KING JOHN
What follows if we disallow of this?
CHATILLON
The proud control of fierce and bloody war,
To enforce these rights so forcibly withheld.
KING JOHN
Here have we war for war and blood for blood,
Controlment for controlment: so answer France.
CHATILLON
Then take my king's defiance from my mouth,
The farthest limit of my embassy.
KING JOHN
Bear mine to him, and so depart in peace.
Be thou as lightning in the eyes of France,
For ere thou canst report, I will be there;
The thunder of my cannon shall be heard.
So, hence. Be thou the trumpet of our wrath
And sullen presage of your own decay.—
An honorable conduct let him have.
Pembroke, look to 't.—Farewell, Chatillon. (1.1.16-30)
These are almost the opening lines of the play. From them, don't you get the strong sense that King John and King Philip are two complete egomaniacs? King Philip, at least, has had some time to think about what he is planning to say to King John. But King John, without even batting an eyelash, immediately promises to bring "war for war" and "blood for blood" and "controlment for controlment" against King Philip. Yet hundreds of lives are at stake—the lives of the soldiers, on both King John's and King Philip's sides, who will have to do their raging masters' bidding in this war. Also note the bizarre mood swing that has King John speaking about Châtillon's "own decay" one moment, and then ensuring his safe passage the next. What does this mixture of menace and politeness say about the role of war in King John's (or Shakespeare's) society?
