King Lear : Act 1, Scene 1
Enter KENT, GLOUCESTER, and EDMUND.
Summary
KENT
affected favored
1 I thought the king had more affected the Duke of
Cornwall i.e., the Duke of Cornwall
2 Albany than Cornwall.
GLOUCESTER
3 It did always seem so to us: but now, in the
4 division of the kingdom, it appears not which of
equalities equivalences
5 the dukes he values most; for equalities are so
weighed balanced | curiosity meticulous scrutiny | moiety portion, allotment
6 weighed, that curiosity in neither can make choice
7 of either's moiety. KENT
8 Is not this your son, my lord? GLOUCESTER
breeding education | charge expense
9 His breeding, sir, hath been at my charge. I have
acknowledge him i.e., say that he is my son brazed brazened, hardened
10 so often blushed to acknowledge him, that now I
11 am brazed to't. KENT
conceive understand —In his reply, Gloucester will jokingly take the word "conceive" to mean "become pregnant."
12 I cannot conceive you.
GLOUCESTER
could i.e., could conceive, could become pregnant
13 Sir, this young fellow's mother could: whereupon
14 she grew round-wombed, and had, indeed, sir, a son ere before
15 for her cradle ere she had a husband for her bed. fault sin, wrongdoing
16 Do you smell a fault? KENT
issue outcome; offspring (i.e., Edmund)
17 I cannot wish the fault undone, the issue of it
proper excellent, handsome
18 being so proper. GLOUCESTER
a son by order of law legitimate son
19 But I have, sir, a son by order of law, some year
no ... account of no more worth to me
knave young fellow, rascal | something saucily somewhat rudely
knave young fellow, rascal | something saucily somewhat rudely
20 elder than this, who yet is no dearer in my account:
21 though this knave came something saucily into the
22 world before he was sent for, yet was his mother
fair beautiful
23 fair; there was good sport at his making, and the
whoreson rogue; bastard
24 whoreson must be acknowledged. Do you know
25 this noble gentleman, Edmund?
EDMUND
26 No, my lord.
GLOUCESTER
27 My lord of Kent: remember him hereafter as my
28 honourable friend.
EDMUND
29 My services to your lordship.
KENT
sue earnestly seek
30 I must love you, and sue to know you better.
EDMUND
study deserving i.e., earnestly seek ways to deserve your esteem
31 Sir, I shall study deserving.
GLOUCESTER
out abroad
32 He hath been out nine years, and away he shall
33 again. The king is coming.
Sennet trumpet call signalling the arrival or departure of a procession of very important persons
Sennet. Enter KING LEAR, CORNWALL,
ALBANY, GONERIL, REGAN, CORDELIA,
and Attendants.
KING LEAR
34 Attend the lords of France and Burgundy, Gloucester.
GLOUCESTER
35 I shall, my lord.
Exit [GLOUCESTER with EDMUND].
KING LEAR
darker more secret
36 Meantime we shall express our darker purpose.
37 Give me the map there. Know that we have divided
fast firm
38 In three our kingdom; and 'tis our fast intent
39 To shake all cares and business from our age,
40 Conferring them on younger strengths, while we
son i.e., son-in-law
41 Unburthen'd crawl toward death. Our son of Cornwall,
42 And you, our no less loving son of Albany,
constant will firm intention | publish announce | several dowers individual dowries
43 We have this hour a constant will to publish
44 Our daughters' several dowers, that future strife
45 May be prevented now. The princes, France and Burgundy,
46 Great rivals in our youngest daughter's love,
47 Long in our court have made their amorous sojourn,
48 And here are to be answer'd. Tell me, my daughters,—
49 Since now we will divest us both of rule,
Interest possession
50 Interest of territory, cares of state,—
51 Which of you shall we say doth love us most?
52 That we our largest bounty may extend
Where nature doth with merit challenge where (my bounty) is claimed by both natural affection and merit
53 Where nature doth with merit challenge. Goneril,
54 Our eldest-born, speak first.
GONERIL
more than words can wield the matter more than words can express | space freedom of movement
55 Sir, I love you more than words can wield the matter;
56 Dearer than eye-sight, space, and liberty;
57 Beyond what can be valued, rich or rare;
58 No less than life, with grace, health, beauty, honour;
e'er ever | father found father realized
59 As much as child e'er loved, or father found;
makes ... unable makes voice feeble and speech inadequate
Beyond all manner of so much beyond all manner of comparison
Beyond all manner of so much beyond all manner of comparison
60 A love that makes breath poor, and speech unable;
61 Beyond all manner of so much I love you.
CORDELIA [Aside.]
