King Lear - Fathers, Children & Siblings

Question 1

His breeding…

Answer 1

His breeding, sir, hath been at my charge. I have so often blushed to acknowledge him that now I am brazed to’t.

Question 2

But I have a son…

Answer 2

But I have a son, sir, by order of law, some year elder than this, who yet is no dearer in my account, though this knave came something saucily to 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.

Question 3

Which…

Answer 3

Which of you shall we say doth love us most that we our largest bounty may extend where nature doth with merit challenge?

Question 4

Unhappy…

Answer 4

Unhappy that I am, I cannot heave my heart into my mouth, I love your majesty according to my bond, no more nor less.

Question 5

Here…

Answer 5

Here I disclaim all my paternal care, propinquity and property of blood, and as a stranger to my heart and me hold thee from this for ever.

Question 6

I loved…

Answer 6

I loved her most and thought to set my rest on her kind nursery.

Question 7

Unfriended…

Answer 7

Unfriended, new-adopted to our hate, dowered with our curse, and strange red with our oath.

Question 8

I know you…

Answer 8

I know you wish you are, and like a sister am most loath to call you faults as they are named. Love well our father, to your professed bosoms I commit him.

Question 9

He always…

Answer 9

He always loved our sister most, as with what poor judgement he hath now cast her off appears too grossly.

Question 10

Wherefore…

Answer 10

Wherefore should I stand in the plague of custom and permit the curiosity of nations to deprive me for that I am some twelve or fourteen moonshiner lag of a brother? Why bastard? Wherefore base?

Question 11

I have heard…

Answer 11

I have heard him oft maintain it to be fit, that sons at perfect age and fathers declined, the father should be as ward to the son, and the son manage his revenue.

Question 12

This villain…

Answer 12

This villain comes under the prediction: there’s son against father. The king falls from bias of natures; there’s father against child.

Question 13

… E’er…

Answer 13

E’er since thou masts thy daughters thy mothers; for when thou gavst them the rod and putst down thine own breeches.

Question 14

The hedge…

Answer 14

The hedge-sparrow fed the cuckoo so long, it’s had its head but off by its young.

Question 15

How sharper…

Answer 15

How sharper than a serpents tooth it is to have a thankless child.

Question 16

Some blood…

Answer 16

Some blood drawn on me would beget opinion of my more fierce endeavour. (Wounds his arm)

Question 17

I thought…

Answer 17

I thought the King had more affected the Duke of Albany than Cornwall.

Question 18

Fathers…

Answer 18

Fathers that wear bags do make their children blind, but fathers that bear bags shall see their children kind. Fortune, that arrant whore ne’er turns the key to th’poor.

Question 19

I would…

Answer 19

I would divorce me from thy mother’s tomb, sepluch’ring an adult’ress.

Question 20

But yet…

Answer 20

But yet thou art my flesh, my blood, my daughter - or rather a disease that’s in my flesh, which I must needs call mind: thou art a boil, a plague-sore, or embossed carbuncle, in my corrupted blood.

Question 21

The younger…

Answer 21

The younger rise when the old doth fall.

Question 22

Filial…

Answer 22

Filial Ingratitude! Is it not as this mouth should year this hand for lifting food to’t? But I will punish home. No, I will weep no more.

Question 23

Now, all the…

Answer 23

Now, all the plagues that in the pendulous air hand fated o’er men’s faults light on thy daughters!

Question 24

Nothing…

Answer 24

Nothing could have subdued nature to such a lowness but his unkind daughters. Is it fashion that discarded fathers should have this little mercy on their flesh? Judicious punishment! ‘‘Twas the flesh begot those pelican daughters.

Question 25

Our flesh…

Answer 25

Our flesh and blood, my Lord, is grown so vile, that it doth hate what it gets.

Question 26

I am almost…

Answer 26

I am almost mad myself. I had a son, now outlawed from my blood: he sought my life but lately, very late. I love him, friend: no father his son dearer. True to tell thee, the grief hath crazed my wits.

Question 27

I will preserve…

Answer 27

I will preserve on my course of loyalty, though the conflict be sore between that and my blood.

Question 28

O dear son…

Answer 28

I dear son Edgar, the food of thy abused father’s wrath! Might I but live to see thee in my touch, I’d say I had eyes again!

Question 29

O you kind gods…

Answer 29

O you kind gods, cute this great breach in his abused nature! Th’untuned and jarring senses. O, wind up of this child-changed father!

Question 30

If you have poison…

Answer 30

If you have poison, I will drink it. I know you do not love me, for your sisters have, as I do remember, done me wrong: you have some cause, they do not.

Question 31

Come…

Answer 31

Come let’s away to prison. We two alone will sing like birds i’th’cage: when thou dost ask me blessing, I’ll kneel down and ask for thee forgiveness: so we’ll live, and pray, and sing, and tell old tales, and laugh at gilded butterflies.

Question 32

Bloody…

Answer 32

Bloody Proclamation

Question 33

In this habit…

Answer 33

In this habit met I my father with his bleeding rings, their stones new lost, became his guide, led him, begged for him, saved him from despair, never - o, fault! - revealed myself unto him until some half-hour past.

Question 34

His flawed…

Answer 34

His flawed heart - Alack, too weak the conflict to support - ‘twixt two extremes of passion, joy and grief, burst smilingly.