Till this advantage, this vile-drawing bias,
This sway of motion, this Commodity, (L 590)
Makes it take head from all indifferency,
From all direction, purpose, course, intent:
And this same bias, this Commodity,
This bawd, this broker, this all-changing word,
Clapp'd on the outward eye of fickle France, (L595)
Hath drawn him from his own determined aid,
From a resolved and honourable war,
To a most base and vile-concluded peace.
And why rail I on this Commodity?
But for because he hath not woo'd me yet: (L 600)
Not that I have the power to clutch my hand,
When his fair angels would salute my palm;
But for my hand, as unattempted yet,
Like a poor beggar, raileth on the rich.
Well, whiles I am a beggar, I will rail (L 605)
And say there is no sin but to be rich;
And being rich, my virtue then shall be
To say there is no vice but beggary.
Since kings break faith upon commodity,
Gain, be my lord, for I will worship thee.
Thank God for Bastards! The Hero of Shakespeare's play vents and ironically vows to embrace compromise - he will not and does not! Some people - the ones who John McCain makes Mad do not get irony. A life dedicated to uncompromising integrity is foreign to them - makes them mad. I heard one such person say, 'McCain's a Bastard!
You bet he is! A Tough, honest, committed American Bastard.
John McCain makes people Mad - people who will compromise. Good.
Click my post title for John McCain on making people mad.
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