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O, what men dare do! what men may do! what men daily do, not knowing what they do!

      — Much Ado about Nothing, Act IV Scene 1

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1-20 of 29 total

KEYWORD: why

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# Result number

Work The work is either a play, poem, or sonnet. The sonnets are treated as single work with 154 parts.

Character Indicates who said the line. If it's a play or sonnet, the character name is "Poet."

Line Shows where the line falls within the work.

The numbering is not keyed to any copyrighted numbering system found in a volume of collected works (Arden, Oxford, etc.) The numbering starts at the beginning of the work, and does not restart for each scene.

Text The line's full text, with keywords highlighted within it, unless highlighting has been disabled by the user.

1

All's Well That Ends Well
[I, 1]

Parolles

196

Why under Mars?

2

All's Well That Ends Well
[I, 1]

Parolles

201

Why think you so?

3

All's Well That Ends Well
[I, 3]

Countess

348

Tell me thy reason why thou wilt marry.

4

All's Well That Ends Well
[I, 3]

Clown

388

Was this fair face the cause, quoth she,
Why the Grecians sacked Troy?
Fond done, done fond,
Was this King Priam's joy?
With that she sighed as she stood,
With that she sighed as she stood,
And gave this sentence then;
Among nine bad if one be good,
Among nine bad if one be good,
There's yet one good in ten.

5

All's Well That Ends Well
[I, 3]

Countess

458

Nay, a mother:
Why not a mother? When I said 'a mother,'
Methought you saw a serpent: what's in 'mother,'
That you start at it? I say, I am your mother;
And put you in the catalogue of those
That were enwombed mine: 'tis often seen
Adoption strives with nature and choice breeds
A native slip to us from foreign seeds:
You ne'er oppress'd me with a mother's groan,
Yet I express to you a mother's care:
God's mercy, maiden! does it curd thy blood
To say I am thy mother? What's the matter,
That this distemper'd messenger of wet,
The many-colour'd Iris, rounds thine eye?
Why? that you are my daughter?

6

All's Well That Ends Well
[I, 3]

Countess

583

Why, Helen, thou shalt have my leave and love,
Means and attendants and my loving greetings
To those of mine in court: I'll stay at home
And pray God's blessing into thy attempt:
Be gone to-morrow; and be sure of this,
What I can help thee to thou shalt not miss.

7

All's Well That Ends Well
[II, 1]

Lafeu

680

Why, Doctor She: my lord, there's one arrived,
If you will see her: now, by my faith and honour,
If seriously I may convey my thoughts
In this my light deliverance, I have spoke
With one that, in her sex, her years, profession,
Wisdom and constancy, hath amazed me more
Than I dare blame my weakness: will you see her
For that is her demand, and know her business?
That done, laugh well at me.

8

All's Well That Ends Well
[II, 2]

Countess

829

To the court! why, what place make you special,
when you put off that with such contempt? But to the court!

9

All's Well That Ends Well
[II, 2]

Clown

880

O Lord, sir! why, there't serves well again.

10

All's Well That Ends Well
[II, 3]

Parolles

897

Why, 'tis the rarest argument of wonder that hath
shot out in our latter times.

11

All's Well That Ends Well
[II, 3]

Parolles

907

Why, there 'tis; so say I too.

12

All's Well That Ends Well
[II, 3]

Lafeu

917

Why, your dolphin is not lustier: 'fore me,
I speak in respect—

13

All's Well That Ends Well
[II, 3]

Lafeu

935

Lustig, as the Dutchman says: I'll like a maid the
better, whilst I have a tooth in my head: why, he's
able to lead her a coranto.

14

All's Well That Ends Well
[II, 3]

King of France

1004

Why, then, young Bertram, take her; she's thy wife.

15

All's Well That Ends Well
[II, 3]

Bertram

1010

Yes, my good lord;
But never hope to know why I should marry her.

16

All's Well That Ends Well
[II, 3]

Lafeu

1150

The devil it is that's thy master. Why dost thou
garter up thy arms o' this fashion? dost make hose of
sleeves? do other servants so? Thou wert best set
thy lower part where thy nose stands. By mine
honour, if I were but two hours younger, I'ld beat
thee: methinks, thou art a general offence, and
every man should beat thee: I think thou wast
created for men to breathe themselves upon thee.

17

All's Well That Ends Well
[II, 3]

Parolles

1199

Why, these balls bound; there's noise in it. 'Tis hard:
A young man married is a man that's marr'd:
Therefore away, and leave her bravely; go:
The king has done you wrong: but, hush, 'tis so.

18

All's Well That Ends Well
[II, 4]

Parolles

1225

Why, I say nothing.

19

All's Well That Ends Well
[II, 5]

Parolles

1314

Why, do you not know him?

20

All's Well That Ends Well
[II, 5]

Bertram

1322

I shall obey his will.
You must not marvel, Helen, at my course,
Which holds not colour with the time, nor does
The ministration and required office
On my particular. Prepared I was not
For such a business; therefore am I found
So much unsettled: this drives me to entreat you
That presently you take our way for home;
And rather muse than ask why I entreat you,
For my respects are better than they seem
And my appointments have in them a need
Greater than shows itself at the first view
To you that know them not. This to my mother:
[Giving a letter]
'Twill be two days ere I shall see you, so
I leave you to your wisdom.

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