Wolsey's Soliloquy Analysis

When something bad happens, it’s easy to get angry, to point fingers; however, it eventually gets difficult to silence the sneaky voice in our heads whispering that it was all our own fault, that we deserved it. In this soliloquy, Wolsey is coming to terms with his own downfall, and he flies through this myriad of emotions. Shakespeare evokes the elements of allusion, figurative language, and tone to depict the full scope of Wolsey’s complicated, divided reaction to being removed from his job.

Within the very first few lines of Wolsey’s soliloquy, Shakespeare immediately establishes the tone of the passage. Angry at his dismissal, angry at the world for betraying him, Wolsey cries out “Farewell? a long farewell to all my greatness!” One can imagine him screaming this, wrecked by his demotion. Within moments, the audience/reader understands the situation and his pain. Rather than beginning with figurative language or deep

allusions, Shakespeare begins by introducing the tone, which is what allows the reader to gain meaning from this piece. For instance, had he reversed the order of lines 3-9 and 1-2, it would have appeared that Wolsey was working up to this rage and disappointment; Shakespeare’s artistic choice keeps the audience in the loop. Instead, we know that Wolsey feels fury right off the bat. Shakespeare, a gifted, skilled playwright, continues to drop in hints of Wolsey’s tone throughout the excerpt, assisting the audience’s understanding. At one point, about ⅔ through the piece, Wolsey shouts “Vain pomp and glory of this world, I hate ye!” This intelligent line not only provides a continuation of the tone- righteous fury- but also gives the reader insight into Wolsey’s mental state-- he blames an unjust world for his problem. A final, subtle tone shift occurs at the very end of the passage, following an allusion to Lucifer. Shakespeare ends the soliloquy with a depressing last few words, once one “falls like Lucifer,” he is “never to hope again.” This marks a difference from the heated resentment to a new challenge- dealing with the hopelessness of one’s fall. Shakespeare uses tone brilliantly, for he uses it to point the reader in the right direction: it helps us to get inside Wolsey’s head, to understand his speech, to comprehend his torment.

On a similar note, the use of allusion in this excerpt is also incredibly influential. In the last few lines, Wolsey compares himself to Lucifer, God’s fallen angel. “There is, betwixt that smile we would aspire to, the sweet aspect of princes, and their ruin, More pangs and fears than wars or women have; And when he falls, he falls like Lucifer, never to hope again.” The parallels between Wolsey’s own fall and that of Lucifer are apparent. Lucifer, of course, was once God’s favorite angel, His most trusted advisor, just like Cardinal Wolsey was to the king, the highest ruler. However, Lucifer’s pride got in the way, and he was damned to Hell. Likewise, Wolsey blames his “high-blow pride” for his fall from grace. This means that we can carry Wolsey’s last piece of wisdom about Lucifer to also be an expression of Wolsey’s own emotions: they are “never to hope again.” By drawing this comparison, Shakespeare makes clear to the audience Wolsey’s depression and hopelessness. However, this is not the only function of this allusion. It also gives insight into Wolsey’s own judgement of himself-- while he does blame a “hate[d]” world, he also blames himself. It is Cardinal Wolsey, one of the highest ranking church members, who is saying these things; it is he who is making this comparison, and he is viewing himself as the Devil, blaming himself. Clearly, he is very conflicted about how he feels regarding his dismissal, and by using this allusion, Shakespeare reveals this inner turmoil. In addition to this, it is with these lines that he ends the poem- the final thoughts Wolsey expresses are self-blame, very different to the beginning where he was furious at the world.

Figurative language also plays a big role in this excerpt.

Between lines 3 and 9, Wolsey paints a picture of a man’s “tender leaves of hope” being destroyed by “a killing frost.” These leaves, he says, are the promises of “to-morrow’s blossoms,” and they offer great “honors thick upon” the man. Just as the man’s “greatness is a-ripening,” the plant’s “root” is “nip[ped].” This metaphor is referring to Wolsey himself, a man whose pride and hope have been dashed by an unexpected adversary. By saying that it’s the “frost” that destroyed the plant, Wolsey acknowledges that his destroyer was part of the natural order, part of the cycle. However, the man in the metaphor thought that he could overcome this and ignore nature’s wrath. This depicts Wolsey’s mindset: his dismissal was inevitable and partly his own fault. This striking metaphor, where Wolsey subtly reflects on his own mistakes while still blaming others, happens early on in the passage, so it plants the seed for his final allusion to Lucifer, where he takes responsibility for his

fall.

Another incident of figurative language being used happens towards the middle of the passage, when Wolsey personifies his pride. “My high-blow pride at length broke under me, and now has left me… to the mercy of a rude stream that must for ever hide me.” This is important for a few reasons. Firstly, it shows that Wolsey does not initially accept his pride as part of himself- he speaks of it as if it is a distinct, independent entity that does not fully represent his true character. This shows that he is still coming to terms with his own involvement in his dismissal. By saying he’s now “weary and old” at the “mercy of a rude stream,” Shakespeare evokes water’s symbolic connotations. Water, while necessary for life and growth, can be dangerous and destructive; it is unpredictable and cannot be controlled by mankind. In this instance, it can effectively be used to represent fate. Wolsey’s “pride” has left him “far beyond [his] depth,” and he is now at the mercy of others, of destiny.

Wolsey has just suffered a life-altering setback, and his emotions express this. He is angry at the world, but more importantly, he is also angry at himself. To reveal this, Shakespeare expertly employs tone, allusion, and figurative language.