62 What shall Cordelia do? Love, and be silent.
LEAR
63 Of all these bounds, even from this line to this,
champains rich'd fertile plains
64 With shadowy forests and with champains rich'd,
 | wide-skirted meads extensive meadows | issue descendants |
65 With plenteous rivers and wide-skirted meads,
66 We make thee lady: to thine and Albany's issue
67 Be this perpetual. What says our second daughter,
68 Our dearest Regan, wife to Cornwall? Speak.
REGAN
self metal same mettle
prize me at her worth esteem myself her equal (in love for you) | she names my very deed of love she exactly describes my love
prize me at her worth esteem myself her equal (in love for you) | she names my very deed of love she exactly describes my love
69 I am made of that self metal as my sister,
70 And prize me at her worth. In my true heart
71 I find she names my very deed of love;
72 Only she comes too short, that I profess
73 Myself an enemy to all other joys,
74 Which the most precious square of sense possesses,
felicitate made happy
75 And find I am alone felicitate
76 In your dear Highness' love.
CORDELIA [Aside.]
76 Then poor Cordelia!
77 And yet not so; since, I am sure, my love's
ponderous weighty, serious, sincere
78 More ponderous than my tongue.
KING LEAR
79 To thee and thine hereditary ever
80 Remain this ample third of our fair kingdom,
validity value | pleasure pleasurable qualities
81 No less in space, validity, and pleasure,
82 Than that conferr'd on Goneril. —Now, our joy,
83 Although our last and least, to whose young love
vines vineyards | milk pasture lands for cows?
Strive to be interess'd compete to establish a claim (to Cordelia's love) | draw earn, win
Strive to be interess'd compete to establish a claim (to Cordelia's love) | draw earn, win
84 The vines of France and milk of Burgundy
85 Strive to be interess'd; what can you say to draw
86 A third more opulent than your sisters? Speak.
CORDELIA
87 Nothing, my lord.
KING LEAR
88 Nothing?
CORDELIA
89 Nothing.
KING LEAR
90 Nothing will come of nothing, speak again.
CORDELIA
91 Unhappy that I am, I cannot heave
92 My heart into my mouth, I love your majesty
bond duty
93 According to my bond, nor more nor less.
KING LEAR
94 How, how, Cordelia? mend your speech a little,
95 Lest it may mar your fortunes.
CORDELIA
95 Good my lord,
96 You have begot me, bred me, loved me: I
Return those duties back as are right fit i.e., am properly dutiful in return
97 Return those duties back as are right fit,
98 Obey you, love you, and most honour you.
99 Why have my sisters husbands, if they say
Haply by good fortune
100 They love you all? Haply, when I shall wed,
plight marriage vow
101 That lord whose hand must take my plight shall carry
102 Half my love with him, half my care and duty:
103 Sure, I shall never marry like my sisters,
104 To love my father all.
KING LEAR
105 But goes thy heart with this?
CORDELIA
105 Ay, good my lord.
KING LEAR
106 So young, and so untender?
CORDELIA
107 So young, my lord, and true.
KING LEAR
108 Let it be so; thy truth, then, be thy dower!
109 For, by the sacred radiance of the sun,
110 The mysteries of Hecat, and the night;
operation influence | orbs star orbits
111 By all the operation of the orbs
From whom we do exist, and cease to be by the effect of which we live and die
112 From whom we do exist, and cease to be;
113 Here I disclaim all my paternal care,
propinquity kinship | property of blood blood relationship
114 Propinquity and property of blood,
115 And as a stranger to my heart and me
from this from this moment
116 Hold thee, from this, for ever. The barbarous Scythian,
makes his generation messes makes meals of his children and grandchildren
117 Or he that makes his generation messes
118 To gorge his appetite, shall to my bosom
119 Be as well neighbour'd, pitied, and relieved,
120 As thou my sometime daughter.
KENT
liege sovereign
120 Good my liege,—
KING LEAR
Peace shut up!
121 Peace, Kent!
122 Come not between the dragon and his wrath.
set my rest stake my all
kind nursery loving care | avoid leave
So . . . her! i.e., in order to rest peacefully in my grave I now withdraw all my love from her (Cordelia) so that I may give it to others!
kind nursery loving care | avoid leave
So . . . her! i.e., in order to rest peacefully in my grave I now withdraw all my love from her (Cordelia) so that I may give it to others!
