William Shakespeare: The Complete Works 2nd Edition (536 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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Enter
⌈
two ⌉Gentlemen
⌈FIRST⌉GENTLEMAN
O, here he is. Lay hand upon him. ⌈
To Lear
⌉Sir,
Your most dear daughter—
To Lear
⌉Sir,
Your most dear daughter—
LEAR
No rescue? What, a prisoner? I am even
The natural fool of fortune. Use me well.
You shall have ransom. Let me have surgeons;
I am cut to th’ brains.
The natural fool of fortune. Use me well.
You shall have ransom. Let me have surgeons;
I am cut to th’ brains.
⌈FIRST⌉GENTLEMAN You shall have anything.
LEAR No seconds? All myself?
Why, this would make a man a man of salt,
To use his eyes for garden water-pots.
I will die bravely, like a smug bridegroom. What,
I will be jovial. Come, come, I am a king.
Masters, know you that?
To use his eyes for garden water-pots.
I will die bravely, like a smug bridegroom. What,
I will be jovial. Come, come, I am a king.
Masters, know you that?
⌈FIRST⌉GENTLEMAN
You are a royal one, and we obey you.
LEAR Then there’s life in’t. Come, an you get it, you shall get it by running. Sa, sa, sa, sa!
Exit running
⌈
pursued by a Gentleman⌉
⌈
pursued by a Gentleman⌉
⌈FIRST⌉GENTLEMAN
A sight most pitiful in the meanest wretch,
Past speaking in a king. Thou hast a daughter
Who redeems nature from the general curse
Which twain have brought her to.
Past speaking in a king. Thou hast a daughter
Who redeems nature from the general curse
Which twain have brought her to.
EDGAR Hail, gentle sir.
⌈FIRST⌉GENTLEMAN Sir, speed you. What’s your will?
EDGAR
Do you hear aught, sir, of a battle toward?
⌈FIRST⌉+GENTLEMAN
Most sure and vulgar, everyone hears that
That can distinguish sound.
That can distinguish sound.
EDGAR But, by your favour,
How near’s the other army?
⌈FIRST⌉ GENTLEMAN,
Near and on speedy foot. The main descry
Stands in the hourly thought.
Stands in the hourly thought.
EDGAR
I thank you, sir. That’s all.
⌈FIRST⌉GENTLEMAN
Though that the Queen on special cause is here,
Her army is moved on.
Her army is moved on.
EDGAR
I thank you, sir.
Exit Gentleman
Exit Gentleman
GLOUCESTER
You ever gentle gods, take my breath from me.
Let not my worser spirit tempt me again
To die before you please.
Let not my worser spirit tempt me again
To die before you please.
EDGAR Well pray you, father.
GLOUCESTER Now, good sir, what are you?
EDGAR
A most poor man, made tame to fortune’s blows,
Who by the art of known and feeling sorrows
Am pregnant to good pity. Give me your hand,
I’ll lead you to some biding.
Who by the art of known and feeling sorrows
Am pregnant to good pity. Give me your hand,
I’ll lead you to some biding.
GLOUCESTER ⌈
rising⌉
rising⌉
Hearty thanks.
The bounty and the benison of heaven
To boot and boot.
To boot and boot.
Enter Oswald the steward
OSWALD
A proclaimed prize! Most happy!
That eyeless head of thine was first framed flesh
To raise my fortunes. Thou old unhappy traitor,
Briefly thyself remember. The sword is out
That must destroy thee.
To raise my fortunes. Thou old unhappy traitor,
Briefly thyself remember. The sword is out
That must destroy thee.
GLOUCESTER
Now let thy friendly hand
Put strength enough to’t.
OSWALD (
to Edgar
)
to Edgar
)
Wherefore, bold peasant,
Durst thou support a published traitor? Hence,
Lest that th’infection of his fortune take
Like hold on thee. Let go his arm.
Lest that th’infection of his fortune take
Like hold on thee. Let go his arm.
EDGAR ‘Chill not let go, sir, without vurther ’cagion.
OSWALD Let go, slave, or thou diest.
