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THE TRAGEDY OF KING LEAR

 

by William Shakespeare

 

Persons Represented.

 

Lear, King of Britain.

King of France.

Duke of Burgundy.

Duke of Cornwall.

Duke of Albany.

Earl of Kent.

Earl of Gloster.

Edgar, Son to Gloster.

Edmund, Bastard Son to Gloster.

Curan, a Courtier.

Old Man, Tenant to Gloster.

Physician.

Fool.

Oswald, steward to Goneril.

An Officer employed by Edmund.

Gentleman, attendant on Cordelia.

A Herald.

Servants to Cornwall.

 

Goneril, daughter to Lear.

Regan, daughter to Lear.

Cordelia, daughter to Lear.

 

Knights attending on the King, Officers, Messengers, Soldiers,

and Attendants.

 

Scene,—Britain.

 

ACT I.

 

Scene I. A Room of State in King Lear’s Palace.

 

[Enter Kent, Gloster, and Edmund.]

 

Kent.

I thought the King had more affected 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.

 

Kent.

Is not this your son, my lord?

 

Glou.

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

blush’d to acknowledge him that now I am braz’d to’t.

 

Kent.

I cannot conceive 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.

 

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 sue to know you better.

 

Edm.

Sir, I shall study deserving.

 

Glou.

He hath been out nine years, and away he shall again.—The king

is coming.

 

[Sennet within.]

 

[Enter Lear, Cornwall, Albany, Goneril, Regan, Cordelia, and

Attendants.]

 

Lear.

Attend the lords of France and Burgundy,

Gloster.

 

Glou.

I shall, my liege.

 

[Exeunt Gloster and Edmund.]

 

Lear.

Meantime we shall express our darker purpose.—

Give me the map there.—Know that we have divided

In three our kingdom: and ‘tis our fast intent

To shake all cares and business from our age;

Conferring them on younger strengths, while we

Unburden’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, 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.—Goneril,

Our eldest-born, speak first.

 

Gon.

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

Dearer than eyesight, space, and liberty;

Beyond what can be valu’d, rich or rare;

No less than life, with grace, health, beauty, honour;

As much as child e’er lov’d, 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 speak? Love, and be silent.

 

Lear.

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

With shadowy forests and with champains 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.

Sir, I am made of the selfsame metal that my sister is,

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,

And find I am alone felicitate

In your dear highness’ love.

 

Cor.

[Aside.] Then poor Cordelia!

And yet not so; since, I am sure, my love’s

More richer 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; what can you say to draw

A third more opulent than your sisters? Speak.

 

Cor.

Nothing, my lord.

 

Lear.

Nothing!

 

Cor.

Nothing.

 

Lear.

Nothing can 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; no more nor less.

 

Lear.

How, how, Cordelia? mend your speech a little,

Lest you may mar your fortunes.

 

Cor.

Good my lord,

You have begot me, bred me, lov’d 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.

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 thee, from this for ever. The barbarous Scythian,

Or he that makes his generation messes

To gorge his appetite, shall to my bosom

Be as well neighbour’d, pitied, and reliev’d,

As thou my sometime daughter.

 

Kent.

Good my liege,—

 

Lear.

Peace, Kent!

Come not between the dragon and his wrath.

I lov’d her most, and thought to set my rest

On her kind nursery.—Hence, and avoid my sight!—[To Cordelia.]

So be my grave my peace, as here I give

Her father’s heart from her!—Call France;—who stirs?

Call Burgundy!—Cornwall and Albany,

With my two daughters’ dowers digest this third:

Let pride, which she calls plainness, marry her.

I do invest you jointly in my power,

Pre-eminence, and all the large effects

That troop with majesty.—Ourself, by monthly course,

With reservation of an hundred knights,

By you to be sustain’d, shall our abode

Make with you by due turns. Only we still retain

The name, and all the additions to a king;

The sway,

Revenue, execution of the rest,

Beloved sons, be yours; which to confirm,

This coronet part betwixt you.

