Lear Who Said It Flashcards
Act 1
“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” (I.i.19-24).
Step 1: Gloucester to Kent.
Step 2: I have a legitimate son, who is a year older than Edmund, and yet I do not value him any more than I value Edmund. Although Edmund came into the world in a disrespectful manner, before he was planned for, his mother was beautiful, and there was enjoyment in the process of his conception. However, despite his questionable birth, Edmund must still be acknowledged as my son.
Step 3: Gloucester acknowledges Edmund’s illegitimate birth but also expresses that he still considers him to be and cares for him as a son. This statement sets up the tension between Gloucester and his legitimate son, Edgar because of Gloucester’s preference for Edmund, despite his illegitimacy. It also contributes to the play’s theme of legitimacy versus illegitimacy, setting the stage for the drama surrounding family relationships and inheritance. This line reveals Gloucester’s lack of moral clarity and his failure to recognize the true nature of his sons, which ultimately contributes to his downfall.
“Sir, I love you more than word can wield the matter, / Dearer than eyesight, space, and liberty, / Beyond what can be valued, rich or rare, / No less than life, with grace, health, beauty, honor; / As much as child e’er loved, or father found; / A love that makes breath poor, and speech unable” (I.i.61-66).
Step 1: Goneril to Lear.
Step 2: Sir, I love you more than words can express, more than eyesight, freedom, or space. My love is beyond any material value or rarity, as precious as life itself, with grace, health, beauty, and honor. I love you as much as a child has ever loved or a father has ever loved. This love makes words inadequate, and even breath itself seems insufficient to express it.
Step 3: Goneril is claiming her deep love and devotion to Lear, (her father) attempting to flatter him in order to gain her share of the kingdom. Her exaggerated declarations of love are meant to win his favor, but they are insincere, and she is characterized as manipulative and selfish. She is playing on Lear’s vanity and his desire to hear such expressions of love, knowing that his decision to divide the kingdom will be based on his daughters’ declarations. This moment foreshadows the eventual betrayal of Lear by Goneril, as her love is revealed to be hollow and self-serving.
“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 honor 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>” (I.i.106-115).</To>
Step 1: Cornelia to Lear
Step 2: My dear lord, You gave me life, raised me, and loved me, I give back to you the duties that are appropriate. I will obey you, love you, and honor you above all. Why do my sisters have husbands if they claim to love only you?
Perhaps, when I get married, The man I marry will have half my love, care, and duty. I will never marry the way my sisters claim to—by loving only my father.
Step 3: It is crucial because it highlights her honesty, integrity, and moral clarity. Unlike her sisters, Goneril and Regan, who flatter their father with exaggerated declarations of love to gain his favor and inheritance, Cordelia refuses to lie. She expresses a balanced and realistic view of love, recognizing that a daughter’s duty must be shared between her father and, eventually, her husband.
Her refusal to falsely flatter angers Lear, leading to her disinheritance and exile. This sets the tragic events of the play into motion, as Lear’s misjudgment causes his downfall and the destruction of his kingdom. Cordelia’s words emphasize the contrast between genuine love and empty flattery, a major theme of the play.
“Let it be so. Thy truth, then, be thy dower, / For by the sacred radiance of the sun, / The [mysteries] of Hecate and the night, / By all the operation of the orbs / From whom we do exist and cease to be, / Here I disclaim all my paternal care, / Propinquity, and property of blood, / And as a stranger to my heart and me / Hold the form this forever” (I.i.120-128).
Step 1: Lear to Cordelia.
Step 2: Let it be so. Your truth, then, will be your dowry, for by the sacred light of the sun, by the mysteries of Hecate and the night, by the power of the stars from which we come and to which we return, I hereby reject all my paternal care, my relationship with you, and my duty as your father. From this moment on, I will treat you as a stranger, with no connection to my heart or myself, and you will remain in this state forever.
Step 3: Lear, enraged by Cordelia’s refusal to flatter him with exaggerated declarations of love, disowns her in this moment. This highlights his inability to recognize genuine love, choosing instead to favor the false flattery of his other daughters. The reference to celestial powers like the sun, Hecate, and the orbs (stars) emphasizes the gravity of Lear’s decision, causing a drastic shift in his relationship with Cordelia. This act of disowning her is important because it sets the tragic events of the play into motion, as Cordelia is stripped of her inheritance, and Lear’s own downfall begins as he loses the one daughter who truly loved him.
“Thou, Nature, art my goodness. To thy law / My services are bound. Wherefore should I / Stand in the plague of custom, and permit The curiosity of nation to deprive me / For that I am some twelve or fourteen moonshines / Lag of a brother? Why “bastard”? Wherefore “base.” / When my dimensions are as well compact, / My mind as generous and my shape as true / As honest madam’s issue?” (I.ii.1-9).
Step 1: Edmund is speaking to himself
Step 2: You, Nature, are my goodness. I am bound to your law. Why should I follow the plague of tradition and allow society’s expectations to strip me of my worth simply because I am twelve or fourteen months younger than my brother? Why am I called a “bastard”? Why “base”? My body is just as well-formed, my mind just as noble, and my appearance just as true as any legitimate child of a noblewoman.
Step 3: Edmund is speaking to himself as he reflects on his own status as an illegitimate son. He is frustrated by the societal label, feeling it unfairly limits him, despite his own personal qualities being just as admirable as those of legitimate children. His defiance against the conventional definitions of legitimacy and nobility highlights his ambition and resentment toward the system that oppresses him. This speech is key because it sets up Edmund’s motivations throughout the play: he seeks to overturn his illegitimate status and take what he feels he deserves, regardless of birthright. Edmund’s rejection of societal norms foreshadows his cunning and manipulative actions later in the play, as he schemes to secure power for himself, challenging the concept of legitimacy and bloodlines that dominate the world of King Lear.
“A knave, a rascal, an eater of broken meats; a / base, proud, shallow, beggarly, three-suited, hun-/dred-pound, filthy worsted-stocking knave; a lily-/livered, action-taking, whoreson, glass-gazing, su-/perserviceable, finical rogue; one-trunk-inheriting / slave; one that wouldst be a bawd in way of good / service, and art nothing but the composition of a / knave, beggar, coward, pander, and the son and heir / of a mongrel bitch; one whom I will beat into / <clamorous> whining if thou deny’st the least syllable / of thy addition” (II.ii.14-24).</clamorous>
Step 1: Kent (disguised as Caius) is speaking to Oswald
Step 2: You are a scoundrel, a beggar, and a cowardly rogue; a vain, meddlesome, servile knave who would even become a pimp if it benefited you. You are nothing but a worthless, deceitful parasite, and if you deny it, I’ll beat you until you whimper.
