William Shakespeare: The Complete Works 2nd Edition (421 page)
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Authors: William Shakespeare
Tags: #Drama, #Literary Criticism, #Shakespeare
BOOK: William Shakespeare: The Complete Works 2nd Edition
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Exit Edgar guiding Gloucester
Sc. 16Enter ⌈at one door⌉ Gonoril and Edmund the bastard
GONORIL
Welcome, my lord. I marvel our mild husband
Not met us on the way.
Not met us on the way.
Enter ⌈at another door⌉ Oswald the steward
Now, where’s your master?
OSWALD
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 he should most defy seems pleasant to him;
What like, offensive.
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 he should most defy seems pleasant to him;
What like, offensive.
GONORIL (
to Edmund
) Then shall you go no further.
to Edmund
) Then shall you go no further.
It is the cowish terror of his spirit
That dares not undertake. He’ll not feel wrongs
Which tie him to an answer. Our wishes on the way
May prove effects. Back, Edmund, to my brother.
Hasten his musters and conduct his powers.
I must change arms at home, and give the distaff
Into my husband’s hands. This trusty servant
Shall pass between us. Ere long you are like to hear,
If you dare venture in your own behalf,
A mistress’s command. Wear this. Spare speech.
Decline your head. This kiss, if it durst speak,
Would stretch thy spirits up into the air.
That dares not undertake. He’ll not feel wrongs
Which tie him to an answer. Our wishes on the way
May prove effects. Back, Edmund, to my brother.
Hasten his musters and conduct his powers.
I must change arms at home, and give the distaff
Into my husband’s hands. This trusty servant
Shall pass between us. Ere long you are like to hear,
If you dare venture in your own behalf,
A mistress’s command. Wear this. Spare speech.
Decline your head. This kiss, if it durst speak,
Would stretch thy spirits up into the air.
⌈
she kisses him
⌉
Conceive, and fare you well.
EDMUND Yours in the ranks of death.
GONORIL My most dear Gloucester.
⌈
Exit Edmund
⌉
Exit Edmund
⌉
To thee a woman’s services are due;
My foot usurps my body.
My foot usurps my body.
OSWALD Madam, here comes my lord.
Exit
Enter the Duke of Albany
GONORIL
I have been worth the whistling.
ALBANY O Gonoril,
You are not worth the dust which the rude wind
Blows in your face. I fear your disposition.
That nature which contemns it origin
Cannot be bordered certain in itself.
She that herself will sliver and disbranch
From her material sap perforce must wither,
And come to deadly use.
Blows in your face. I fear your disposition.
That nature which contemns it origin
Cannot be bordered certain in itself.
She that herself will sliver and disbranch
From her material sap perforce must wither,
And come to deadly use.
GONORIL No more. The text is foolish.
ALBANY
Wisdom and goodness to the vile seem vile;
Filths savour but themselves. What have you done?
Tigers, not daughters, what have you performed?
A father, and a gracious, aged man,
Whose reverence even the head-lugged bear would
lick,
Most barbarous, most degenerate, have you madded.
Could my good-brother suffer you to do it—
A man, a prince by him so benefacted?
If that the heavens do not their visible spirits
Send quickly down to tame these vile offences,
It will come,
Humanity must perforce prey on itself,
Like monsters of the deep.
Filths savour but themselves. What have you done?
Tigers, not daughters, what have you performed?
A father, and a gracious, aged man,
Whose reverence even the head-lugged bear would
lick,
Most barbarous, most degenerate, have you madded.
Could my good-brother suffer you to do it—
A man, a prince by him so benefacted?
If that the heavens do not their visible spirits
Send quickly down to tame these vile offences,
It will come,
Humanity must perforce prey on itself,
Like monsters of the deep.
GONORIL Milk-livered man,
That bear‘st a cheek for blows, a head for wrongs;
Who hast not in thy brows an eye discerning
Thine honour from thy suffering; that not know’st
Fools do those villains pity who are punished
Ere they have done their mischief: where’s thy drum?
