How we cite our quotes: (Act.Scene.Line)
Quote #1
CHATILLON
Philip of France, in right and true behalf
Of thy deceasèd brother Geoffrey's son,
Arthur Plantagenet, lays most lawful claim
To this fair island and the territories,
To Ireland, Poictiers, Anjou, Touraine, Maine,
Desiring thee to lay aside the sword
Which sways usurpingly these several titles,
And put the same into young Arthur's hand,
Thy nephew and right royal sovereign.
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. (1.1.7-20)
Shakespeare doesn't waste any time, does he? These lines, almost the first ones in the play, tell us everything we need to know about the play's central conflict. Here, Châtillon's speech tells us that it's only because of power that John is king of England: if they were strictly following the law of succession, young Arthur would be king. (Arthur was next in line to inherit the crown, but John ended up pretty much just taking it after King Richard died because he could.) King Philip wants John to give up his crown to Arthur, but he can't just ask for it nicely: he has to have the military force—"The proud control of fierce and bloody war"—to back his up his demand. And, of course, John has military power at his own disposal, which is why he dares Châtillon to bring it on in the last lines of this quotation.
Quote #2
QUEEN ELEANOR
This might have been prevented and made whole
With very easy arguments of love,
Which now the manage of two kingdoms must
With fearful bloody issue arbitrate.
KING JOHN
Our strong possession and our right for us.
QUEEN ELEANOR
Your strong possession much more than your right,
Or else it must go wrong with you and me— (1.1.35-41)
Dang. Even King John's own mother admits that John doesn't actually have a legal "right" to be king—although we should point out that she only admits this in private. Publicly, she supports John's claim to the throne. In saying that it will be John's "strong possession" and not his "right" that he can rely on, Eleanor basically says that John will only stay on the throne as long as he can maintain it by force.
Quote #3
BASTARD
But this is worshipful society
And fits the mounting spirit like myself;
For he is but a bastard to the time
That doth not smack of observation,
And so am I, whether I smoke or no;
And not alone in habit and device,
Exterior form, outward accouterment,
But from the inward motion to deliver
Sweet, sweet, sweet poison to the age's tooth,
Which though I will not practice to deceive,
Yet to avoid deceit I mean to learn,
For it shall strew the footsteps of my rising. (1.1.211-222)
The key reflection on power in this speech comes in lines 214-215, in which the Bastard says that he won't set out to deceive people but still has to learn how to do so in order to avoid being deceived himself. This gets to the core of the play's teaching about power: if you want to avoid getting pushed around by powerful people, you have to be powerful yourself. (Just think about what happens to Arthur and Constance. As it turns out, most of the quotations dealing with them show up under the next theme: "Weakness.") Sometimes that power comes from military force, sometimes (as in the Bastard's case here) it comes from cleverness. Either way, King John gives the impression that the best defense is a strong offense.