Step 3: Kent’s furious insults reveal his deep disdain for Oswald, whom he sees as the embodiment of dishonesty and servility. His outburst highlights the play’s contrast between honor and corruption—Kent, a symbol of loyalty and truth, clashes with Oswald, a self-serving flatterer. Shakespeare uses this moment for both comedic effect and sharp critique, exposing the moral decay within Lear’s court. Kent’s aggression foreshadows the play’s broader conflicts, where deception and betrayal will lead to downfall.
“This is some fellow / Who, having been praised for bluntness, doth affect / A saucy roughness and constrains the garb / Quite from his nature. He cannot flatter, he. / An honest mind and plain, he must speak truth! / An they will take it, so; if not, he’s plain. / These kind of knaves I know, which in this plainness / Harbor more craft and more corrupter ends / Than twenty silly-ducking observants / That stretch their duties nicely” (II.ii.100-110).
Step 1: Cornwall to Kent
Step 2: This is the kind of man who, after being praised for his bluntness, now forces himself to act rough and rude, even though it’s not in his nature. He pretends he cannot flatter—claims to be honest and plain-spoken, always telling the truth. If people accept it, fine; if not, he remains ‘plain.’ But I know men like this. Beneath their so-called honesty, they hide more deceit and corruption than twenty obedient flatterers who carefully serve their masters.
Step 3: Cornwall criticizes Kent’s bluntness, suggesting that it is an act rather than genuine honesty. He implies that those who pride themselves on being plain-spoken often use it as a cover for manipulation and hidden agendas. Ironically, Cornwall himself is deeply corrupt, making his judgment of Kent hypocritical. This passage highlights the play’s theme of deception—where true loyalty, like Kent’s, is mistaken for dishonesty, while actual deceit thrives in court. Cornwall’s words foreshadow his own ruthless actions and the growing conflict between truth and illusion in the play.
“His fault is much, and the good king his master / Will check him for’t. Your purposed low correction / Is such as basest and [contemned’st] wretches / For pilf’rings and most common trespasses / Are punished with” (II.ii.154-158).
Step 1: Gloucester is speaking to Cornwall and Regan
Step 2: His fault is serious, and the good king will punish him for it. But your planned lowly punishment is excessive—such cruelty is typically reserved for the most contemptible criminals who commit petty thefts and minor offenses.
Step 3: Gloucester acknowledges his son’s wrongdoing but expresses concern over the severity of the punishment Regan suggests. This moment reveals Gloucester’s sense of justice, where he sees the proposed punishment as far too harsh for the crime. It highlights the play’s ongoing exploration of justice, where power often distorts what is fair. Gloucester’s plea for mercy underscores his growing realization of the cruelty and moral decay of those in power, further deepening the theme of the corrupting influence of authority.
“Nothing almost sees miracles / But misery” (II.ii.180-181).
Step 1: Kent speaks this line to himself while he is in the stocks, reflecting on suffering and fortune.
Step 2:Only those who experience great misery are able to witness miracles, because they are the ones most in need of them.
Step 3: Kent suggests that suffering brings about a heightened awareness of extraordinary events. This aligns with King Lear’s broader themes of suffering and wisdom—characters like Lear and Gloucester only gain true insight when they endure great hardship. The line also reflects the play’s exploration of fate, justice, and the unpredictable nature of fortune. Kent’s statement implies that those in misery might hold onto hope for miraculous change, even when faced with cruelty and injustice.
“Whiles I may ‘scape, / I will preserve myself, and am bethought / To take the basest and most poorest shape / That ever penury in contempt o fman / Brought near to beast. My face I’ll grime with filth, / Blanket my loins, elf all my hairs in knots, / And with presented nakedness outface / The winds and persecutions of the sky” (II.iii.5-12).
Step 1: Edgar speaks these lines to himself in a soliloquy after fleeing from his father, Gloucester. He has been falsely accused by his brother, Edmund, and is now in hiding.
Step 2: As long as I can escape, I will survive. I have decided to take on the lowest and poorest disguise imaginable—one that makes me seem more like a beast than a man. I will smear my face with dirt, wear only a blanket around my waist, tangle my hair into knots, and use my near-nakedness to endure the harsh weather and suffering.
Step 3: Edgar’s decision to disguise himself as “Poor Tom” reflects the play’s themes of identity, suffering, and survival. His transformation from nobility to a beggar highlights how easily power and status can be lost. This also ties into the theme of nature vs. civilization, as Edgar reduces himself to an almost animalistic state to survive. Additionally, his disguise foreshadows King Lear’s own descent into madness and exposure to the brutal forces of nature. The imagery of degradation and suffering reinforces the play’s meditation on human vulnerability.
“Fathers that wear rags / 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” (II.iv.54-59).
Step 1: The Fool speaks these lines to King Lear as they travel toward Regan’s castle after Goneril has mistreated Lear.
Step 2: Poor fathers are ignored by their children, but wealthy fathers are treated kindly. Fortune is like a cheating prostitute—she never helps the poor.
Step 3: The Fool, as usual, delivers wisdom through his seemingly playful words. This rhyme highlights the theme of wealth and power determining relationships, especially between parents and children. Lear, who has given away his kingdom and lost his wealth, is now experiencing the consequences—the daughters he gave power to no longer respect him. The Fool also personifies Fortune as a cruel, fickle force, reinforcing the play’s theme of fate’s unpredictability and the harsh realities of social inequality. His words serve as both a bitter truth for Lear and a larger commentary on human nature and greed.
“That sir which serves / And seeks for gain, / And follows but for form, / Will pack when it begins to rain / And leave thee in the storm. / But I will tarry; the Fool will stay, / And let the wise man fly. / The knave turns fool that runs away; / The Fool no knave, perdie” (II.iv.84-92).
Step 1: The Fool speaks these lines to King Lear as Lear faces rejection from both Goneril and Regan.
Step 2: A servant who only works for profit and follows social expectations will abandon you when trouble comes, leaving you alone in the storm. But I will stay. The Fool will remain, while the so-called wise man runs away. The one who flees is the real fool, while I, the Fool, am no traitor.
