How we cite our quotes: (Act.Scene.Line)
Quote #4
CONSTANCE
Thou shalt be punished for thus frighting me,
For I am sick and capable of fears,
Oppressed with wrongs and therefore full of fears,
A widow, husbandless, subject to fears,
A woman naturally born to fears.
And though thou now confess thou didst but jest,
With my vexed spirits I cannot take a truce,
But they will quake and tremble all this day. (2.2.12-19)
In these lines, Constance criticizes Salisbury for telling her about Blanche of Spain's impending marriage to Louis the Dauphin of France. Constance still clings to the belief that Salisbury isn't telling the truth and says he shouldn't frighten her like that, given the position of weakness she is in. She then goes on to describe that position of weakness. But it looks like Constance's weakness goes deeper even than she says. Isn't the inability to accept reality another form of weakness? This form of weakness will crop up later in the play, and Constance won't be the only one who suffers from it.
Quote #5
CONSTANCE
Arm, arm, you heavens, against these perjured
kings!
A widow cries; be husband to me, God!
Let not the hours of this ungodly day
Wear out the day's in peace, but ere sunset
Set armèd discord 'twixt these perjured kings!
Hear me, O, hear me! (3.1.110-116)
In these lines, too, we see a woman in a position of powerlessness use the only recourse available to her: prayer. As it turns out, her prayers come true: war does break out between Philip and John before the day is out. But the war doesn't go Constance's way; in the battle that follows, her son Arthur will be captured, thus setting in motion a series of events that will ultimately lead to his death. Could this tragic outcome be thought of as doubly reinforcing our sense of Constance's powerlessness?
Quote #6
CONSTANCE
To England, if you will.
KING PHILIP
Bind up your hairs.
CONSTANCE
Yes, that I will. And wherefore will I do it?
I tore them from their bonds and cried aloud
'O, that these hands could so redeem my son,
As they have given these hairs their liberty!'
But now I envy at their liberty,
And will again commit them to their bonds,
Because my poor child is a prisoner. (3.3.69-77)
These lines show the height (or depth) of Constance's weakness and powerlessness. Unable to do anything to get her beloved child back, she resorts to symbolic action: tearing her hair to give it its "liberty." She wishes she could also give her child his liberty, but she can't. Thus, she wavers back and forth in confusion and frustration.