Shakespeare, Love Sonnet 144 and the Authorities.

It may not be totally relevant to the thread, but here is a quote from Cymbeline Act 2, Scene 3:

CLOTEN

I would this music would come: I am advised to give
her music o' mornings; they say it will penetrate.

Enter Musicians
Come on; tune: if you can penetrate her with your
fingering, so; we'll try with tongue too: if none
will do, let her remain; but I'll never give o'er.
First, a very excellent good-conceited thing;
after, a wonderful sweet air, with admirable rich
words to it: and then let her consider.

When I acted in the Monroe County (IN) Civic Theatre’s production of Cymbeline a few years ago, we definitely interpreted the above as a reference to oral sex.

There’s also the “tongue in tail” passage from The Taming of the Shrew. Yeah, it’s hard to interpret either of those as anything but a reference to cunnilingus.

…we have a book on it:

Actually, neither Chronos’ nor The_Peyote_Coyote’s quoted sections seem to be mentioned, and Sonnet 144 (and 20) are held up as evidence of the author’s heterosexuality (!)

So: an incomplete glossary of Shakespearian filth.

j

BTW: the book was written in 1947 (which would have fairly seriously limited what it was possible to say about the texts) and some of the views expressed about homosexuality are - uh - regrettable. You have been warned.