William Shakespeare: The Complete Works 2nd Edition (417 page)
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Authors: William Shakespeare
Tags: #Drama, #Literary Criticism, #Shakespeare
BOOK: William Shakespeare: The Complete Works 2nd Edition
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GLOUCESTER Ay, my good lord.
LEAR
The King would speak with Cornwall; the dear father
Would with his daughter speak, commands, tends
service.
‘Fiery’? The Duke?—tell the hot Duke that Lear—
No, but not yet. Maybe he is not well.
Infirmity doth still neglect all office
Whereto our health is bound. We are not ourselves
When nature, being oppressed, commands the mind
To suffer with the body. I’ll forbear,
And am fallen out with my more headier will,
To take the indisposed and sickly fit
For the sound man.—Death on my state,
Wherefore should he sit here? This act persuades me
That this remotion of the Duke and her
Is practice only. Give me my servant forth.
Tell the Duke and ’s wife I’ll speak with them,
Now, presently. Bid them come forth and hear me,
Or at their chamber door I’ll beat the drum
Till it cry sleep to death.
Would with his daughter speak, commands, tends
service.
‘Fiery’? The Duke?—tell the hot Duke that Lear—
No, but not yet. Maybe he is not well.
Infirmity doth still neglect all office
Whereto our health is bound. We are not ourselves
When nature, being oppressed, commands the mind
To suffer with the body. I’ll forbear,
And am fallen out with my more headier will,
To take the indisposed and sickly fit
For the sound man.—Death on my state,
Wherefore should he sit here? This act persuades me
That this remotion of the Duke and her
Is practice only. Give me my servant forth.
Tell the Duke and ’s wife I’ll speak with them,
Now, presently. Bid them come forth and hear me,
Or at their chamber door I’ll beat the drum
Till it cry sleep to death.
GLOUCESTER I would have all well
Betwixt you.
Exit
LEAR O, my heart, my heart!
FOOL Cry to it, nuncle, as the cockney did to the eels when she put ‘em i’th’ paste alive. She rapped ‘em o’th’ coxcombs with a stick, and cried ‘Down, wantons, down!’ ’Twas her brother that, in pure kindness to his horse, buttered his hay.
Enter the Duke of Cornwall and Regan, the Duke of Gloucester, and others
LEAR Good morrow to you both.
CORNWALL Hail to your grace.
⌈
Kent here set at liberty
⌉
REGAN I am glad to see your highness.
LEAR
Regan, I think you are. I know what reason
I have to think so. If thou shouldst not be glad
I would divorce me from thy mother’s shrine,
Sepulchring an adultress. (
To Kent
) Yea, are you free?
Some other time for that.—Belovèd Regan,
Thy sister is naught. O, Regan, she hath tied
Sharp-toothed unkindness like a vulture here.
I can scarce speak to thee. Thou’lt not believe
Of how deplored a quality—O, Regan!
I have to think so. If thou shouldst not be glad
I would divorce me from thy mother’s shrine,
Sepulchring an adultress. (
To Kent
) Yea, are you free?
Some other time for that.—Belovèd Regan,
Thy sister is naught. O, Regan, she hath tied
Sharp-toothed unkindness like a vulture here.
I can scarce speak to thee. Thou’lt not believe
Of how deplored a quality—O, Regan!
REGAN
I pray you, sir, take patience. I have hope
You less know how to value her desert
Than she to slack her duty.
You less know how to value her desert
Than she to slack her duty.
LEAR My curses on her.
REGAN O sir, you are old.
Nature in you stands on the very verge
Of her confine. You should be ruled and led
By some discretion that discerns your state
Better than you yourself. Therefore I pray
That to our sister you do make return;
Say you have wronged her, sir.
Of her confine. You should be ruled and led
By some discretion that discerns your state
Better than you yourself. Therefore I pray
That to our sister you do make return;
Say you have wronged her, sir.
LEAR Ask her forgiveness?
Do you mark how this becomes the house?
⌈
Kneeling
⌉ ‘Dear daughter, I confess that I am old.
Age is unnecessary. On my knees I beg
That you’ll vouchsafe me raiment, bed, and food.’
⌈
Kneeling
⌉ ‘Dear daughter, I confess that I am old.
Age is unnecessary. On my knees I beg
That you’ll vouchsafe me raiment, bed, and food.’
REGAN
Good sir, no more. These are unsightly tricks.
Return you to my sister.
Return you to my sister.