Step 3: The Fool contrasts true loyalty with selfish opportunism. Many of Lear’s followers, including his knights and even his daughters, abandon him when he loses power. However, the Fool, despite his title, remains faithful. His wordplay emphasizes one of the play’s central themes—wisdom vs. folly. Those who claim to be wise (like Lear’s advisors and daughters) act foolishly by prioritizing power over loyalty, while the Fool, despite his jester role, shows true wisdom and devotion. This passage also reinforces the recurring imagery of the storm, which symbolizes Lear’s descent into madness and the harsh reality of his betrayal.
“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> tomb, / Sepulch’ring an adult’ress” (II.iv.145-148).</you>
Step 1: King Lear speaks these lines to Regan after she coldly tells him to return to Goneril rather than seek refuge with her.
Step 2: Regan, I believe you are glad to see me in this state. And I know exactly why I think so: if you were not happy about this, I would disown my late wife, believing I had been married to an adulteress.
Step 3: Lear expresses his disbelief and pain at Regan’s cruelty. His logic is that if she were truly his daughter, she would be compassionate toward him—her lack of empathy makes him question if she is really his blood. This moment highlights King Lear’s themes of family betrayal and the blindness of power. Lear still struggles to understand that his daughters do not love him as he assumed. His reference to his wife’s tomb adds a tragic, almost superstitious tone, as he would rather believe in infidelity than accept the truth: his own mistakes in judgment have led to his suffering. This foreshadows Lear’s complete unraveling as he grapples with the consequences of giving up his authority.
“Return to her? And fifty men dismissed? / No! Rather I abjure all roofs and choose / To wage against the enmity o’ th’ air, / To be a comrade with the wolf and owl, / Necessity’s a sharp pinch. Return with her? / Why the hot-blooded 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” (II.iv.240-250)
Step 1: King Lear speaks these lines to Regan after she suggests he return to Goneril and dismiss his men. He reacts with outrage at the idea of surrendering his remaining power and dignity.
Step 2: Go back to Goneril and give up fifty of my men? No! I would rather abandon all shelter and face the fury of the storm, living like a wild animal among wolves and owls. The hardship would be painful, but at least I would be free. Go back to her? Why, even the King of France, who took my youngest daughter without a dowry, would be a better choice to serve under—I would sooner kneel before him and beg for my survival. Go back to her? You may as well try to convince me to be a servant and pack mule for this despicable man here!
Step 3: Lear’s speech showcases his growing desperation and refusal to submit to humiliation. His repeated rhetorical question, “Return with her?”, emphasizes his disbelief and anger. The imagery of facing nature’s wrath (“the enmity o’ th’ air”) foreshadows his later suffering in the storm, where he truly experiences the loss of comfort and power. His reference to France and Cordelia reminds the audience of his earlier mistake—he rejected the one daughter who truly loved him. Now, he would rather beg before a foreign king than endure the cruelty of his own children. This passage highlights King Lear’s themes of pride, power, betrayal, and human suffering. Lear’s comparison of himself to a “slave and sumpter” (a beast of burden) reflects his fear of total degradation, yet ironically, he is already on the path to complete downfall.
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 wear’st, / Which scarcely keeps thee warm. But, for true need– / You heavens, give me that patience, patience I need!” (II.iv.305-312)
Step 1: King Lear speaks these lines to Regan and Goneril during their argument over how many knights he is allowed to keep. His daughters insist he does not need them, and this is his frustrated response.
Step 2: Oh, reason, not just necessity! Even the poorest beggars have things beyond what they strictly need to survive. If we only gave ourselves what was absolutely necessary, human life would be no better than that of animals. You are a noblewoman—if warmth were the only necessity, you wouldn’t need your fine clothing, which is more for display than warmth. But when we talk about true needs—oh heavens, give me patience, the patience I truly need!
Step 3: Lear protests against the idea that humans should only have what is strictly necessary to survive. He argues that life is about more than just survival; even the lowest beggars have small comforts. By reducing his retinue, Goneril and Regan strip him of his dignity, not just his excess. His argument also subtly exposes their hypocrisy—if they truly believed in only having what is necessary, they wouldn’t wear extravagant clothes. This passage ties into King Lear’s themes of human suffering, dignity, and the line between man and beast. Lear begins to realize that power and wealth are arbitrary, yet he still clings to the idea that humans need more than just the bare essentials to maintain their identity. His final plea for patience shows his emotional unraveling as he struggles to comprehend his daughters’ betrayal and his own helplessness.
“There is division, / Although as yet the face of it is covered / With mutual cunning, ‘twixt Albany and Cornwall, / [Who have—as who have not, that their great stars / Throned and set high?—servants, who seem no less, / Which are to France the spies and speculations / Intelligent of our state” (III.i.23-29).
Step 1: Kent speaks these lines to the Gentleman in Act 3, Scene 1. He discusses the political instability in Britain while Lear suffers in the storm.
Step 2:
There is division between Albany and Cornwall, though they are still hiding it behind careful deception. Like all powerful people who owe their status to fate, they have servants who appear loyal but are actually spies. These spies secretly report to France, keeping the French informed about our kingdom’s affairs.
Step 3:
Kent reveals that Britain is on the verge of collapse, with Albany and Cornwall’s alliance being only a façade. Their rivalry foreshadows further political chaos and the breakdown of order. The mention of spies reinforces the theme of deception—appearances cannot be trusted, just as Edmund has already proven with his betrayal of Edgar.
This passage also ties into the theme of fate versus free will. Kent suggests that Albany and Cornwall, like all nobles, have been placed in power by the stars (fate), but their downfall is being orchestrated by forces beyond their control, such as the French spies. This foreshadows the eventual invasion by France and the deeper disintegration of Lear’s kingdom.
“Blow winds, and crack your cheeks! Rage, blow! / You cataracts and hurricanes, spout / Till you have drenched our steeples, <drowned> the cocks. / You sulph’rous and thought-executing fires, / Vaunt-couriers of oak-cleaving thunderbolts, / Singe my white head. And thou, all-shaking thunder, / Strike flat the thick rotundity o’ th’ world. / Crack nature’s molds, all germens spill at once / That makes ingrateful man” (III.ii.1-11).</drowned>
Step 1: Lear is speaking to the storm
Step 2: Blow, winds, until your force cracks your cheeks! Rage and howl! Let the rain pour down in violent storms until the steeples are drenched and the weather vanes are submerged. Fiery lightning, swift as thought, the messengers of splitting thunderbolts, burn my white hair. And you, mighty thunder, strike the earth flat—shatter nature’s very foundation and destroy all seeds that bring ungrateful men into the world.