EDGAR Good gentleman, go your gate, and let poor volk pass. An ‘chud ha’ been swaggered out of my life, ’twould not ha’ been so long as ‘tis by a vortnight. Nay, come not near th’old man. Keep out, ‘che vor’ ye, or I’s’ try whether your costard or my baton be the harder; I’ll be plain with you.
OSWALD Out, dunghill!
EDGAR ’Chill pick your teeth, sir. Come, no matter vor your foins.
⌈
Edgar knocks him down⌉
OSWALD
Slave, thou hast slain me. Villain, take my purse.
If ever thou wilt thrive, bury my body,
And give the letters which thou find’st about me
To Edmond, Earl of Gloucester. Seek him out
Upon the English party. O untimely death! Death!
If ever thou wilt thrive, bury my body,
And give the letters which thou find’st about me
To Edmond, Earl of Gloucester. Seek him out
Upon the English party. O untimely death! Death!
He dies
EDGAR
I know thee well—a serviceable villain,
As duteous to the vices of thy mistress
As badness would desire.
As duteous to the vices of thy mistress
As badness would desire.
GLOUCESTER What, is he dead?
EDGAR Sit you down, father. Rest you.
Gloucester sits
Let’s see these pockets. The letters that he speaks of
May be my friends. He’s dead; I am only sorrow
He had no other deathsman. Let us see.
Leave, gentle wax, and manners; blame us not.
To know our enemies’ minds we rip their hearts;
Their papers is more lawful.
May be my friends. He’s dead; I am only sorrow
He had no other deathsman. Let us see.
Leave, gentle wax, and manners; blame us not.
To know our enemies’ minds we rip their hearts;
Their papers is more lawful.
He reads the letter
’Let our reciprocal vows be remembered. You have
many opportunities to cut him off. If your will want
not, time and place will be fruitfully offered. There is
nothing done if he return the conqueror; then am I
the prisoner, and his bed my jail, from the loathed
warmth whereof, deliver me, and supply the place for
your labour.
many opportunities to cut him off. If your will want
not, time and place will be fruitfully offered. There is
nothing done if he return the conqueror; then am I
the prisoner, and his bed my jail, from the loathed
warmth whereof, deliver me, and supply the place for
your labour.
Your—wife, so I would say,—affectionate
servant, and for you her own for venture,Goneril.’
O indistinguished space of woman’s will—
A plot upon her virtuous husband’s life,
And the exchange my brother!—Here in the sands
Thee I’ll rake up, the post unsanctified
Of murderous lechers, and in the mature time
With this ungracious paper strike the sight
Of the death-practised Duke. For him ’tis well
That of thy death and business I can tell.
A plot upon her virtuous husband’s life,
And the exchange my brother!—Here in the sands
Thee I’ll rake up, the post unsanctified
Of murderous lechers, and in the mature time
With this ungracious paper strike the sight
Of the death-practised Duke. For him ’tis well
That of thy death and business I can tell.
⌈
Exit
with the
body⌉
Exit
with the
body⌉
GLOUCESTER
The King is mad. How stiff is my vile sense,
That I stand up and have ingenious feeling
Of my huge sorrows! Better I were distraught,
So should my thoughts be severed from my griefs,
That I stand up and have ingenious feeling
Of my huge sorrows! Better I were distraught,
So should my thoughts be severed from my griefs,
Drum afar off
And woes by wrong imaginations lose
The knowledge of themselves.
The knowledge of themselves.
⌈
Enter Edgar⌉
EDGAR
Give me your hand.
Far off methinks I hear the beaten drum.
Come, father, I’ll bestow you with a friend.
Come, father, I’ll bestow you with a friend.
Exit Edgar guiding Gloucester
4.6Enter Queen Cordelia, the Earl of Kent disguised, and ⌈
the First⌉
Gentleman
CORDELIA
O thou good Kent, how shall I live and work
To match thy goodness? My life will be too short,
And every measure fail me.
To match thy goodness? My life will be too short,
And every measure fail me.
KENT
To be acknowledged, madam, is o’erpaid.
All my reports go with the modest truth,
Nor more, nor clipped, but so.
All my reports go with the modest truth,
Nor more, nor clipped, but so.
CORDELIA
Be better suited.
These weeds are memories of those worser hours.
I prithee put them off.
I prithee put them off.
KENT Pardon, dear madam.