123 I loved her most, and thought to set my rest124 On her kind nursery. Hence, and avoid my sight!
125 So be my grave my peace, as here I give
126 Her father's heart from her! Call France; who stirs?
127 Call Burgundy! Cornwall and Albany,
this third Cordelia's third of the kingdom
plainness honesty, frankness
plainness honesty, frankness
128 With my two daughters' dowers digest this third:
129 Let pride, which she calls plainness, marry her.
130 I do invest you jointly with my power,
131 Pre-eminence, and all the large effects
132 That troop with majesty. Ourself, by monthly course,
133 With reservation of an hundred knights,
134 By you to be sustain'd, shall our abode
135 Make with you by due turns. Only we still retain
addition: honors and prerogatives
136 The name, and all th' addition to a king;
137 The sway, revenue, execution of the rest,
138 Beloved sons, be yours: which to confirm,
139 This coronet part betwixt you.
[Giving a coronet.]
KENT
139 Royal Lear,
140 Whom I have ever honour'd as my king,
141 Loved as my father, as my master follow'd,
142 As my great patron thought on in my prayers,—
KING LEAR
make from the shaft get out of the way of the arrow
143 The bow is bent and drawn, make from the shaft.
KENT
Let it fall rather let it strike, no matter what
144 Let it fall rather, though the fork invade
145 The region of my heart: be Kent unmannerly,
146 When Lear is mad. What wilt thou do, old man?
147 Think'st thou that duty shall have dread to speak,
plainness honesty (as opposed to flattery)
148 When power to flattery bows? To plainness honour's bound,
Reserve thy state retain your royal status; i.e., act like a king ought to
149 When majesty stoops to folly. Reserve thy state;
150 And, in thy best consideration, check
answer my life my judgment i.e., I'll stake my life on my opinion.
151 This hideous rashness: answer my life my judgment,
152 Thy youngest daughter does not love thee least;
153 Nor are those empty-hearted whose low sound
reverbs echoes
154 Reverbs no hollowness.
KING LEAR
154 Kent, on thy life, no more.
KENT
My life I never held but as a pawn / To wage against thy enemies The only value I ever put on my life was as a stake in a wager against your enemies.
155 My life I never held but as a pawn
156 To wage against thy enemies; nor fear to lose it,
157 Thy safety being the motive.
KING LEAR
157 Out of my sight!
KENT
158 See better, Lear; and let me still remain
blank white center of an archery target
159 The true blank of thine eye.
KING LEAR
160 Now, by Apollo,—
KENT
160 Now, by Apollo, king,
161 Thou swear'st thy gods in vain.
KING LEAR
miscreant villain, misbeliever
161 O, vassal! miscreant!
[Laying his hand on his sword.]
ALBANY, CORNWALL
162 Dear sir, forbear.
KENT
Do i.e., Go ahead and kill me.
163 Do: Kill thy physician, and the fee bestow
164 Upon thy foul disease. Revoke thy gift,
165 Or, whilst I can vent clamour from my throat,
166 I'll tell thee thou dost evil.
KING LEAR
recreant traitor
166 Hear me, recreant!
167 On thine allegiance, hear me!
That since, because
168 That thou hast sought to make us break our vows,
169 Which we durst never yet, and with strain'd pride
sentence judgment, punishment (of Cordelia) our place my position as king
Our potency made good to prove my authority
Our potency made good to prove my authority
170 To come between our sentence and our power,
171 Which nor our nature nor our place can bear,
172 Our potency made good, take thy reward.
173 Five days we do allot thee, for provision
disasters misfortunes
174 To shield thee from disasters of the world;
175 And on the sixth to turn thy hated back
176 Upon our kingdom: if, on the tenth day following,
trunk body
177 Thy banish'd trunk be found in our dominions,
178 The moment is thy death. Away! by Jupiter,
179 This shall not be revoked.
KENT
sith since
180 Fare thee well, king: sith thus thou wilt appear,
181 Freedom lives hence, and banishment is here.
[To CORDELIA.]
182 The gods to their dear shelter take thee, maid,
183 That justly think'st, and hast most rightly said!
[To REGAN and GONERIL.]
And your . . . words of love i.e., may your deeds show that you really meant what you said in those grand speeches to King Lear, so that we may all see that good effects spring from loving words (Kent is being sarcastic.) He'll shape his old course i.e., he will continue to be the person he has always been
184 And your large speeches may your deeds approve,
185 That good effects may spring from words of love.
186 Thus Kent, O princes, bids you all adieu;
187 He'll shape his old course in a country new.
Exit
Flourish trumpet fanfare
Flourish. Enter GLOUCESTER,
with [KING of] FRANCE and
BURGUNDY; Attendants.