Step 3: Lear, abandoned and betrayed, rages against the storm as a reflection of his inner turmoil. His command for nature to unleash its fury symbolizes his descent into madness and his overwhelming grief over his daughters’ betrayal. The storm serves as both a literal and metaphorical force—representing Lear’s loss of control, his anger at humanity’s ingratitude, and the chaotic consequences of his earlier mistakes. His plea to destroy “ingrateful man” underscores his disillusionment with the world and reinforces the play’s theme of natural order versus human corruption. This speech marks a turning point in Lear’s journey, as he begins to realize his own vulnerability, setting the stage for his eventual humility and tragic self-awareness.
“Let the great gods / That keep this dreadful pudder o’er our heads / Find out their enemies now. Tremble, thou wretch, / That hast within thee undivulgèd crimes / Unwhipped of justice. Hide thee, thou bloody hand, / Thou perjured, and thou similar virtue / That art incestuous. Caitiff, to pieces shake, / That under covert and convenient seeming / Has practiced on man’s life. Close pent-up guilts, / Rive your concealing continents and cry / These dreadful summoners graces. I am a man / More sinned against than sinning” (III.ii.52-63)
Step 1: Lear is speaking to the storm
Step 2: Let the powerful gods who control this terrifying storm uncover their enemies. Tremble, you sinners who hide secret crimes that have gone unpunished. Hide, you murderers, liars, and hypocrites who pretend to be virtuous but are corrupt. Shake with fear, you deceivers who plot against others while appearing innocent. Let hidden guilt break free and call upon the gods for mercy. I am a man who has suffered more wrongs than I have committed.
Step 3: Lear calls upon the gods to expose and punish the wicked, reflecting his growing fixation on justice and his belief that divine forces should intervene. His speech highlights the play’s theme of hidden corruption, as he condemns those who mask their sins behind false virtue. The line “I am a man more sinned against than sinning” is pivotal—it shows Lear’s deep sense of victimization while also hinting at his lack of full self-awareness. While he acknowledges suffering, he does not yet fully recognize his own role in the chaos. The storm mirrors his emotional turmoil, emphasizing his descent into madness as he struggles to reconcile betrayal, justice, and his own flawed humanity.
“When priests are more in word than matter, / When brewers mar their malt with water, / When nobles are their tailors’ tutors, / No heretics burned but wenches’ suitors, / When every case in law is right, / No squire in debt, nor no poor knight; / When slanders do not live in tongues, Nor cutpurses come not to throngs, / When usurers tell their gold i’ th’ field, / And bawds and whores do churches build, / Then shall the realm of Albion / Come to great confusion; / Then comes the time, who lives to see’t, / That going shall be used with feet” (III.ii.88-101).
Step 1: The Fool is speaking to Lear
Step 2: When priests speak more than they act, when brewers dilute their beer, when nobles care more about fashion than duty, when only lovers—not heretics—are punished, when legal cases are always fair, when no one is in debt, when slander doesn’t exist, when thieves don’t lurk in crowds, when moneylenders count their gold in open fields, and when brothels fund churches—only then will England fall into total chaos. When that time comes, those who live to see it will realize that walking will still require feet.
Step 3: The Fool delivers this satirical verse to mock the corruption and hypocrisy of society, suggesting that chaos is inevitable because these absurd conditions will never come true. His speech reflects the play’s themes of moral decay and societal disorder, aligning with the broader breakdown of authority seen in Lear’s downfall. By listing impossible conditions, the Fool ironically suggests that England is already in a state of confusion. The final line, humorously stating the obvious, reinforces his role as a truth-teller, using wit to highlight the absurdity of the world around him.
“This courtesy forbid thee shall the Duke / Instantly know, and of that letter too. / This seems a fair deserving, and must draw me / That which my father loses—no less than all. / The younger rises when the old doth fall” (III.iii.21-25).
Step 1: Edmund is speaking to himself
Step 2: Gloucester’s kindness will be his downfall, and I will make sure the Duke knows about it—along with the letter. This will bring me the reward I seek: everything my father loses. The young rise when the old fall.
Step 3: Edmund coldly plots against his father, revealing his ruthless ambition and opportunism. By betraying Gloucester to Cornwall, he ensures his own advancement at the cost of his father’s ruin. His final line, “The younger rises when the old doth fall,” underscores one of the play’s central themes: generational conflict and the shifting of power. It also reflects the play’s broader exploration of betrayal, as those in power are systematically undone by those closest to them. Edmund’s words mark a turning point in his villainy, as he fully embraces treachery to secure his own position.
“Poor naked wretches, wheresoe’er you are, / That bide the pelting of this pitiless storm, / How shall your houseless heads and unfed sides, / Your looped and windowed raggedness defend you / From seasons such as these? O, I have ta’en / Too little care of this. Take physic, pomp. / Expose thyself to feel what wretches feel, / That thou may’st shake the superflux to them / And show the heavens more just” (III.iv.32-41).
Step 1: Lear is speaking to Kent/Edgar
Step 2: Poor, homeless people, wherever you are, suffering in this merciless storm—how can your exposed heads, hungry bodies, and tattered clothes protect you from weather like this? I have not cared enough for you. Let power and privilege take medicine—experience suffering. Only by feeling what the poor feel can you learn to share your excess and make the heavens seem more just.
Step 3: This moment marks a turning point in Lear’s character as he gains newfound empathy for the suffering of the poor. For the first time, he recognizes his past neglect as king, realizing that those in power must experience hardship to understand and help those in need. The storm serves as both a literal and symbolic force, stripping Lear of his former identity and leading him toward humility. His call to redistribute wealth reflects one of the play’s central themes—justice—and suggests that true fairness requires compassion from those who hold power. This speech foreshadows Lear’s continued transformation as he moves further from pride and closer to self-awareness.
“When we betters see bearing our woes, / We scarcely think our miseries our foes. / Who alone suffers suffers most i’ th’ mind, / Leaving free things and happy shows behind. / But then the mind much sufferance doth o’erskip / When grief hath mates and bearing fellowship. / How light and portable my pain seems now / When that which makes me bend makes the King bow! / He childed as I fathered. Tom, away. / Mark the high noises, and thyself bewray / When false opinion, whose wrong thoughts defile thee, / In thy just proof repeals and reconciles thee. / What will hap more tonight, safe ‘scape the King!” (III.vii.111-125).