LEAR ⌈
rising
⌉ No, Regan.
rising
⌉ No, Regan.
She hath abated me of half my train,
Looked black upon me, struck me with her tongue
Most serpent-like upon the very heart.
All the stored vengeances of heaven fall
On her ungrateful top! Strike her young bones,
You taking airs, with lameness!
Looked black upon me, struck me with her tongue
Most serpent-like upon the very heart.
All the stored vengeances of heaven fall
On her ungrateful top! Strike her young bones,
You taking airs, with lameness!
CORNWALL Fie, fie, sir.
LEAR
You nimble lightnings, dart your blinding flames
Into her scornful eyes. Infect her beauty,
You fen-sucked fogs drawn by the pow’rful sun
To fall and blast her pride.
Into her scornful eyes. Infect her beauty,
You fen-sucked fogs drawn by the pow’rful sun
To fall and blast her pride.
REGAN O, the blest gods!
So will you wish on me when the rash mood—
LEAR
No, Regan. Thou shalt never have my curse.
Thy tender-hested nature shall not give
Thee o‘er to harshness. Her eyes are fierce, but thine
Do comfort and not burn. ’Tis not in thee
To grudge my pleasures, to cut off my train,
To bandy hasty words, to scant my sizes,
And, in conclusion, to oppose the bolt
Against my coming in. Thou better know’st
The offices of nature, bond of childhood,
Effects of courtesy, dues of gratitude.
Thy half of the kingdom hast thou not forgot,
Wherein I thee endowed.
Thy tender-hested nature shall not give
Thee o‘er to harshness. Her eyes are fierce, but thine
Do comfort and not burn. ’Tis not in thee
To grudge my pleasures, to cut off my train,
To bandy hasty words, to scant my sizes,
And, in conclusion, to oppose the bolt
Against my coming in. Thou better know’st
The offices of nature, bond of childhood,
Effects of courtesy, dues of gratitude.
Thy half of the kingdom hast thou not forgot,
Wherein I thee endowed.
REGAN Good sir, to th’ purpose.
LEAR
Who put my man i’th’ stocks?
⌈
Trumpets within
⌉
CORNWALL What trumpet’s that?
Enter Oswald the steward
REGAN
I know’t, my sister’s. This approves her letters
That she would soon be here. (
To Oswald
) Is your lady
come?
That she would soon be here. (
To Oswald
) Is your lady
come?
LEAR
This is a slave whose easy-borrowed pride
Dwells in the fickle grace of her a follows.
Dwells in the fickle grace of her a follows.
He strikes Oswald
⌉
Out, varlet, from my sight!
CORNWALL What means your grace?
Enter Gonoril
GONORIL
Who struck my servant? Regan, I have good hope
Thou didst not know on’t.
Thou didst not know on’t.
LEAR Who comes here? O heavens,
If you do love old men, if your sweet sway
Allow obedience, if yourselves are old,
Make it your cause! Send down and take my part.
(
To Gonoril
) Art not ashamed to look upon this
beard?
O Regan, wilt thou take her by the hand?
Allow obedience, if yourselves are old,
Make it your cause! Send down and take my part.
(
To Gonoril
) Art not ashamed to look upon this
beard?
O Regan, wilt thou take her by the hand?
GONORIL
Why not by the hand, sir? How have I offended?
All’s not offence that indiscretion finds
And dotage terms so.
All’s not offence that indiscretion finds
And dotage terms so.
LEAR O sides, you are too tough!
Will you yet hold?—How came my man i’th’ stocks?
CORNWALL
I set him there, sir; but his own disorders
Deserved much less advancement.
Deserved much less advancement.
LEAR You? Did you?
REGAN
I pray you, father, being weak, seem so.
If till the expiration of your month
You will return and sojourn with my sister,
Dismissing half your train, come then to me.
I am now from home, and out of that provision
Which shall be needful for your entertainment.
If till the expiration of your month
You will return and sojourn with my sister,
Dismissing half your train, come then to me.
I am now from home, and out of that provision
Which shall be needful for your entertainment.
LEAR
Return to her, and fifty men dismissed?
No, rather I abjure all roofs, and choose
To be a comrade with the wolf and owl,
To wage against the enmity of the air
Necessity’s sharp pinch. Return with her?
Why, the hot-blood in France that dowerless took
Our youngest born—I could as well be brought
To knee his throne and, squire-like, pension beg
To keep base life afoot. Return with her?
Persuade me rather to be slave and sumpter
To this detested groom.