Yet to be known shortens my made intent.
My boon I make it that you know me not
Till time and I think meet.
My boon I make it that you know me not
Till time and I think meet.
CORDELIA
Then be’t so, my good lord.—
How does the King?
⌈FIRST⌉GENTLEMAN Madam, sleeps still.
CORDELIA
O you kind gods,
Cure this great breach in his abused nature;
Th’untuned and jarring senses O wind up
Of this child-changed father!
Th’untuned and jarring senses O wind up
Of this child-changed father!
⌈FIRST⌉GENTLEMAN
So please your majesty
That we may wake the King? He hath slept long.
CORDELIA
Be governed by your knowledge, and proceed
I’th’ sway of your own will. Is he arrayed?
I’th’ sway of your own will. Is he arrayed?
⌈FIRST⌉GENTLEMAN
Ay, madam. In the heaviness of sleep
We put fresh garments on him.
We put fresh garments on him.
Enter King Lear asleep, in a chair carried by servants
Be by, good madam, when we do awake him.
I doubt not of his temperance.
I doubt not of his temperance.
CORDELIA
O my dear father, restoration hang
Thy medicine on my lips, and let this kiss
Repair those violent harms that my two sisters
Have in thy reverence made!
Thy medicine on my lips, and let this kiss
Repair those violent harms that my two sisters
Have in thy reverence made!
KENT
Kind and dear princess!
CORDELIA
Had you not been their father, these white flakes
Did challenge pity of them. Was this a face
To be opposed against the warring winds?
Mine enemy’s dog, though 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! (To the Gentleman) He wakes.
Speak to him.
Did challenge pity of them. Was this a face
To be opposed against the warring winds?
Mine enemy’s dog, though 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! (To the Gentleman) He wakes.
Speak to him.
⌈FIRST⌉GENTLEMAN Madam, do you; ’tis fittest.
CORDELIA (to Lear)
How does my royal lord? How fares your majesty?
LEAR
You do me wrong to take me out o’th’ grave.
Thou art a soul in bliss, but I am bound
Upon a wheel of fire, that mine own tears
Do scald like molten lead.
Thou art a soul in bliss, but I am bound
Upon a wheel of fire, that mine own tears
Do scald like molten lead.
CORDELIA
Sir, do you know me?
LEAR
You are a spirit, I know. Where did you die?
CORDELIA (to the Gentleman) Still, still far wide!
⌈FIRST
GENTLEMAN
GENTLEMANHe’s scarce awake. Let him alone a while.
LEAR
Where have I been? Where am I? Fair daylight?
I am mightily abused. I should ev’n die with pity
To see another thus. I know not what to say.
I will not swear these are my hands. Let’s see:
I feel this pin prick. Would I were assured
Of my condition.
I am mightily abused. I should ev’n die with pity
To see another thus. I know not what to say.
I will not swear these are my hands. Let’s see:
I feel this pin prick. Would I were assured
Of my condition.
CORDELIA (
kneeling
) O look upon me, sir,
kneeling
) O look upon me, sir,
And hold your hands in benediction o’er me.
You must not kneel.
You must not kneel.
LEAR
Pray do not mock.
I am a very foolish, fond old man,
Fourscore and upward,
Not an hour more nor less; and to deal plainly,
I fear I am not in my perfect mind.
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 know 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.
Fourscore and upward,
Not an hour more nor less; and to deal plainly,
I fear I am not in my perfect mind.
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 know 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.
CORDELIA
And so I am, I am.
LEAR
Be your tears wet? Yes, faith. I pray, weep not.
If you have poison for me, 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 have not.
If you have poison for me, 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 have not.
CORDELIA
No cause, no cause.
LEAR Am I in France?
KENT In your own kingdom, sir.
LEAR Do not abuse me.
⌈FIRST⌉GENTLEMAN
Be comforted, good madam. The great rage
You see is killed in him. Desire him to go in.
Trouble him no more till further settling.
You see is killed in him. Desire him to go in.
Trouble him no more till further settling.
CORDELIA (to Lear) Will’t please your highness walk?
LEAR
You must bear with me. Pray you now, forget
And forgive. I am old and foolish.
And forgive. I am old and foolish.
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