Step 1: Edgar is speaking to himself
Step 2: When we see those above us suffering, our own troubles seem less overwhelming. The worst suffering is feeling alone, left behind while others live happily. But grief is easier to bear when shared. My own pain feels lighter now that the same misfortune has struck the King. He has lost his children as I have lost my father. Come, Tom, listen closely and reveal yourself when the truth clears your name. Whatever happens tonight, may the King escape safely!
Step 3: Edgar reflects on the nature of suffering, realizing that shared misery makes pain more bearable. Seeing King Lear’s downfall—his betrayal by his daughters—mirrors Edgar’s own betrayal by his father, reinforcing one of the play’s major themes: the parallel between personal and political loss. This moment also highlights Edgar’s resilience, as he clings to the hope of redemption and justice. His decision to wait for the truth to be revealed foreshadows his eventual restoration, contrasting with characters like Edmund, who actively seek power through deception. Meanwhile, his concern for Lear further demonstrates his growing empathy and moral strength, setting him up as a figure of endurance amidst the chaos.
“Because I would not see thy cruel nails / Pluck out his poor old eyes, nor thy fierce sister / In his anointed flesh stick boarish fangs. / The sea, with such a storm as his bare head / In hell-black night endured, would have buoyed up/ And quenched the stellèd fires; / Yet, poor old heart, he holp the heavens to rain. / If wolves had at thy gate howled that stern time, / Thou shouldst have said ‘Good porter, turn the key.’ / All cruels else subscribe. But I shall see / The winged vengeance overtake such children” (III.vii.69-80).
Step 1: Gloucester is speaking to Cornwall
Step 2: I did not want to see your cruel hands tear out his old eyes, nor your ruthless sister sink her fangs into the King’s sacred flesh. The storm that battered his bare head in the dark night was so fierce it could have drowned the stars—yet, in his suffering, Lear only helped the heavens to rain. If wolves had howled at your door that night, you would have told the gatekeeper to lock them out. Every other cruelty pales in comparison. But I will live to see divine vengeance catch up to such children.
Step 3: Gloucester condemns the brutal treatment of Lear, expressing his horror at the inhumanity of Regan and Goneril. His vivid imagery likens their cruelty to wild beasts and emphasizes the unnaturalness of their betrayal. By referencing the storm, Gloucester draws a parallel between Lear’s suffering and the cosmic disorder in the play, reinforcing the theme of justice. His final declaration of “winged vengeance” suggests his belief in divine retribution, contrasting with the play’s frequent depiction of a chaotic, indifferent world. This moment also foreshadows Gloucester’s own imminent punishment, as he will soon experience the very cruelty he decries.
“Hold your hand, my lord. / I have served you ever since I was a child, / But better service have I never done you / Than now to bid you hold” (III.vii.89-92).
Step 1: A Servant is speaking to Cornwall
Step 2: Stop, my lord. I have served you since I was a child, but I have never done you a greater service than telling you to stop now.
Step 3: This moment is one of the few acts of moral defiance in the play, as a nameless servant dares to stand up to Cornwall during Gloucester’s brutal punishment. His words emphasize the theme of loyalty versus morality—though he has faithfully served Cornwall all his life, he recognizes that true service means preventing senseless cruelty. His interruption highlights the play’s exploration of justice and injustice, as even a lowly servant sees the horror of Cornwall’s actions. This act of defiance ultimately costs him his life, reinforcing the bleak reality of the play, where goodness often goes unrewarded. However, his bravery serves as a stark contrast to the widespread corruption and cowardice among the nobility
“Yet better thus, and known to be contemned, / Than still contemned and flattered. To be worst, / The lowest and most dejected thing of fortune, / Stands still in esperance, lives not in fear. / The lamentable change is from the best; / The worst returns to laughter. [Welcome, then, / Thou unsubstantial air that I embrace. / The wretch that thou hast blown unto the worst / Owes nothing to thy blasts]” (IV.i.1-9).
Step 1: Edgar is speaking to himself
Step 2: It’s better to be openly despised than to be flattered while still being scorned. The worst position in life—the lowest, most miserable state—still holds hope and has nothing left to fear. The real suffering comes from falling from greatness. But once you’ve hit rock bottom, things can only improve. So, welcome, empty air—I embrace you. The man who has already suffered the worst owes nothing to fate’s cruelty.
Step 3: Edgar reflects on the nature of suffering, suggesting that once someone has reached the lowest point, they no longer live in fear. This speech reinforces one of the play’s key ideas: the unpredictability of fortune. While others—like Lear and Gloucester—are still reeling from their downfall, Edgar, having lost everything, finds a strange resilience in his suffering. His words contrast sharply with Gloucester’s despair in this scene, highlighting different responses to misfortune. Edgar’s ability to endure foreshadows his eventual restoration, emphasizing the play’s themes of perseverance and the fleeting nature of fortune’s wheel.
“I have no way and therefore want no eyes. / I stumbled when I saw. Full oft ‘tis seen / Our means secure us, and our mere defects / Prove our commodities. O 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” (IV.i.19-25).
Step 1: Gloucester speaks these lines after being blinded by Cornwall and his men. He has been cast out and is now wandering, guided by an old man.
Step 2: I have no direction left in life, so I no longer need my eyes. I was blind to the truth even when I could see. Often, what we think protects us actually makes us weak, while our flaws can turn into strengths. Oh, my dear son Edgar, whom I wrongly condemned—if I could only touch you again, it would feel as if I had regained my sight.
Step 3: Gloucester’s speech reflects the play’s themes of sight and blindness, both literal and metaphorical. Even when he had his vision, he was blind to Edmund’s deceit and Edgar’s loyalty. Now, in his physical blindness, he begins to perceive the truth. His realization that “our mere defects prove our commodities” suggests that suffering can lead to wisdom. His longing for Edgar also highlights the theme of redemption and the tragic consequences of his earlier mistakes. This moment deepens Gloucester’s role as a parallel to Lear, as both characters must endure immense suffering before gaining insight.
“As flies to wanton boys are we to th’ gods; / They kill us for their sport” (IV.i.41-42).
Step 1: Gloucester speaks these lines to the old man after being blinded and cast out. He reflects on his suffering and the cruelty of fate.
Step 2: To the gods, we are like flies to mischievous boys—they destroy us just for their amusement.
