Benford's G&S Lexicon Entries for The Mikado
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Act I
A euphemism for Hara-Kiri, from hara meaning "belly" and kiri, meaning "cut." It refers to suicide by disembowelment as formerly practiced, with due ceremony, by the highest classes in Japan when in disgrace. Knight (178) adds that the suicide's family was also required to die with him unless a special writ was obtained from the emperor. The practice went out in the late 1800s.
Brewer (56) says this means to "have a profusion of the best food" so as to increase endurance and pugnacity. (Cock fighting is still a popular activity in many rural communities throughout the world.)
A firm and precise limit. The stage direction "Preparing rope" gives visual emphasis to the pun.
English expression of approval. See also The Pirates of Penzance, Iolanthe, and The Zoo.
This is apparently Gilbert's made-up contraction of evening time. He could as well have used the established word eventide, which means the same thing. Metaphorically speaking, he is referring to late middle age.
A compliment or salute directed toward some person or cause. The word supposedly came from the ancient custom of floating a piece of toast in the drink hoisted during the speech (55).
Brewer (56) has good deal to say about the number three. As a start it is associated with many pertinent matters in classical beliefs. The world was under the control of three gods: Jupiter (heavens), Neptune (sea) and Pluto (underworld). Jupiter is represented with three-pronged lightning, Neptune with a trident, and Pluto with a three-headed dog. There were three Fates, three Harpies, three Graces, and three Furies. In Christianity we find the Holy Trinity, and the three graces: faith, hope and charity. Going one step beyond, as Pooh-Bah has done, we multiply the potency of the number by multiplying it by itself, producing a trinity of trinities. Brewer lists many expressions using the number nine, ranging from cats with nine lives to the nine muses. He mentions that the cat-o'-nine tails was considered best for punishing evil-doers; being a trinity of trinities, it would be "both more sacred and more efficacious." Finally, he mentions that "We drink a Three-times-three to those most highly honored."
Pronunciation: FLEE-est
Flees.
Archaic form of hallow, meaning sacred. "Hallowed joys" presumably means wedded bliss.
A counter-balancing factor, e.g., a fascinating right elbow to offset a caricature of a face. In his children's book (133) Gilbert adds this footnote: "I fancy that she meant by this that Nanki-Poo was so short-sighted as not to perceive that her moral and social qualities were an adequate compensation for the drawbacks of advanced age and damaged personal appearance. But when people lapse into poetry you never can be sure what they mean." Anyone who aspires to publish a G&S lexicon will particularly appreciate that last sentence.
Presumably pseudo-archaic forms of judges and grudges (or begrudges). The same for rulest, foolest, scornest, and warnest in Katisha's second verse.
Slow tolling of a bell to signal a death. Katisha, we hope, does not mean this to be taken literally. Or does she? Prestige (245) thinks so.
This is the chorus's uproar for drowning out Katisha's exposé. Many authorities (21, 145, 147, 149, 157, 209, 210, 286) have proposed translations, but there emerges no consensus. As for Gilbert, he says only that it is a humorous song (133), and that ought to be good enough for us.
Pronunciation: Rhymes with Mikado.
The OED (229) defines this as, among other things, any sudden or fantastic action.
Meaningless filler words for the final repetition of O ni! bikkuri shakkuri to!
As one definition of the word, the OED (229) gives us: "Applied to a person in allusion to … figurative repugnance of light." In a single word, Karr (170) suggests "baleful." Walters (301) tells us "the owl was traditionally a bird of ill omen and its appearance was supposed to herald a great tragedy."
Act II
The act of dressing and last-minute titivating in readiness for a wedding. (Perhaps you should know that the original meaning of "toilet" was a dressing table.)