GLOUCESTER
188 Here's France and Burgundy, my noble lord.
KING LEAR
189 My lord of Burgundy,
address address ourselves
190 We first address towards you, who with this king
191 Hath rivall'd for our daughter. What, in the least,
present immediate. —A dowry could include "present dower," to be given as a promise of future gifts upon the event of the marriage.
192 Will you require in present dower with her,
193 Or cease your quest of love?
BURGUNDY
193 Most royal majesty,
194 I crave no more than what your highness offer'd,
tender offer
195 Nor will you tender less.
KING LEAR
195 Right noble Burgundy,
When she was dear to us, we did hold her so i.e., when I loved her dearly I considered her dear (of great worth). | little seeming substance small creature who only seems substantial | piec'd joined
like please
like please
196 When she was dear to us, we did hold her so,
197 But now her price is fallen. Sir, there she stands:
198 If aught within that little seeming substance,
199 Or all of it, with our displeasure piec'd,
200 And nothing more, may fitly like your Grace,
201 She's there, and she is yours.
BURGUNDY
201 I know no answer.
KING LEAR
owes possesses
202 Will you, with those infirmities she owes,
203 Unfriended, new-adopted to our hate,
stranger'd with made a stranger by
204 Dower'd with our curse, and stranger'd with our oath,
205 Take her, or leave her?
BURGUNDY
205 Pardon me, royal sir;
Election makes not up on such conditions it is impossible to choose on these terms
206 Election makes not up on such conditions.
KING LEAR
207 Then leave her, sir; for, by the power that made me,
208 I tell you all her wealth.
[To KING OF FRANCE.]
208 For you, great king,
I would not from your love make such a stray / To match you where I hate i.e., I would not want to alienate you by marrying you to one I hate.
209 I would not from your love make such a stray,
210 To match you where I hate; therefore beseech you
211 T'avert your liking a more worthier way
212 Than on a wretch whom nature is ashamed
213 Almost t'acknowledge hers.
KING OF FRANCE
213 This is most strange,
best object object of your dearest affections
214 That she, that even but now was your best object,
argument theme
215 The argument of your praise, balm of your age,
in this trice of time in this instant
216 Most best, most dearest, should in this trice of time
dismantle strip off
217 Commit a thing so monstrous, to dismantle
folds of favor —The King of France imagines Cordelia wrapped in robes of royal favor | That monsters it that makes it monstrous | or your fore-vouch'd affection / Fall into taint or [makes] your previously avouched affection suddenly go rotten
Should never Shall not ever
Should never Shall not ever
218 So many folds of favour. Sure, her offence
219 Must be of such unnatural degree,
220 That monsters it, or your fore-vouch'd affection
221 Fall into taint: which to believe of her,
222 Must be a faith that reason without miracle
223 Should never plant in me.
CORDELIA
223 I yet beseech your majesty,—
for I want because I lack
224 If for I want that glib and oily art,
speak and purpose not make speeches with no intention of living up to what I say do't before I speak do it rather than talk about it | dishonoured step dishonorable action
225 To speak and purpose not; since what I well intend,
226 I'll do't before I speak,—that you make known
227 It is no vicious blot, murder, or foulness,
228 No unchaste action, or dishonoured step,
229 That hath deprived me of your grace and favour;
want of that for which I am richer lack of that which makes me richer for not having | still-soliciting continually begging for favor and attention [like politicians]
230 But even for want of that for which I am richer,
231 A still-soliciting eye, and such a tongue
232 As I am glad I have not, though not to have it
233 Hath lost me in your liking.
KING LEAR
233 Better thou
234 Hadst not been born than not to have pleased me better.
KING OF FRANCE
235 Is it but this,—a tardiness in nature
leaves the history unspoke / That it intends to do i.e., resolves on an action without telling the world about it
236 Which often leaves the history unspoke
237 That it intends to do? My lord of Burgundy,
238 What say you to the lady? Love's not love
regards that stand / Aloof from the entire point totally irrelevant considerations
239 When it is mingled with regards that stand
240 Aloof from the entire point. Will you have her?
241 She is herself a dowry.
BURGUNDY
241 Royal Lear,
242 Give but that portion which yourself proposed,
243 And here I take Cordelia by the hand,
244 Duchess of Burgundy.
KING LEAR
245 Nothing: I have sworn; I am firm.
BURGUNDY [To Cordelia.]