Step 3: This quote highlights the theme of fate and the seeming randomness of human suffering. Gloucester, now completely disillusioned, sees the gods as indifferent, even cruel, rather than just or merciful. His words reflect the play’s exploration of existential despair and the idea that human life is subject to forces beyond our control. This moment also mirrors Lear’s own struggle with the idea of justice in the universe, reinforcing the bleak vision of fate and power in King Lear.
“’Tis the time’s plague when madmen lead the blind”
Step 1: Gloucester speaks this line to his guide after being blinded and cast out.
Step 2: It is a terrible time when the insane are the ones leading those who cannot see.
Step 3: This line serves as a powerful metaphor for the chaos and disorder in the world of King Lear. Gloucester, now physically blind, recognizes the deeper societal blindness—those who should lead wisely are either corrupt or foolish. This idea mirrors Lear’s own descent into madness and the inversion of natural order throughout the play, reinforcing the theme of misrule and instability.
“Madam, within but never man so changed. / I told him of the army that was landed; / He smiled at it. I told him you were coming; / His answer was “The worse.” Of Gloucester’s treachery / And of the loyal service of his son / When I informed him, then he called me “sot” / And told me I had turned the wrong side out. / What most he should dislike seemed pleasant to him; / What like, offensive” (IV.ii.4-13).
Step 1: A messenger (possibly Oswald) speaks to Goneril, describing how Albany has dramatically changed.
Step 2: My lady, he is a completely different man. When I told him an army had landed, he only smiled. When I told him you were coming, he said it made things worse. When I told him about Gloucester’s betrayal and Edgar’s loyalty, he called me a fool and said I had everything backward. What should upset him seemed to amuse him, and what should please him made him angry.
Step 3: This passage highlights Albany’s transformation. Once passive and submissive to Goneril, he now rejects her cruelty and tyranny. His reaction to the news shows his growing moral clarity—he sees Gloucester as wronged and Edgar as faithful, reversing the twisted logic that Goneril and Edmund embrace. His shift in perspective reinforces the play’s theme of moral awakening, similar to Gloucester’s realization after his blinding. Additionally, his indifference to war and personal betrayal suggests a deeper disgust with the corruption around him.
“Thou changèd and self-covering thing, for shame / Bemonster not thy feature. Were’t my fitness / To let these hands obey my blood. / They are apt to dislocate and tear / Thy flesh and bones. Howe’er thou art a fiend, / A woman’s shape doth shield thee” (IV.ii.77-82).
Step 1: Albany speaks these lines to Goneril, condemning her actions and expressing his rage.
Step 2: You unnatural and deceptive creature, don’t make yourself even more monstrous. If it were proper for me to act on my anger, my hands would gladly tear you apart. No matter how evil you are, your woman’s body protects you.
Step 3: Albany’s fury reflects his moral transformation and his complete rejection of Goneril’s cruelty. His description of her as a “self-covering thing” suggests that she hides her true nature behind a deceptive exterior. The imagery of violence—his hands being “apt to dislocate and tear”—shows the depth of his anger, though he ultimately refrains from harming her because she is a woman. His words reinforce the play’s exploration of gender and power, as well as the theme of unnatural behavior—Goneril, like Regan, defies expected roles of femininity through her ruthless ambition. This moment marks a turning point in Albany’s character, as he prepares to stand against the corruption around him.
“This shows you are above, / You <justicers,> that these our nether crimes / So speedily can venge” (IV.ii.95-97).
Step 1:
Albany speaks these lines to Goneril in Act 4, Scene 2. He has just learned of Cornwall’s death and sees it as divine justice for Cornwall’s cruelty. This moment also marks the growing rift between Albany and Goneril, as he becomes increasingly disgusted by her and her allies’ actions.
Step 2:
Albany acknowledges that higher powers (the “justicers”) are above humans and capable of delivering swift justice. The fact that Cornwall has already been punished for his cruelty proves that divine forces are at work, ensuring that evil deeds are avenged.
Step 3:
This passage reinforces the theme of justice and morality in King Lear. Albany sees Cornwall’s death as proof that the gods are actively punishing wrongdoing, highlighting the idea of divine retribution. However, this belief is later challenged as further injustices occur without immediate punishment. The line also contrasts with the chaos in the play—while Albany believes in justice, others like Edmund manipulate fate for their own
“One way I like this well. / But being a widow and my Gloucester with her / May all the building in my fancy pluck / Upon my hateful life. Another way / The news is not so tart” (IV.ii.102-106).
Step 1:
Goneril speaks these lines in an aside to herself in Act 4, Scene 2, after learning that Cornwall has died. She initially sees this as beneficial to her ambitions but then realizes it may complicate her own plans, especially regarding Regan and Edmund.
Step 2:
Goneril is pleased by Cornwall’s death in one sense because it removes a rival. However, she realizes that his widow, Regan, may now pursue Gloucester (Edmund), the very man she desires for herself. This threatens the “building” of her ambitions, making her situation more precarious. In another sense, the news isn’t entirely bad, as she still has room to maneuver.
Step 3:
This passage highlights the theme of power and ambition. Goneril views events through a selfish lens, concerned only with how they affect her plans. Her rivalry with Regan over Edmund emphasizes how greed and lust for power drive the sisters apart, further dismantling their once-united front. The phrase “hateful life” also gives a rare glimpse into Goneril’s inner turmoil—despite her cruelty, she too feels trapped by the world she has helped create.
“And now and then an ample tear trilled down / Her delicate cheek. It seemed she was a queen / Over her passion, who, most rebel-like, / Fought to be king o’er her” (IV.iii.12-17).
Step 1:
The Gentleman speaks these lines to Kent in Act 4, Scene 3. He describes how Cordelia reacted upon hearing about Lear’s suffering, emphasizing her deep but controlled emotions.
Step 2:
Cordelia sheds tears for her father, but she remains composed. She appears to rule over her emotions like a queen, though her emotions still try to overthrow her, like a rebel challenging a king.
Step 3:
This passage illustrates Cordelia’s strength and compassion. Unlike her sisters, who are consumed by power, Cordelia balances emotion and reason. The imagery of a “queen” and a “rebel” battling within her reflects the play’s broader themes of order and chaos—she represents order, yet even she struggles to maintain control. This moment also contrasts with Lear’s emotional breakdown, reinforcing the idea that true leadership requires both strength and empathy.
