The uses of adversity

Outside the theatre

A week ago, Jane and I drove to Stratford to see the RSC production of As You Like it, to celebrate our wedding anniversary. It was, you'll recall, one of the glorious clear sunny days we've been enjoying. We were very grateful for the air-conditioning in our car!

The production was great fun - once the men had got over mistaking shouting for emphasis and Jaques had stopped gabbling (I must be getting old and hard of hearing!). In my view, it shouldn't be necessary to have mugged up on a Shakespeare play to understand the meaning. Really good actors are able to bring Shakespearean English to life even for contemporary audiences. Fortunately the central characters achieved just that, most importantly Rosalind, the most major female role in Shakespeare (25% of lines), played by Pippa Nixon.

Rosalind and Orlando finally united (the "hippy" Duke just behind Orlando) - RSC photo

The plot involves an usurping duke and a selfish older brother driving various of their relatives into exile in the Forest of Arden (I assume where the paté comes from). In his first speech the ousted Duke, Senior, portrayed in this production presiding over something of a hippy-style commune and himself a bit like an aging rock star, says:
"Here feel we but the penalty of Adam,
The seasons' difference, as the icy fang
And churlish chiding of the winter's wind,
Which, when it bites and blows upon my body,
Even till I shrink with cold, I smile and say
'This is no flattery: these are counsellors
That feelingly persuade me what I am.'
Sweet are the uses of adversity,
Which, like the toad, ugly and venomous,
Wears yet a precious jewel in his head;
And this our life exempt from public haunt
Finds tongues in trees, books in the running brooks,
Sermons in stones and good in every thing.
I would not change it." 

I was struck by the expression, "Sweet are the uses of adversity". Our instinct is to run from adversity, to avoid pain. And yet there is something precious to be found in it. Exiled from all that is "civilised", what we might regard as the normal comforts of life, the Duke finds "good in every thing". This is poetry of course which can't be paraphrased - but, for example, the trees might speak of the beauty in each season of life and the miracle of rebirth, the brooks might be illustrating the infinite diversity and the wonderful interconnectedness of creation, and the stones teach that hardship is an integral part of existence; without it life would be bland.

Rosalind disguised as the young man, Ganymede - RSC photo

Pippa Nixon's performance was outstanding, with the ambiguities and tensions of the role, beginning and ending as the lively Rosalind and in between disguised as Ganymede, at once strong and vulnerable. It's a supremely demanding part. I suppose we were focused on her as she once came to a birthday barbecue in our garden here; so we were pleased to be able to congratulate her at the end. A great way to celebrate our marriage - thanks, Pippa and the RSC!

Love is patient

I apologise if you're finding me unoriginal or devoid of new ideas. However originality is rather overrated, in my view. Besides as the wise man said, a long time ago, there's nothing new under the sun. I think my favourite Shakespeare play is Twelfth Night, and one of my favourite speeches is by the disguised Viola speaking to Count Orsino, with whom she's in love and who has asked her about her supposed sister's love (It's complicated, as they say!). Viola is talking about herself:

Parminder Singh as Viola

"... She never told her love...
And with a green and yellow melancholy
She sat like patience on a monument,
Smiling at grief. Was not this love indeed?"
I understood this connection between love and patience better when I read one of the blogs I like best.

The post was called simply "Patience". This appeared today in the iBenedictine blog.

Patience is often described as the Benedictine’s fourth vow. It is a theme that occurs again and again in the Rule, where we are reminded that we ‘share by patience in the sufferings of Christ’. (RB Prol. 50) The newcomer to monastic life is to be ‘tested in all patience’.  (RB 58.11) Indeed, patiently bearing with delays and contradictions is one of the signs looked for as the mark of a genuine vocation. It all sounds rather wonderful until one has to practise it. For the plain truth is that patience is hard work. It means embracing suffering, not just stoically putting up with it, and doing so with a quiet heart. (RB 7. 35) Patience requires a great deal of trust and humility as well as self-control.

Patience, trust, humility: these are not qualities that our society cultivates or values very much. We prefer to be self-assertive, thrusting not trusting, testing everything by our own standards and rather despising those who are patient and humble, as thought they were milksops. In fact, it takes real strength of character to be patient, to accept adversity quietly, without anger or upset. Similarly, trust and humility are not for wimps but for those who are brave enough to look themselves in the face and know themselves for what they are.

Today each one of us will be given the opportunity to exercise a little patience, to show a little trust and be a little humble. Are we big enough to meet the challenge?


I thought that there are some really radical thoughts here, which challenge our normal values. "... it takes real strength of character to be patient, to accept adversity quietly, without anger or upset." I like too the perspective that humility is a sign of strength, not a wimpish quality. I was struck by that because I'd just read a message from a friend in New Zealand who says he's neither a Catholic, nor Christian nor a Muslim. He told me about a student of his, whom he encouraged into the priesthood: "This man was simply good. Everything about him in class or in my office radiated goodness. His whole method was submission to discipline. When his MA coursework was completed, he appeared in my office and said, ‘All I want is to have you train me, and I will write my thesis on whatever you tell me to do.’ There is a wonderful story that follows, but suffice it to say, he covered himself with scholarly honour. ... Now he teaches Chinese Catholic students in ..., where we met. His humility is his badge. I admire him without reservation."