onthewillowsthere

From:

After some hesitation, Claudius says, "God had a plan for thee. I say this not as some empty consolation, that thou shouldst trust in Him and bear it -- thou know'st I would not have thee bear it. But there are earthly fathers and mothers who become just as fixed upon the plans they have for their children. If thou wert a son of a noble house, thy lord and father might compel thee to obey by reminding thee ever of the realm thou wilt inherit of him, and of thy duties as a steward of the land. If thy heart went a way he did not approve, if thou hadst passions contrary to his plans for thee, if thou didst fall for someone he would not have thee wed for the sake of his alliances, he might threaten to disown thee and give thy shares to thy cousin. But that would be a choice for thee. Thou couldst choose to surrender thy birthright, choose to take thy fortune. Then the threat would lose its power, and such a lord would be forced either to accept the choice his son has made, or compel obedience some other way. He did not want thee to think leaving was a possibility. And though thou know'st thy cousin loves thy father well, thy father will still punish him to make a point to thee, to prove thy choice was ne'er a true one." Tone turning droll, he says, "I know 'tis blasphemy, to ascribe such venial motives to the Everlasting. But though thou wert not meant to rule it, thou wert still saddled at birth with the fate of a realm, where others could've held the reins. It is unfair to thee. It is unfair to thy Percival."