“O dear father, / It is thy business that I go about. / Therefore great France / My mourning and importuned tears hath pitied. / No blown ambition doth our arms incite, / But love, dear love, and our aged father’s right. / Soon may I hear and see him” (IV.iv.26-32).
Step 1:
Cordelia speaks these lines to a messenger in Act 4, Scene 4. She explains that her purpose in returning to Britain is to help her father, not to gain power.
Step 2 (Line-by-Line Translation):
“O dear father,” → Oh, my beloved father,
“It is thy business that I go about.” → I am acting on your behalf; my mission is for you.
“Therefore great France” → That is why the King of France
“My mourning and importuned tears hath pitied.” → Has taken pity on my sorrow and constant pleas.
“No blown ambition doth our arms incite,” → We are not fighting because of overgrown ambition,
“But love, dear love, and our aged father’s right.” → But out of love—deep love—and to restore my father’s rightful place.
“Soon may I hear and see him.” → I hope I will soon hear news of him and see him again.
Step 3:
This passage highlights Cordelia’s selflessness and loyalty to Lear, contrasting with her sisters’ cruelty. She clarifies that France is not invading for political gain but to restore justice. The themes of justice, love, and fate emerge, as Cordelia sees it as her duty to correct the wrongs done to her father.
“Therefore I do advise you take this note: / My lord is dead; Edmund and I have talked, / And more convenient is he for my hand / Than for your lady’s. You may gather more. / If you do find him, pray you, give him this, / And when your mistress hears thus much from you, / I pray, desire her call her wisdom to her” (IV.vi.33-39).
Step 1:
Regan speaks these lines to Oswald, Goneril’s servant, in Act 4, Scene 6. She tries to convince him that Edmund should be with her instead of Goneril.
Step 2 (Line-by-Line Translation):
“Therefore I do advise you take this note:” → So, I suggest that you take this letter with you.
“My lord is dead; Edmund and I have talked,” → My husband, Cornwall, is dead; I have spoken with Edmund,
“And more convenient is he for my hand / Than for your lady’s.” → And he is a better match for me than for your mistress, Goneril.
“You may gather more.” → You can figure out what that means.
“If you do find him, pray you, give him this,” → If you find Edmund, please give him this letter.
“And when your mistress hears thus much from you,” → And when Goneril hears this news from you,
“I pray, desire her call her wisdom to her.” → Tell her she should think carefully about her next move.
Step 3:
This passage reveals Regan’s ambition and rivalry with Goneril. She openly challenges her sister for Edmund’s affection, showing how greed and lust for power have turned them against each other. The phrase “call her wisdom to her” suggests that Regan believes Goneril is making a foolish move, reinforcing the theme of manipulation and betrayal.
“Hadst thou been aught but gossamer, feathers, air, / So many fathom down precipitating, / Thou’dst shivered like an egg; but thou dost breathe, / Hast heavy substance, bleed’st not, speak’st art sound. / Ten masts at each make not the altitude / Which thou hast perpendicularly fell. / Thy life’s a miracle. Speak yet again” (IV.vi.61-69).
Step 1:
Edgar, disguised as Poor Tom, speaks these lines to Gloucester in Act 4, Scene 6. Gloucester has just attempted suicide by jumping off what he believed to be a cliff, but Edgar tricked him into thinking he survived a great fall.
Step 2 (Line-by-Line Translation):
“Hadst thou been aught but gossamer, feathers, air,” → If you had been anything as light as spider silk, feathers, or air,
“So many fathom down precipitating,” → Falling down so many depths,
“Thou’dst shivered like an egg; but thou dost breathe,” → You would have shattered like an egg—but you are still breathing.
“Hast heavy substance, bleed’st not, speak’st art sound.” → You have weight, you are not bleeding, and you can still speak clearly.
“Ten masts at each make not the altitude / Which thou hast perpendicularly fell.” → Even ten ship masts stacked together would not equal the height you supposedly fell from.
“Thy life’s a miracle. Speak yet again.” → Your survival is a miracle. Say something again.
Step 3:
This passage explores the themes of fate, perception, and deception. Gloucester, who had given up on life, is tricked into believing that divine intervention saved him, which restores his will to live. Edgar’s deception serves a greater purpose, demonstrating how perception can shape reality. This moment also highlights hope and resilience, as Gloucester now sees his survival as a sign to endure his suffering rather than succumb to despair.
“Henceforth I’ll bear / Affliction till it do cry out itself / “Enough, enough!” and die. That thing you speak of, / I took it for a man. Often ‘twould say / “The fiend, the fiend!” He led me to that place” (IV.vi.93-97).
Step 1:
Gloucester speaks these lines to Edgar (still in disguise) in Act 4, Scene 6. He has just survived his supposed suicide attempt and now reflects on his suffering and the figure who led him there.
Step 2 (Line-by-Line Translation):
“Henceforth I’ll bear / Affliction till it do cry out itself / ‘Enough, enough!’ and die.” → From now on, I will endure my suffering until it ends on its own and dies out.
“That thing you speak of, / I took it for a man.” → That being you’re talking about—I thought he was a real man.
“Often ‘twould say / ‘The fiend, the fiend!’” → He often cried out, ‘The devil, the devil!’
“He led me to that place.” → He was the one who brought me to the edge of the cliff.
Step 3:
This passage marks a turning point in Gloucester’s philosophy on suffering. Initially, he believed death was the only escape, but now he resigns himself to endure affliction until fate decides his time has come. His mention of “the fiend” ties into the play’s theme of deception—his perception of reality was entirely shaped by manipulation, just as Lear’s was. The line also reinforces divine justice, as Gloucester begins to accept his fate rather than trying to control it.
“Through tattered clothes <small> vices do appear. / Robes and furred gowns hide all [Plate sin] with gold, / And the strong lance of justice hurtles breaks. / Arm it in rags, a pygmy’s straw does pierce it. / None does offend, none, I say, none; I’ll able ‘em. / Take that of me, my friend, who have the power / To seal th’ accuser’s lips]” (IV.vi.180-187).</small>
Step 1:
Lear speaks these lines to Gloucester in Act 4, Scene 6. He reflects on how justice is biased in favor of the rich while the poor are punished for minor offenses.
Step 2 (Line-by-Line Translation):
“Through tattered clothes small vices do appear.” → When someone wears ragged clothes, even the smallest sins are visible.
“Robes and furred gowns hide all.” → But luxurious robes and furred gowns cover everything,
“Plate sin with gold, / And the strong lance of justice hurtles breaks.” → If you cover sin in gold, even the strongest weapon of justice shatters against it.