246 I am sorry, then, you have so lost a father
247 That you must lose a husband.
CORDELIA
247 Peace be with Burgundy!
respects of fortune financial considerations
248 Since that respects of fortune are his love,
249 I shall not be his wife.
KING OF FRANCE
250 Fairest Cordelia, that art most rich, being poor;
251 Most choice, forsaken; and most loved, despised!
252 Thee and thy virtues here I seize upon,
253 Be it lawful I take up what's cast away.
254 Gods, gods! 'tis strange that from their cold'st neglect
inflamed respect impassioned regard
255 My love should kindle to inflamed respect.
thrown to my chance: i.e., mine by good luck
256 Thy dow'rless daughter, king, thrown to my chance,
257 Is queen of us, of ours, and our fair France:
wat'rish watery, weak
258 Not all the dukes of wat'rish Burgundy
unpriz'd not valued (at her real worth by King Lear or the Duke of Burgundy)
259 Can buy this unpriz'd precious maid of me.
260 Bid them farewell, Cordelia, though unkind:
Thou losest here, a better where to find you have lost this place, only to find a better place elsewhere
261 Thou losest here, a better where to find.
KING LEAR
262 Thou hast her, France; let her be thine, for we
263 Have no such daughter, nor shall ever see
264 That face of hers again.
[To CORDELIA.]
264 Therefore be gone
grace favor | benison blessing
265 Without our grace, our love, our benison.—
266 Come, noble Burgundy.
Flourish trumpet fanfare
Flourish. Exeunt [all but KING of
FRANCE, GONERIL, REGAN,
and CORDELIA].
KING OF FRANCE
267 Bid farewell to your sisters.
CORDELIA
wash'd eyes tear-washed eyes
268 The jewels of our father, with wash'd eyes
269 Cordelia leaves you: I know you what you are,
270 And like a sister am most loath to call
as they are named by their true names
271 Your faults as they are named. Love well our father:
professed bosoms i.e., hearts that have professed love for King Lear
272 To your professed bosoms I commit him,
273 But yet, alas, stood I within his grace,
prefer recommend
274 I would prefer him to a better place.
275 So, farewell to you both.
REGAN
276 Prescribe not us our duties.
GONERIL
276 Let your study
received you / At fortune's alms taken you as a small handout from Fortune
277 Be to content your lord, who hath received you
278 At fortune's alms. You have obedience scanted,
well are worth the want that you have wanted well deserve the same lack (of affection) that you have lacked (in your treatment of your father)
279 And well are worth the want that you have wanted.
CORDELIA
280 Time shall unfold what plighted cunning hides.
Who cover faults, at last shame them derides whoever conceals their faults will, in the course of time, be derided by the shamefulness of their faults
281 Who cover faults, at last shame them derides.
282 Well may you prosper!
KING OF FRANCE
282 Come, my fair Cordelia.
Exeunt [KING of] FRANCE
and CORDELIA.
GONERIL
283 Sister, it is not a little I have to say of what
284 most nearly appertains to us both. I think our
285 father will hence tonight.
REGAN
286 That's most certain, and with you; next month
287 with us.
GONERIL
288 You see how full of changes his age is; the
289 observation we have made of it hath not been
290 little: he always loved our sister most; and
291 with what poor judgment he hath now cast her
grossly obviously
292 off appears too grossly.
REGAN
293 'Tis the infirmity of his age: yet he hath ever
294 but slenderly known himself.
GONERIL
The best ... but rash i.e., even in the prime of his life he was no better than rash | long-engraffed deep-rooted
295 The best and soundest of his time hath been but
296 rash; then must we look to receive from his age,
297 not alone the imperfections of long-engraffed
therewithal along with that
298 condition, but therewithal the unruly waywardness
choleric bad-tempered, irritable
299 that infirm and choleric years bring with them.
REGAN
unconstant starts unpredictable and impetuous actions
300 Such unconstant starts are we like to have from
301 him as this of Kent's banishment.
GONERIL
compliment i.e., ceremonious exchange of compliments | hit together i.e., agree on a course of action
302 There is further compliment of leave-taking
303 between France and him. Pray you, let us hit
304 together: if our father carry authority with
this last / surrender of his i.e., this recent surrender to his passions. | will but offend us will only harm us
305 such dispositions as he bears, this last
306 surrender of his will but offend us.
REGAN
307 We shall further think of it.
GONERIL
i' the heat while the iron is hot
308 We must do something, and i' the heat.
Exeunt.