King Lear Quotes (1) Flashcards
Gloucester (to Edgar)
“As flies to wanton boys are we to the gods; They kill us for their sport”
- Gods- Regan- society and the role they play
- God doesn’t care for man even though asked for help. God is playing with us -> lack of justice.
- JC Maxwell- “A christian play about a Pegan world”
Gloucester and Edmund
- Regarding Edmund S1
- “knave” “saucily”
- Edmunds silence symbolises his position
Edmund to Lear
“My services to your lordship”
- Edmunds polite exterior conceals evil nature.
- appearance vs reality
- social standing
“Know that we** have **divided in three our kingdom”
- The royal WE
- “Every Kingdom divided against itself shall be brought to nought” - Matthew 12:25
Gonerill-“Dearer than eyesight, space and liberty”
A03- Attitudes to women
-feels free on power
Goneril- “ A love that makes breath poor and speech unable”
Hyperbole- Goneril exaggerates her love to please Lear
Cordelia:
[aside] Then poor Cordelia!
Foreshadowing- literally poor
No dowry = no pity
“Now, our joy”
Favouritsm
Cordelia - “According to my bond”
daughter and father
- Family relationships
Lear: “ Here I disclaim all my paternal care, propquinity and property of blood”
Close family ties
Kinship
Lear: “Hence and avoid my sight”
Foreshadowing blindness in subplot
Kent: “Thy safety being motive”
Kents love has no bounds
“She’s there, and she is yours”
“But now her price has fallen”
- No value/worth
- Attitudes to women
Cordelia: “ The jewels of our father, with washed eyes”
Cordelia can see her sisters true nature
Gloucester (A1 S2)
“Hum! Conspiracy! Sleep till I waked him- you should enjoy half his revenue”
Theme: Fathers misjudge children
- Edmunds villiany prepares the way for Goneril and Regans treachery in the next act
- Is taken in by false appearances and words, just like Lear
Edmund:
” All with me’s meet that I can fashion fit”
A04- Feels like he can control his own fate- illegitimate- god doesn’t decide.
-Illegitimacy- bided his time- Not usual to speak out and therefore is believed. Not something which would be made up.
Lear (A1 S4)
“What art thou?”
“What art thou?”
“What services canst thou do?”
Repetitive questions- confused.
Might know Caius is Kent
Lear: “Go you, call hither my Fool”
- had to call 4 times
- loss of power
Fool: “and did the third a blessing against his will”
- Cordelia has benefitted
Fool (to Lear)
“my boy”
changed position to Lears conscience
Fool: “the hedge sparrow fed the cuckoo so long, that it had its head bit off by its young”
- masking and deciet
- Bird imagery
- Turn on those who rasied them
Lear: “Woe,that too late repents”
-Realises he has acted unwisely
[Exeunt KENT and KNIGHTS]
- symbol of might and importance
- power
- With only the support of a few men, he cannot assert himself and regain control