“Arm it in rags, a pygmy’s straw does pierce it.” → But if sin is dressed in rags, even a tiny straw can pierce through and condemn it.
“None does offend, none, I say, none; I’ll able ‘em.” → Nobody is guilty—no one, I tell you, no one; I will prove it!
“Take that of me, my friend, who have the power / To seal th’ accuser’s lips.” → Believe me when I say this, my friend—I know because I have the power to silence the accuser.
Step 3:
Lear criticizes social inequality and corruption in justice. He argues that the rich can commit crimes without consequences, while the poor are easily condemned. His statement “None does offend” suggests that justice is subjective, manipulated by those in power. This passage ties into the theme of appearance versus reality, as wealth and status dictate who is seen as guilty or innocent. Lear’s madness allows him to see the world’s hypocrisy more clearly than ever before.
“Had you not been their father, these white flakes / Did challenge pity of them. Was this a face / To be opposed against the jarring winds? / <To stand against the deep dread-bolted thunder, / In the most terrible and nimble stroke / Of quick cross-lightning? To watch, poor perdu, / With this thin helm?> Mine enemy’s dog, / Thou he had bit me, should have stood that night / Against my fire. / And wast thou fain, poor father, / To hovel thee with swine and rogues forlorn / In short and musty straw? Alack, alack, / ‘Tis wonder that thy life and wits at once / Had not concluded all” (IV.vii.36-48).
Step 1:
Cordelia speaks these lines to Lear in Act 4, Scene 7. She expresses sorrow over his suffering and questions how her sisters could have been so cruel.
Step 2 (Line-by-Line Translation):
“Had you not been their father, these white flakes / Did challenge pity of them.” → Even if you weren’t their father, your white hair alone should have made them pity you.
“Was this a face / To be opposed against the jarring winds?” → Was your face meant to be exposed to the harsh, clashing winds?
“To stand against the deep dread-bolted thunder, / In the most terrible and nimble stroke / Of quick cross-lightning?” → To endure the deep, terrifying thunder and the swift, deadly strikes of lightning?
“To watch, poor perdu, / With this thin helm?” → To wander, like a lost soldier, with nothing but your bare head as protection?
“Mine enemy’s dog, / Thou he had bit me, should have stood that night / Against my fire.” → Even my enemy’s dog, if it had bitten me, I still would have let it stay by my fire that night.
“And wast thou fain, poor father, / To hovel thee with swine and rogues forlorn / In short and musty straw?” → And yet, dear father, you were forced to take shelter with pigs and desperate criminals, lying in filthy, rotting straw?
“Alack, alack, / ‘Tis wonder that thy life and wits at once / Had not concluded all.” → Oh, it’s a miracle that your body and your mind didn’t both give up entirely at the same time.
Step 3:
Cordelia’s words emphasize Lear’s tragic downfall and suffering. She cannot fathom how her sisters could treat him so cruelly. The imagery of storms and exposure to nature reinforces Lear’s loss of power—he, once a king, was reduced to a homeless wanderer. The reference to her enemy’s dog highlights the irony that even an animal deserves more compassion than Lear received from his own daughters. This passage underscores the themes of family betrayal, suffering, and human dignity.
“Methinks I should know you and know this man, / Yet I am doubtful, for I am mainly ignorant / What place this is, and all the skill I have / Remembers not these garments; nor I now not / Where I did lodge last night. Do not laugh at me, / For, as I am a man, I think this lady / To be my child Cordelia” (IV.vii.73-79).
Step 1:
Lear speaks these lines to Cordelia and the doctor in Act 4, Scene 7. He has just woken up after being cared for and struggles to recognize the people around him.
Step 2 (Line-by-Line Translation):
“Methinks I should know you and know this man,” → I feel like I should recognize you and this other man,
“Yet I am doubtful, for I am mainly ignorant / What place this is,” → But I am unsure because I don’t even know where I am.
“And all the skill I have / Remembers not these garments;” → And no matter how hard I try, I can’t even remember these clothes I’m wearing.
“Nor I now not / Where I did lodge last night.” → I don’t even know where I slept last night.
“Do not laugh at me,” → Please don’t laugh at me,
“For, as I am a man, I think this lady / To be my child Cordelia.” → Because, as surely as I am a man, I believe this woman is my daughter, Cordelia.
Step 3:
Lear’s words show his fragile mental state and his journey toward self-awareness. His confusion reflects how far he has fallen, from a powerful king to a lost, dependent old man. The fact that he doesn’t remember his surroundings or his clothing symbolizes how much he has been stripped of his former identity. However, the moment he recognizes Cordelia represents a moment of clarity and redemption—he is slowly regaining his sanity. This passage reinforces the themes of madness, loss of identity, and reconciliation.
“This is the excellent foppery of the world, that / when we are sick in fortune (often the surfeits of / our own behavior) we make guilty of our disasters / the sun, the moon, and stars, as if we were villains / on necessity; fools by heavenly compulsion; knaves, / thieves, and treachers by spherical predominance; / drunkards, liars, and adulterers by an enforced / obedience of planetary influence; and all that we / are evil in, by a divine thrusting on. An admirable / evasion of whoremaster man, to lay his goatish / disposition on the change of a star!” (I.ii.125-133).
Step 1: Edmund is speaking to himself
Step 2: This is the great foolishness of the world: when we suffer in life (often because of our own actions), we blame our disasters on the sun, the moon, and the stars, as if we were villains by necessity, fools because the heavens made us so, knaves, thieves, and traitors by the influence of the planets, drunkards, liars, and adulterers because we’re obeying some cosmic command. We blame our evil actions on divine will, as if the heavens were forcing us into sin. What a clever excuse for mankind to blame his wicked nature on the position of the stars!
Step 3: Edmund here critiques the tendency of people to blame fate, or divine forces, for their misfortunes and wrongdoings, rather than accepting responsibility for their own choices. He ridicules the idea that people are merely victims of cosmic forces or planetary influence, using it as a way to avoid accountability for their actions. This soliloquy is significant because it reveals Edmund’s cynical and manipulative nature, as he rejects the idea of fate or divine intervention altogether. He is determined to shape his own destiny, regardless of the norms that dictate behavior or the expectations placed on him as a bastard. His rejection of these ideas further establishes his desire to defy social and moral constraints, foreshadowing the lengths he will go to achieve power and manipulate others throughout the play.
