You are here

All Site ContentMidsummer Night's DreamAct 1Scene 2
Back to the Play
"French-crown-color beard"
Cultural Background
Act 1,
Scene 2
Lines 80-86

An explanation of the phrase “French-crown-color beard” in Act 1, Scene 2 of myShakespeare’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream.

Bottom

Well, I will undertake it. What beard were I best
to play it in?

Quince

Why, what you will.

Bottom

I will discharge it in either your straw-color
beard, your orange-tawny beard, your purple-in-grain
beard, or your French-crown-color beard, your perfect
yellow.

A crown is the name given to any coin with the image of a king or queen stamped on it. French crowns are made of gold and therefore are yellow.