CADE
Be brave then, for your captain is brave and vows reformation. There shall be in England seven halfpenny loaves sold for a penny; the three-hooped pot shall have ten hoops, and I will make it felony to drink small beer. All the realm shall be in common, and in Cheapside shall my palfrey go to grass. . . .

Jack Cade, in Shakespeare's Henry VI, Part 2, expresses his vision for England under his rule. His proclamation that it would be "felony to drink small beer" symbolizes his desire to improve the lives of the common people. By outlawing weak beer, Cade implies that he intends to eliminate symbols of poverty and ensure that everyone, regardless of their social status, can enjoy higher quality goods. This statement is laden with irony; while Cade promises radical social reforms and equality, his methods and the feasibility of his promises remain questionable. Cade's vision of a utopian society delves into themes of power and class, highlighting his populist rhetoric. Shakespeare uses this to comment on the absurdity and impracticality of revolutionary promises that overlook practical governance.