King Lear Thrift Study Edition

William Shakespeare

• Publisher: Dover Publications
• Year: 2012
• eBook ISBN: 9780486115658
• Topic: Literature
• Subtopic: Shakespeare Drama
• Index: Literature

Includes the unabridged text of Shakespeare's classic play plus a complete study guide that helps readers gain a thorough understanding of the work's content and context. The comprehensive guide includes scene-by-scene summaries, explanations and discussions of the plot, question-and-answer sections, author biography, analytical paper topics, list of characters, bibliography, and more.

King Lear

WILLIAM SHAKESPEARE

Dramatis Personæ

LEAR, King of Britain.

KING OF FRANCE.

DUKE OF BURGUNDY.

DUKE OF CORNWALL.

DUKE OF ALBANY.

EARL OF KENT.

EARL OF GLOUCESTER.

EDGAR, son to Gloucester.

EDMUND, bastard son to Gloucester.

CURAN, a courtier.

Old Man, tenant to Gloucester.

Doctor.

Fool.

OSWALD, steward to Goneril.

A Captain employed by Edmund.

Gentleman attendant on Cordelia.

A Herald.

Servants to Cornwall.

Knights of Lear’s train, Captains,

Messengers, Soldiers, and Attendants.

ACT I

SCENEI—King Lear’s Palace

Enter KENT, GLOUCESTER, and EDMUND

KENT. I thought the king had more affected¹ the Duke of Albany than Cornwall.

GLOU. It did always seem so to us: but now, in the division of the
kingdom, it appears not which of the dukes he values most; for equalities are so weighed that curiosity in neither can make choice of either’s moiety.²

KENT. Is not this your son, my lord?

GLOU. His breeding, sir, hath been at my charge: I have so often

blushed to acknowledge him that now I am brazed³ to it.

KENT. I cannot conceive⁴ you.

GLOU. Sir, this young fellow’s mother could: whereupon she grew

round-wombed, and had indeed, sir, a son for her cradle ere she had a husband for her bed. Do you smell a fault?

KENT. I cannot wish the fault undone, the issue of it being so proper. ⁵

GLOU. But I have, sir, a son by order of law, some year elder than

this, who yet is no dearer in my account: though this knave came something saucily into the world before he was sent for, yet was his mother fair; there was good sport at his making, and the whoreson must be acknowledged. Do you know this noble gentleman, Edmund?

EDM. No, my lord.

GLOU. My lord of Kent: remember him hereafter as my honourable friend.

EDM. My services to your lordship.

KENT. I must love you, and sue⁶ to know you better.

EDM. Sir, I shall study deserving.⁷

GLOU. He hath been out nine years, and away he shall again. The king is coming.

Sennet.⁸ Enter one bearing a coronet, KING LEAR, CORNWALL, ALBANY,

GONERIL, REGAN, CORDELIA, and Attendants

LEAR. Attend the lords of France and Burgundy, Gloucester.

GLOU. I shall, my liege. [Exeunt Gloucester and Edmund.]

LEAR. Meantime we shall express our darker purpose.

Give me the map there. Know we have divided
In three our kingdom: and ’t is our fast⁹ intent
To shake all cares and business from our age,
Conferring them on younger strengths, while we
Unburthen’d crawl toward death. Our son of Cornwall,
And you, our no less loving son of Albany,
We have this hour a constant will to publish
Our daughters’ several dowers, that future strife
May be prevented now. The princes, France and Burgundy,
Great rivals in our youngest daughter’s love,
Long in our court have made their amorous sojourn,
And here are to be answer’d. Tell me, my daughters,
Since now we will divest us both of rule,
Interest of territory,¹⁰ cares of state,
Which of you shall we say doth love us most?
That we our largest bounty may extend
Where nature doth with merit challenge.¹¹ Goneril,
Our eldest-born, speak first.

GON. Sir, I love you more than words can wield the matter,

Dearer than eye-sight, space and liberty,
Beyond what can be valued, rich or rare,
No less than life, with grace, health, beauty, honour,
As much as child e‘er loved or father found;
A love that makes breath poor and speech unable;
Beyond all manner of so much I love you.

COR. [Aside] What shall Cordelia do? Love, and be silent.

LEAR. Of all these bounds, even from this line to this,

With shadowy forests and with champains¹² rich’d,
With plenteous rivers and wide-skirted meads,
We make thee lady. To thine and Albany’s issue
Be this perpetual. What says our second daughter,
Our dearest Regan, wife to Cornwall? Speak.

REG. I am made of that self¹³ metal as my sister,

And prize me at her worth. In my true heart
I find she names my very deed of love;
Only she comes too short: that I profess
Myself an enemy to all other joys
Which the most precious square of sense possesses,¹⁴
And find I am alone felicitate¹⁵
In your dear highness’ love.

COR. [Aside] Then poor Cordelia!

And yet not so, since I am sure my love’s More ponderous than my tongue.

LEAR. To thee and thine hereditary ever

Remain this ample third of our fair kingdom,
No less in space, validity and pleasure,
Than that conferr’d on Goneril. Now, our joy,
Although the last, not least, to whose young love
The vines of France and milk of Burgundy
Strive to be interess’d,¹⁶ what can you say to draw
A third more opulent than your sisters? Speak.

COR. Nothing, my lord.

LEAR. Nothing!

COR. Nothing.

LEAR. Nothing will come of nothing: speak again.

COR. Unhappy that I am, I cannot heave My heart into my mouth: I love your majesty According to my bond;¹⁷ nor more nor less.

LEAR. How, how, Cordelia! mend your speech a little, Lest it mar your fortunes.

COR. Good my lord,

You have begot me, bred me, loved me: I
Return those duties back as are right fit,
Obey you, love you, and most honour you.
Why have my sisters husbands, if they say
They love you all? Haply, when I shall wed,
That lord whose hand must take my plight shall carry
Half my love with him, half my care and duty:
Sure, I shall never marry like my sisters,
To love my father all.

LEAR. But goes thy heart with this?

COR. Ay, good my lord.

LEAR. So young, and so untender?

COR. So young, my lord, and true.

LEAR. ...

Table of contents

• Title Page
• Copyright Page
• Publisher’s Note
• Table of Contents
• King Lear
• Study Guide
• DOVER · THRIFT · EDITIONS