France spreads his banners in our noiseless land,
With plumed helm thy flaxen biggin threats,
Whiles thou, a moral fool, sits still and cries
‘Alack, why does he so?’
Who hast not in thy brows an eye discerning
Thine honour from thy suffering; that not know’st
Fools do those villains pity who are punished
Ere they have done their mischief: where’s thy drum?
France spreads his banners in our noiseless land,
With plumed helm thy flaxen biggin threats,
Whiles thou, a moral fool, sits still and cries
‘Alack, why does he so?’
ALBANY See thyself, devil.
Proper deformity shows not in the fiend
So horrid as in woman.
So horrid as in woman.
GONORIL O vain fool! 60
ALBANY
Thou changed and self-covered thing, for shame
Bemonster not thy feature. Were’t my fitness
To let these hands obey my blood,
They are apt enough to dislocate and tear
Thy flesh and bones. Howe’er thou art a fiend,
A woman’s shape doth shield thee.
Bemonster not thy feature. Were’t my fitness
To let these hands obey my blood,
They are apt enough to dislocate and tear
Thy flesh and bones. Howe’er thou art a fiend,
A woman’s shape doth shield thee.
GONORIL Marry your manhood, mew—
Enter
⌈
Second
⌉
Gentleman
ALBANY What news?
⌈SECOND⌉ GENTLEMAN
O my good lord, the Duke of Cornwall’s dead,
Slain by his servant going to put out
The other eye of Gloucester.
Slain by his servant going to put out
The other eye of Gloucester.
ALBANY Gloucester’s eyes?
⌈FSECOND⌉ GENTLEMAN
A servant that he bred, thralled with remorse,
Opposed against the act, bending his sword
To his great master, who thereat enraged
Flew on him, and amongst them felled him dead,
But not without that harmful stroke which since
Hath plucked him after.
Opposed against the act, bending his sword
To his great master, who thereat enraged
Flew on him, and amongst them felled him dead,
But not without that harmful stroke which since
Hath plucked him after.
ALBANY This shows you are above,
You justicers, that these our nether crimes
So speedily can venge. But O, poor Gloucester!
Lost he his other eye?
So speedily can venge. But O, poor Gloucester!
Lost he his other eye?
⌈SECOND⌉ GENTLEMAN Both, both, my lord. 80
(
To Gonoril
) This letter, madam, craves a speedy
answer.
’Tis from your sister.
To Gonoril
) This letter, madam, craves a speedy
answer.
’Tis from your sister.
GONORIL (
aside
) One way I like this well;
aside
) One way I like this well;
But being widow, and my Gloucester with her,
May all the building on my fancy pluck
Upon my hateful life. Another way
The news is not so took.—I’ll read and answer. Exit
May all the building on my fancy pluck
Upon my hateful life. Another way
The news is not so took.—I’ll read and answer. Exit
ALBANY
Where was his son when they did take his eyes?
⌈ECOND⌉GENTLEMAN
Come with my lady hither.
ALBANY He is not here.
⌈ECOND⌉GENTLEMAN
No, my good lord; I met him back again.
ALBANY Knows he the wickedness? 90
⌈ECOND⌉GENTLEMAN
Ay, my good lord; ’twas he informed against him,
And quit the house on purpose that their punishment
Might have the freer course.
And quit the house on purpose that their punishment
Might have the freer course.
ALBANY Gloucester, I live
To thank thee for the love thou showed’st the King,
And to revenge thy eyes.—Come hither, friend
Tell me what more thou knowest. Exeunt
Sc. 17And to revenge thy eyes.—Come hither, friend
Tell me what more thou knowest. Exeunt
Enter the Earl of Kent disguised, and
⌈
First
⌉
Gentleman
KENT Why the King of France is so suddenly gone back know you no reason?
