land that he has taken control over. Thus, according to Jacques, Duke Senior is a more grievous offender than is Duke Frederick.
The First Lord continues his report on Jacques who, earlier that same day, had seen a stag (an adult male deer) that had been wounded by a hunter. Jacques was saddened at the sight of the suffering animal and began to cry.
The First Lord adds that Jacques then fell into making “a thousand similes” (line 45: numerous moral lessons) as he observed the wounded stag. The lord then repeats three of these similes.
First, Jacques commented that “the poor deer … mak’st a testament as worldlings do, giving thy sum of more to that which had too much” (47-49). The stag, according to Jacques, is just one more example or proof (testament) of the futility or pointlessness of life. The deer struggles to survive and dies suffering. The deer symbolizes all people in the world (worldlings), of whom there are too many (too much).
Second, when the wounded animal leaves the brooks, Jacques said, “Tis right … thus misery doth part the flux of company” (51-52). Lonely and sad people shun the company of the boisterous and merry multitudes.
Third, when a herd of deer run by, Jacques responds by saying, “Sweep on, you fat and greasy citizens, ‘tis just the fashion. Wherefore should you look upon that poor and broken bankrupt there?” (56- 57). The word wherefore means why. Wealthy and contented people in society commonly ignore the