Note 509 — Chapter V · THE DIFFERENCING ELEMENTS OF COMMUNAL POETRY

Crude enough, to be sure, compared with Chaucer’s humour in dealing with the funeral of Arcite:—

“Why woldestow be deed,” thise wommen crye,

“And haddest gold ynough, and Emelye?”

For this is the conventional question, in whatever form, in the vocero of all places and ages: “Why did you die? You had enough to eat, you had clothes,” etc. Old Egeus has the modern consolation, and philosophizes in no communal vein.