⌈FIRST⌉ GENTLEMAN
Something he left imperfect in the state
Which, since his coming forth, is thought of; which
Imports to the kingdom so much fear and danger
That his personal return was most required
And necessary.
Which, since his coming forth, is thought of; which
Imports to the kingdom so much fear and danger
That his personal return was most required
And necessary.
KENT
Who hath he left behind him general?
⌈IRST⌉ NTLEMAN
The Maréchal of France, Monsieur la Far.
KENT Did your letters pierce the Queen to any demonstration of grief? II
⌈IRST⌉ ENTLEMAN
Ay, sir. She took them, read them in my presence,
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,
Sought to be king o’er her.
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,
Sought to be king o’er her.
KENT O, then it moved her.
⌈IRST⌉GENTLEMAN
Not to a rage. Patience and sorrow strove
Who should express her goodliest. You have seen
Sunshine and rain at once; her smiles and tears
Were like, a better way. Those happy smilets
That played on her ripe lip seemed not to know
What guests were in her eyes, which parted thence
As pearls from diamonds dropped. In brief,
Sorrow would be a rarity most beloved
If all could so become it.
Who should express her goodliest. You have seen
Sunshine and rain at once; her smiles and tears
Were like, a better way. Those happy smilets
That played on her ripe lip seemed not to know
What guests were in her eyes, which parted thence
As pearls from diamonds dropped. In brief,
Sorrow would be a rarity most beloved
If all could so become it.
KENT Made she no verbal question?
⌈IRST⌉ ENTLEMAN
Faith, once or twice she heaved the name of ‘father’
Pantingly forth as if it pressed her heart,
Cried ‘Sisters, sisters, shame of ladies, sisters,
Kent, father, sisters, what, i‘th’ storm, i’th’ night,
Let piety not be believed!’ There she shook
The holy water from her heavenly eyes
And clamour mastered, then away she started
To deal with grief alone.
Pantingly forth as if it pressed her heart,
Cried ‘Sisters, sisters, shame of ladies, sisters,
Kent, father, sisters, what, i‘th’ storm, i’th’ night,
Let piety not be believed!’ There she shook
The holy water from her heavenly eyes
And clamour mastered, then away she started
To deal with grief alone.
KENT It is the stars,
The stars above us govern our conditions,
Else one self mate and make could not beget
Such different issues. You spoke not with her since?
Else one self mate and make could not beget
Such different issues. You spoke not with her since?
⌈IRST⌉ ENTLEMAN No.
KENT
Was this before the King returned?
⌈IRST⌉ ENTLEMAN No, since.
KENT
Well, sir, the poor distressed Lear’s i’th’ town,
Who sometime in his better tune remembers
What we are come about, and by no means
Will yield to see his daughter.
Who sometime in his better tune remembers
What we are come about, and by no means
Will yield to see his daughter.
⌈IRST⌉ NTLEMAN Why, good sir?
KENT
A sovereign shame so elbows him: his own unkindness,
That stripped her from his benediction, turned her
To foreign casualties, gave her dear rights
To his dog-hearted daughters—these things sting
His mind so venomously that burning shame
Detains him from Cordelia.
That stripped her from his benediction, turned her
To foreign casualties, gave her dear rights
To his dog-hearted daughters—these things sting
His mind so venomously that burning shame
Detains him from Cordelia.
⌈IRST⌉ ENTLEMAN Alack, poor gentleman!
KENT
Of Albany’s and Cornwall’s powers you heard not?
⌈IRST⌉ ENTLEMAN ’Tis so; they are afoot.
KENT
Well, sir, I’ll bring you to our master Lear,
And leave you to attend him. Some dear cause
Will in concealment wrap me up a while.
When I am known aright you shall not grieve
Lending me this acquaintance. I pray you go
Along with me. Exeunt
Sc. 18And leave you to attend him. Some dear cause
Will in concealment wrap me up a while.
