Bzzzzzz.....

Wasp is just one among the many appropriately-named individuals inhabiting Bartholomew Fair. He is always running around complaining and chastising in everyone's ears. In Act I, scene 4, Wasp declares how rushed he is: "Ay, quickly, good mistress, I pray you...(Now I am in haste.) " and yet less than a hundred lines later he stays to complain with Littlewit, even though Littlewit reminds him of his insistence on the need for quick delivery of the box: "you were in haste e'en now, Master Numps,"(14, 19, 99). Wasp agrees, but in a choice between hurrying off and telling everyone about how much he suffers because of his charge Bartholomew Cokes, complaining wins out. He acknowledges his need to leave, but nonetheless says, "yet I will stay too," (100). He then proceeds to bash poor Win as well as Cokes for their lack of wit and common sense. Like Polonius in Hamlet, Wasp seems to delight in the sound of his own voice, speaking at quite length even after receiving the package for which he waited so impatiently. In fact, he talks for so long that by the time he stops, his charge has met up with him! All his fuss and bother was for nothing – Wasp has been unveiled as being utterly ridiculous.

The humor of this moment lies in the fact that until the moment when Cokes walks in with Grace and Mistress Overdo, readers believe that Wasp is the ridiculous member of their little party. He’s rushing off to deliver this box to the poor young man that will be getting married shortly. Readers have no need to doubt who the clown is. Yet immediately upon meeting Cokes, readers become aware of the true measure of insanity with which Wasp has been forced to deal. Even the most unsympathetic of readers must wince at the annoying sound of Cokes voice, which is evident even when silently printed on a page. Wasp’s previous moaning and groaning becomes instantly understandable – who wouldn’t act the same when forced to reign in such an utterly brainless twit?