How we cite our quotes: (Act.Scene.Line)
Quote #7
KING JOHN
Thou hast made me giddy
With these ill tidings.
To Bastard. Now, what says the world
To your proceedings? Do not seek to stuff
My head with more ill news, for it is full.
BASTARD
But if you be afeard to hear the worst,
Then let the worst, unheard, fall on your head.
KING JOHN
Bear with me, cousin, for I was amazed
Under the tide, but now I breathe again
Aloft the flood and can give audience
To any tongue, speak it of what it will. (4.2.135-145)
You might say that in King John, there are two kinds of weakness: one that comes from circumstances, and one that comes from a person's character. In the fourth quotation for this section, we saw that Constance suffers from both: on the one hand, she suffers from weakness because of circumstances—because she is a woman and because she needs to rely on other, powerful factions to protect her and her son. But she also suffers from the other kind of weakness, when she is unable to accept reality. In these lines, we see that King John himself suffers from weakness of character. When he gets too much bad news, he simply can't bear to hear any more, and tries to shut it out. It's only when the Bastard points out the foolishness of this course of action that King John gets it together and is ready to hear more bad news.
Quote #8
BASTARD
But wherefore do you droop? Why look you sad?
Be great in act, as you have been in thought.
Let not the world see fear and sad distrust
Govern the motion of a kingly eye.
Be stirring as the time; be fire with fire;
Threaten the threat'ner, and outface the brow
Of bragging horror. So shall inferior eyes,
That borrow their behaviors from the great,
Grow great by your example and put on
The dauntless spirit of resolution.
Away, and glister like the god of war
When he intendeth to become the field.
Show boldness and aspiring confidence. (5.1.45-57)
These lines by the Bastard aren't explicitly about weakness; in fact, they're about weakness's opposite, strength. But the reason the Bastard is going on and on about the importance of strength is that King John isn't showing any of it at the moment. Thus, you can pretty much read everything the Bastard says about strength and say that John's weakness risks having the opposite effect: for example, if weaker people draw strength from the strength of their leader (as the Bastard describes in lines 50-53 of this passage), they can be expected to become even weaker if their leader is weak.
Quote #9
BASTARD
Let us, my liege, to arms!
Perchance the Cardinal cannot make your peace;
Or if he do, let it at least be said
They saw we had a purpose of defense.
KING JOHN
Have thou the ordering of this present time.
BASTARD
Away, then, with good courage! Aside. Yet I
know
Our party may well meet a prouder foe. (5.1.75-82)
In these lines, the Bastard makes a last ditch effort to get King John to show some fortitude. But King John at this point has simply become too weak to do anything. He even tells the Bastard that he should take charge of "ordering […] this present time." In other words, he's basically handing over his royal authority to a recently discovered family member without any legitimate political authority. Not a very inspiring move there, Johnny boy.