When I am known aright you shall not grieve
Lending me this acquaintance. I pray you go
Along with me. Exeunt
Enter Queen Cordelia, a Doctor, and others
CORDELIA
Alack, ’tis he! Why, he was met even now,
As mad as the racked sea, singing aloud,
Crowned with rank fumitor and furrow-weeds,
With burdocks, hemlock, nettles, cuckoo-flowers,
Darnel, and all the idle weeds that grow
In our sustaining corn. The centuries send forth.
Search every acre in the high-grown field,
And bring him to our eye.
As mad as the racked sea, singing aloud,
Crowned with rank fumitor and furrow-weeds,
With burdocks, hemlock, nettles, cuckoo-flowers,
Darnel, and all the idle weeds that grow
In our sustaining corn. The centuries send forth.
Search every acre in the high-grown field,
And bring him to our eye.
⌈
Exit one or more
⌉
Exit one or more
⌉
What can man’s wisdom
In the restoring his bereaved sense,
He that can help him
Take all my outward worth.
He that can help him
Take all my outward worth.
DOCTOR There is means, madam.
Our foster-nurse of nature is repose,
The which he lacks. That to provoke in him
Are many simples operative, whose power
Will close the eye of anguish.
The which he lacks. That to provoke in him
Are many simples operative, whose power
Will close the eye of anguish.
CORDELIA All blest secrets,
All you unpublished virtues of the earth,
Spring with my tears, be aidant and remediate
In the good man’s distress!—Seek, seek for him,
Lest his ungoverned rage dissolve the life
That wants the means to lead it.
Spring with my tears, be aidant and remediate
In the good man’s distress!—Seek, seek for him,
Lest his ungoverned rage dissolve the life
That wants the means to lead it.
Enter a Messenger
MESSENGER News, madam.
The British powers are marching hitherward.
CORDELIA
’Tis known before; our preparation stands
In expectation of them.—O dear father,
It is thy business that I go about;
Therefore great France
My mourning and important 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! Exeunt
Sc. 19In expectation of them.—O dear father,
It is thy business that I go about;
Therefore great France
My mourning and important 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! Exeunt
Enter Regan and Oswald, Gonoril’s steward
REGAN
But are my brother’s powers set forth?
OSWALD Ay, madam.
REGAN
Himself in person?
OSWALD Madam, with much ado.
Your sister is the better soldier.
REGAN
Lord Edmund spake not with your lord at home?
OSWALD No, madam.
REGAN
What might import my sister’s letters to him?
OSWALD I know not, lady.
REGAN
Faith, he is posted hence on serious matter.
It was great ignorance, Gloucester’s eyes being out,
To let him live. Where he arrives he moves
All hearts against us. Edmund, I think, is gone,
In pity of his misery, to dispatch
His ‘nighted life, moreover to descry
The strength o’th’ army.
It was great ignorance, Gloucester’s eyes being out,
To let him live. Where he arrives he moves
All hearts against us. Edmund, I think, is gone,
In pity of his misery, to dispatch
His ‘nighted life, moreover to descry
The strength o’th’ army.
OSWALD
I must needs after with my letters, madam.
REGAN
Our troop sets forth tomorrow. Stay with us.
The ways are dangerous.
The ways are dangerous.
OSWALD I may not, madam.
My lady charged my duty in this business.
REGAN
Why should she write to Edmund? Might not you
Transport her purposes by word? Belike—
Something, I know not what. I’ll love thee much:
Let me unseal the letter.
Transport her purposes by word? Belike—
Something, I know not what. I’ll love thee much:
Let me unseal the letter.
OSWALD Madam, I’d rather—
REGAN
I know your lady does not love her husband.
I am sure of that, and at her late being here
She gave strange oeillades and most speaking looks
To noble Edmund. I know you are of her bosom.
I am sure of that, and at her late being here
She gave strange oeillades and most speaking looks
To noble Edmund. I know you are of her bosom.
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