No, rather I abjure all roofs, and choose
To be a comrade with the wolf and owl,
To wage against the enmity of the air
Necessity’s sharp pinch. Return with her?
Why, the hot-blood in France that dowerless took
Our youngest born—I could as well be brought
To knee his throne and, squire-like, pension beg
To keep base life afoot. Return with her?
Persuade me rather to be slave and sumpter
To this detested groom.
GONORIL At your choice, sir.
LEAR
Now I prithee, daughter, do not make me mad.
I will not trouble thee, my child. Farewell.
We’ll no more meet, no more see one another.
But yet thou art my flesh, my blood, my daughter—
Or rather a disease that lies within my flesh,
Which I must needs call mine. Thou art a boil,
A plague-sore, an embossed carbuncle
In my corrupted blood. But I’ll not chide thee.
Let shame come when it will, I do not call it.
I do not bid the thunder-bearer shoot,
Nor tell tales of thee to high-judging Jove.
Mend when thou canst; be better at thy leisure.
I can be patient, I can stay with Regan,
I and my hundred knights.
I will not trouble thee, my child. Farewell.
We’ll no more meet, no more see one another.
But yet thou art my flesh, my blood, my daughter—
Or rather a disease that lies within my flesh,
Which I must needs call mine. Thou art a boil,
A plague-sore, an embossed carbuncle
In my corrupted blood. But I’ll not chide thee.
Let shame come when it will, I do not call it.
I do not bid the thunder-bearer shoot,
Nor tell tales of thee to high-judging Jove.
Mend when thou canst; be better at thy leisure.
I can be patient, I can stay with Regan,
I and my hundred knights.
REGAN Not altogether so, sir.
I look not for you yet, nor am provided
For your fit welcome. Give ear, sir, to my sister;
For those that mingle reason with your passion
Must be content to think you are old, and so—
But she knows what she does.
For your fit welcome. Give ear, sir, to my sister;
For those that mingle reason with your passion
Must be content to think you are old, and so—
But she knows what she does.
LEAR Is this well spoken now?
REGAN
I dare avouch it, sir. What, fifty followers?
Is it not well? What should you need of more,
Yea, or so many, sith that both charge and danger
Speaks ‘gainst so great a number? How in a house
Should many people under two commands
Hold amity? ’Tis hard, almost impossible.
Is it not well? What should you need of more,
Yea, or so many, sith that both charge and danger
Speaks ‘gainst so great a number? How in a house
Should many people under two commands
Hold amity? ’Tis hard, almost impossible.
GONORIL
Why might not you, my lord, receive attendance
From those that she calls servants, or from mine?
From those that she calls servants, or from mine?
REGAN
Why not, my lord? If then they chanced to slack you,
We could control them. If you will come to me—
For now I spy a danger—I entreat you
To bring but five-and-twenty; to no more
Will I give place or notice.
We could control them. If you will come to me—
For now I spy a danger—I entreat you
To bring but five-and-twenty; to no more
Will I give place or notice.
LEAR I gave you all.
REGAN And in good time you gave it.
LEAR
Made you my guardians, my depositaries,
But kept a reservation to be followed
With such a number. What, must I come to you
With five-and-twenty, Regan? Said you so?
But kept a reservation to be followed
With such a number. What, must I come to you
With five-and-twenty, Regan? Said you so?
REGAN
And speak’t again, my lord. No more with me.
LEAR
Those wicked creatures yet do seem well favoured
When others are more wicked. Not being the worst
Stands in some rank of praise. (
To Gonoril
) I’ll go with
thee.
Thy fifty yet doth double five-and-twenty,
And thou art twice her love.
When others are more wicked. Not being the worst
Stands in some rank of praise. (
To Gonoril
) I’ll go with
thee.
Thy fifty yet doth double five-and-twenty,
And thou art twice her love.
GONORIL Hear me, my lord.
What need you five-and-twenty, ten, or five,
To follow in a house where twice so many
Have a command to tend you?
To follow in a house where twice so many
Have a command to tend you?
REGAN What needs one?
LEAR
O, reason not the need! Our basest beggars
Are in the poorest thing superfluous.
Allow not nature more than nature needs,
Man’s life is cheap as beast’s. Thou art a lady.
If only to go warm were gorgeous,
Why, nature needs not what thou, gorgeous, wearest,
Which scarcely keeps thee warm. But for true need—
You heavens, give me that patience, patience I need.
