king lear character quotes Flashcards
king Lear’s opening to the love test
” tell me my daughters ,
since now we will divest us both of rule,
cares of state ,
which of you shall say doth love us most ?”
when Lear says that Cordelia gets nothing
“let it be so ; thy truth then be thy dower
what Lear says to Kent when is banishes him
“thy banished trunk be found in our dominions , the moment is thy death “
what Lear says to Cordelia when banishing her
” thou hast her , France . Let her be thine , for we have no such daughter,
nor shall ever see that face of her’s again “
what Goneril says at the love test
” i love you more than words can wield the matter ,
Dearer than eyesight , space and liberty”
what Regan says at the love test
“i profess myself an enemy to all other joys which the most precious square of sense prossessess
and i find i am alone felicitate ,
in your dear highness love”
what lear says to cordelia at the love test for her to speak
” now , our joy,..
what can you say to draw a third more opulent than your sisters ? speak.”
what cordelia says to lear first when called to speak
” nothing my lord”
what lear replies to cordelia responding with “ nothing my lord”
” nothing will come of nothing”
Cordelia’s answer to the love test
” unhappy that i am , i cannot heave my heart into my mouth.
i love your majesty according to my bond,
no more no less”
what lear says at Gonerils house to express his disbelief at her ingratitude
” does any here know me ?
this is not lear,
does lear not walk thus?
where are his eyes ?”
when lear realises that his kingdom is an unjust place and he begins to develop empathy with the masses
” O I have ta’en too little care of this !
take physical pomp;
expose thyself to feel what wretches feel,
that thou mayst shake the superflux to them
and show the heavens more just.”
the insult that lear gave to goneril
if she must teem ,
create her child of spleen ,
that it may live and be a thwart disnatured torment to her “
what lear says when he is banished from regan’s homestead
” i am a man more sinned against than sinning “
lear asks cordelia for forgiveness
” we two alone will sing like birds i the cage;
when thou dost ask me blessing ,
i’ll kneel down and ask of thee forgiveness “
when lear threatens kent with judgement for speaking in support of Cordelia , kent replies
” be kent unmannerly , when lear is mad.”
what kent says upon returning , disguised as caius ( this shows his loyalty )
” now banished kent , if thou canst serve where dost stand condemned ,
so may it come , thy master,
whom thou lov’st ,
shall find thee full of labours “
when the fool reveals the true nature of lear’s predicament with recourse to the imagery of darkness to show lear’s misjudgement
” the hedge sparrow fed the cuckoo so long , that it had it head bit off by it young.
so went out the candle , and we were left darkling “
when the fool advises lear to consider people’s intentions more deeply before making any judgement
fool : thou canst tell why one’s nose stands i’ the middle of one’s face?
lear: no
fool : why , to keep one’s eyes of either side’s nose , that what man cannot smell out he may spy into .
regan saying to lear that he is too old to fend for himself and should be ruled by his daughters
” 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 yourself.”
while kent is in the stocks and the fool suggests that lear’s fate has already been decided , that even the blind can see his downfall
” all that follow their noses are led by the eyes , but blind men ;
and there’s not a nose among twenty but can smell him that’s stinking
edgar’s words when he reveals his true identity to Edmund
” The god’s are just ,and of our pleasant vices make us instruments to plague us :
The dark and vicious place where thee he got ,
cost him his eyes.”
