To foreign casualties216, gave her dear rights
To his dog-hearted daughters: these things sting
His mind so venomously, that burning shame
Detains him from Cordelia.
GENTLEMAN Alack, poor gentleman!
KENT Of Albany’s and Cornwall’s powers you heard not?
GENTLEMAN ’Tis so, they are afoot222.
KENT Well, sir, I’ll bring you to our master Lear,
And leave you to attend him: some dear cause224
Will in concealment wrap me up awhile.
When I am known aright, you shall not grieve226
Lending me this acquaintance. I pray you go
Along with me.
Exeunt
Following 4.6.27:
CORDELIA Very well.
DOCTOR Please you, draw near.— Louder the music there!
Following 4.6.35:
To stand against the deep dread-bolted231 thunder,
In the most terrible and nimble stroke
Of quick cross lightning? To watch — poor perdu234!—
With this thin helm234?
Following 4.6.89:
GENTLEMAN Holds it true, sir, that the Duke of Cornwall was so
slain?
KENT Most certain, sir.
GENTLEMAN Who is conductor of his people238?
KENT As ’tis said, the bastard son of Gloucester.
GENTLEMAN They say Edgar, his banished son, is with the Earl of
Kent in Germany.
KENT Report242 is changeable. ’Tis time to look about: the
powers of the kingdom approach apace243.
GENTLEMAN The arbitrament244 is like to be bloody. Fare you well,
sir.
KENT My point and period will be throughly wrought246,
Or247 well or ill, as this day’s battle’s fought.
Exit
Following 5.1.13:
EDMUND That thought abuses248 you.
REGAN I am doubtful that you have been conjunct249
And bosomed with her, as far as we call hers250
Following 5.1.17:
GONERIL I had rather lose the battle than that sister
Should loosen him and me.
Following 5.1.21:
Where I could not be honest253,
I never yet was valiant. For254 this business,
It touches us as255 France invades our land,
Not bolds the king, with256 others whom I fear,
Most just and heavy causes make oppose257.
EDMUND Sir, you speak nobly.
Following 5.3.55:
At this time
We sweat and bleed: the friend hath lost his friend;
And the best quarrels, in the heat, are cursed261
By those that feel their sharpness:
The question of Cordelia and her father
Requires a fitter place.
Following 5.3.220:
EDGAR This would have seemed a period265
To such as love not sorrow, but another,266
To amplify too much, would make much more,
And top extremity.
Whilst I was big in clamour269, came there in a man,
Who, having seen me in my worst estate270,
Shunned my abhorred society, but then finding
Who ’twas that so endured, with his strong arms
He fastened on my neck273 and bellowed out
As274 he’d burst heaven, threw me on my father,
Told the most piteous tale of Lear and him
That ever ear received, which in recounting
His grief grew puissant and the strings of life277
Began to crack: twice then the trumpets sounded,
And there I left him ’tranced279.
ALBANY But who was this?
EDGAR Kent, sir, the banished Kent, who in disguise
Followed his enemy king282 and did him service
Improper for283 a slave.
TEXTUAL NOTES
Q = First Quarto text of 1608
Q2 = a correction introduced in the Second Quarto text of 1619
Ed = a correction introduced by a later editor
SH = Speech heading (i.e. speaker’s name)
1 SH EDMUND = Ed. Q = Bast. (throughout) 25 on’t = Q. Q2 = an’t ladies = Q (corrected). Q (uncorrected) = lodes 34 basest and ’temnest = Q (corrected). Q (uncorrected) = belest and contaned 67 Want’st = Q2. Q = wanst 69 bourn = Ed. Q = broome 91 she kicked = Ed. Q = kickt 95 joint-stool = Q2. Q = ioyne stoole 97 on = Ed. Q = an 125 madness = Q (corrected). Q (uncorrected) = rogish madnes 131 Flibbertigibbet spelled Stiberdigebit in Q 131–32 mopping and mowing = Ed. Q = Mobing, & Mohing 151 Humanity = Q (corrected). Q (uncorrected) = Humanly 157 threat spelled thereat in Q (corrected) state begins threat = Q (corrected). Q (uncorrected) = slayer begin threats 166 mew = Q (corrected). Q (uncorrected) = now 178 Ay, sir, = Ed. Q = I say 184 strove = Ed. Q = streme
SCENE-BY-SCENE ANALYSIS
ACT 1 SCENE 1
Relationships between key characters are established. Several themes are introduced: power/authority, deception, nature, kinship, sanity, and sight.
Lines 1–33: Kent and Gloucester discuss Lear. Edmund is introduced. Gloucester insists that Edmund is as dear to him as his older, legitimate, son, Edgar, and claims that “the whoreson must be acknowledged.” The bawdy language used to describe Edmund’s conception undermines the good intentions behind this.
Lines 34–193: A trumpet flourish emphasizes the ceremonial, public nature of events from this point. Instructing Gloucester to fetch France and Burgundy, Lear reveals his “darker purpose”—to allocate a piece of kingdom to each of his three daughters, intending the “largest bounty” to whoever “doth love [him] most.” This reveals Lear’s inability to separate public and domestic and highlights his perception of emotions as subject to pecuniary measurement. Tensions exist between his love of power and his portrayal of himself as an old man who wishes to “Unburdened crawl toward death.”
Goneril’s speech is effusive but ambiguous, as she declares that she loves her father “more than word can wield the matter.” Regan is similarly flattering but ambiguous, telling Lear to “prize” her at Goneril’s “worth,” as she is “made of that self-mettle” as her sister. Cordelia’s asides show her dilemma—she is torn between genuine love for her father and reluctance or inability to voice this before the court. She is offered “a third more opulent” than her sisters—unlike Gloucester, Lear does not even suggest he values his daughters equally. In contrast to her sisters, Cordelia’s response is simply “Nothing.” Lear encourages her to say more, because “Nothing will come of nothing,” a concept that is explored throughout the play. Lear disinherits Cordelia, and Kent’s attempts to speak up for her fuel his anger.
Retaining a hundred knights, Lear divides his kingdom between Goneril and Regan, intending to live with each of them for alternate months. Kent intervenes, showing respect for Lear, but suggesting that he is not thinking clearly and urging him to “check / This hideous rashness.” Lear banishes Kent.