You see me here, you gods, a poor old fellow,
As full of grief as age, wretched in both.
If it be you that stirs these daughters’ hearts
Against their father, fool me not so much
To bear it tamely. Touch me with noble anger.
O, let not women’s weapons, water-drops,
Stain my man’s cheeks! No, you unnatural hags,
I will have such revenges on you both
That all the world shall—I will do such things—
What they are, yet I know not; but they shall be
The terrors of the earth. You think I’ll weep.
No, I’ll not weep.
Are in the poorest thing superfluous.
Allow not nature more than nature needs,
Man’s life is cheap as beast’s. Thou art a lady.
If only to go warm were gorgeous,
Why, nature needs not what thou, gorgeous, wearest,
Which scarcely keeps thee warm. But for true need—
You heavens, give me that patience, patience I need.
You see me here, you gods, a poor old fellow,
As full of grief as age, wretched in both.
If it be you that stirs these daughters’ hearts
Against their father, fool me not so much
To bear it tamely. Touch me with noble anger.
O, let not women’s weapons, water-drops,
Stain my man’s cheeks! No, you unnatural hags,
I will have such revenges on you both
That all the world shall—I will do such things—
What they are, yet I know not; but they shall be
The terrors of the earth. You think I’ll weep.
No, I’ll not weep.
⌈
Storm within
⌉
I have full cause of weeping, but this heart
Shall break into a hundred thousand flaws
Or ere I’ll weep.—O fool, I shall go mad!
Shall break into a hundred thousand flaws
Or ere I’ll weep.—O fool, I shall go mad!
Exeunt Lear, Gloucester, Kent,
⌈
Knight,
⌉
and Fool
⌈
Knight,
⌉
and Fool
CORNWALL
Let us withdraw. ’Twill be a storm.
REGAN
This house is little. The old man and his people
Cannot be well bestowed.
Cannot be well bestowed.
GONORIL ’Tis his own blame;
Hath put himself from rest, and must needs taste his folly.
REGAN
For his particular I’ll receive him gladly,
But not one follower.
But not one follower.
CORNWALL
So am I purposed. Where is my lord of Gloucester?
REGAN
Followed the old man forth.
Enter the Duke of Gloucester
He is returned.
GLOUCESTER
The King is in high rage, and will I know not whither.
REGAN
’Tis good to give him way. He leads himself.
GONORIL (
to Gloucester
)
to Gloucester
)
My lord, entreat him by no means to stay.
GLOUCESTER
Alack, the night comes on, and the bleak winds
Do sorely rustle. For many miles about
There’s not a bush.
Do sorely rustle. For many miles about
There’s not a bush.
REGAN O sir, to wilful men
The injuries that they themselves procure
Must be their schoolmasters. Shut up your doors.
He is attended with a desperate train,
And what they may incense him to, being apt
To have his ear abused, wisdom bids fear.
Must be their schoolmasters. Shut up your doors.
He is attended with a desperate train,
And what they may incense him to, being apt
To have his ear abused, wisdom bids fear.
CORNWALL
Shut up your doors, my lord. ‘Tis a wild night.
My Regan counsels well. Come out o’th’ storm. Exeunt
Sc. 8My Regan counsels well. Come out o’th’ storm. Exeunt
Storm. Enter the Earl of Kent disguised, and First Gentleman, at several doors
KENT
What’s here, beside foul weather?
FIRST GENTLEMAN One minded like the weather,
Most unquietly.
KENT I know you. Where’s the King?
FIRST GENTLEMAN
Contending with the fretful element;
Bids the wind blow the earth into the sea
Or swell the curled waters ’bove the main,
That things might change or cease; tears his white
hair,
Which the impetuous blasts, with eyeless rage,
Catch in their fury and make nothing of;
Strives in his little world of man to outstorm
The to-and-fro-conflicting wind and rain.
This night, wherein the cub-drawn bear would couch,
The lion and the belly-pinched wolf
Keep their fur dry, unbonneted he runs,
And bids what will take all.
Bids the wind blow the earth into the sea
Or swell the curled waters ’bove the main,
That things might change or cease; tears his white
hair,
Which the impetuous blasts, with eyeless rage,
Catch in their fury and make nothing of;
Strives in his little world of man to outstorm
The to-and-fro-conflicting wind and rain.
This night, wherein the cub-drawn bear would couch,
The lion and the belly-pinched wolf
Keep their fur dry, unbonneted he runs,
And bids what will take all.
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