[Giving the crown.]

 

Kent.

Royal Lear,

Whom I have ever honour’d as my king,

Lov’d as my father, as my master follow’d,

As my great patron thought on in my prayers.—

 

Lear.

The bow is bent and drawn; make from the shaft.

 

Kent.

Let it fall rather, though the fork invade

The region of my heart: be Kent unmannerly

When Lear is mad. What wouldst thou do, old man?

Think’st thou that duty shall have dread to speak

When power to flattery bows? To plainness honour’s bound

When majesty falls to folly. Reverse thy state;

And in thy best consideration check

This hideous rashness: answer my life my judgment,

Thy youngest daughter does not love thee least;

Nor are those empty-hearted whose low sound

Reverbs no hollowness.

 

Lear.

Kent, on thy life, no more.

 

Kent.

My life I never held but as a pawn

To wage against thine enemies; nor fear to lose it,

Thy safety being the motive.

 

Lear.

Out of my sight!

 

Kent.

See better, Lear; and let me still remain

The true blank of thine eye.

 

Lear.

Now, by Apollo,—

 

Kent.

Now by Apollo, king,

Thou swear’st thy gods in vain.

 

Lear.

O vassal! miscreant!

 

[Laying his hand on his sword.]

 

Alb. and Corn.

Dear sir, forbear!

 

Kent.

Do;

Kill thy physician, and the fee bestow

Upon the foul disease. Revoke thy gift,

Or, whilst I can vent clamour from my throat,

I’ll tell thee thou dost evil.

 

Lear.

Hear me, recreant!

On thine allegiance, hear me!—

Since thou hast sought to make us break our vow,—

Which we durst never yet,—and with strain’d pride

To come between our sentence and our power,—

Which nor our nature nor our place can bear,—

Our potency made good, take thy reward.

Five days we do allot thee for provision

To shield thee from diseases of the world;

And on the sixth to turn thy hated back

Upon our kingdom: if, on the tenth day following,

Thy banish’d trunk be found in our dominions,

The moment is thy death. Away! by Jupiter,

This shall not be revok’d.

 

Kent.

Fare thee well, king: sith thus thou wilt appear,

Freedom lives hence, and banishment is here.—

[To Cordelia.] The gods to their dear shelter take thee, maid,

That justly think’st and hast most rightly said!

[To Regan and Goneril.]

And your large speeches may your deeds approve,

That good effects may spring from words of love.—

Thus Kent, O princes, bids you all adieu;

He’ll shape his old course in a country new.

 

[Exit.]

 

[Flourish. Re-enter Gloster, with France, Burgundy, and

Attendants.]

 

Glou.

Here’s France and Burgundy, my noble lord.

 

Lear.

My Lord of Burgundy,

We first address toward you, who with this king

Hath rivall’d for our daughter: what in the least

Will you require in present dower with her,

Or cease your quest of love?

 

Bur.

Most royal majesty,

I crave no more than hath your highness offer’d,

Nor will you tender less.

 

Lear.

Right noble Burgundy,

When she was dear to us, we did hold her so;

But now her price is fall’n. Sir, there she stands:

If aught within that little seeming substance,

Or all of it, with our displeasure piec’d,

And nothing more, may fitly like your grace,

She’s there, and she is yours.

 

Bur.

I know no answer.

 

Lear.

Will you, with those infirmities she owes,

Unfriended, new-adopted to our hate,

Dower’d with our curse, and stranger’d with our oath,

Take her, or leave her?

 

Bur.

Pardon me, royal sir;

Election makes not up on such conditions.

 

Lear.

Then leave her, sir; for, by the power that made me,

I tell you all her wealth.—[To France] For you, great king,

I would not from your love make such a stray

To match you where I hate; therefore beseech you

To avert your liking a more worthier way

Than on a wretch whom nature is asham’d