All key King Lear quotes

Lear quotes + connected themes???????? ‘That where our largest bounty may extend / Where nature doth with merit challenge.'”O! Let me not be mad, not mad, sweet heaven; keep me in temper; I would not be mad!” MADNESS, AGING, GUILT, POWER”Nothing can come of nothing.” LOVE, DUTY, POWER “How sharper than a serpent’s tooth it is / To have a thankless child!” POWER, LOVE, DUTY “Come not between the dragon and his wrath.” POWER, AGE, MASCULINITY, MADNESS, CONTROL”I am a man / More sinned against than sinning.” MADNESS, SOCIETY, POWER, VANITY, AGING”Blow winds and crack your cheeks! Rage, blow, / You cataracts and hurricanoes.” NATURE, POWER, MADNESS, AGING”When thou dost ask me blessing, I’ll kneel down,And ask of thee forgiveness:” FAITH, FORGIVENESS, LOVE, FAMILY, REDEMPTION, GUILT, LOYALTY, AGE “This cold night will turn us all to fools and madmen.” NATURE, AGING, POWER, MADNESS, IDENTITY “The bow is bent and drawn; make from the shaft” “We are not ourselves when nature being oppressed commands the mind to suffer with the body.” As Lear loses his faith, he sees more truth.”Please sir, would you undo this button.””Allow not nature what nature needs, man’s life is as cheap as beasts.””handy-dandy, which is the justice, which is the thief?””If she must teem, create a child of spleen.””When we are born we cry that we are come to this great stage of fools.”
Cordelia quotes + connected themes “I cannot heave my heart into my mouth.” LOVE, DUTY, HONESTY, POWER, AGE, GREED, GOOD V EVIL “To Lear We are not the first / Who with best meaning have incurred the worst.” HONESTY, LOYALTY, LOVE, DUTY “That lord whose hand must take my plight” – Cordelia speaks of her marriage situation. DUTY, MARRIAGE, GENDER “She heaved the name of ‘father’ pantingly forth, as if it pressed her heart” – gentleman describes Cordelia as doing this on her return. LOVE, DUTY, AGING, FAMILY”Glib and oily art.” HONESTY, DECEPTION, GOOD V EVIL, FAMILY, LOVE, DUTY, IDENTITY. “A century send forth;” POWER, CONTROL, LOYALTY, MADNESS, GENDER, RELATIONSHIPS (comment on the difference in Cordelia sending an excessive amount of troops to Lear, V G + R not giving any. Although here he is not getting the troops in the way he would have wanted. “Lord” / “father” – comment on Cordelia as a christ like figure, dying for the sins of man. RELIGION, LOVE, DUTY, AGING”Why have my sisters husband’s if they say they love you all?” Cordelia’s use of questions deploys Lear’s rhetorical tactics against himself.”I am sure my love’s more generous than my tongue.”
Goneril quotes + connected themes “Sir, I love you more than words can wield the matter / Dearer than eyesight, space, and liberty,” VANITY, GREED, DUTY, FAMILY, POWER, GOOD V EVIL , REALTY / TRUTH”This milky gentleness and course of yours, (…) You are much more at task for want of wisdom.” GENDER, LOVE, LOYALTY “What need you five-and-twenty, ten, or five,” POWER, GENDER, DUTY, AGING”Now, by my life, / Old fools are babes again.” AGING, DUTY, LOVE, FAMILY, GENDER”May all the building in my fancy pluck upon my fateful life.” Comment on Regan’s use of “pluck in Gloucester’s eye-gouging. GOOD V EVIL, GENDER, POWER, IDENTITY, JUSTICE “Milk-livered man.” POWER, GENDER, IDENTITY, RELATIONSHIPS.”That bears’t a cheek for blows,” Goneril’s comment mimics Lear’s to the storm. She talks to Albany here. POWER, GENDER, LOYALTY”A fool usurps my bed.” FOOLERY, LOYALTY, HONESTY, GENDER (speaking about Albany).'[she places a chain about his neck].’ (Goneril gives this to Edmund). LOVE, DESIRE, GENDER, POWER, CONTROL, WEALTH.
Regan quotes + connected themes????????‍ “What, fifty followers? Is it not well? What should you need of more,” POWER, CONTROL, AGING, DUTY, GENDER, REALITY”Pluck out his eyes!” VIOLENCE, POWER”Tears his white hair.” AGING, RESPECT, VIOLENCE, POWER, GOOD V EVIL “I am made of that self mettle as my sister, (…), only she comes too short.” COMPETITION, GENDER, GREED, POWER “O sir, you are old.Nature in you stands on the very vergeOf her confine.” AGING, DUTY, RESPECT, POWER”Shut up your doors:He is attended with a desperate train,” Cornwall mirrors the line. COMPASSION, FAMILY, LOVE, GREED.
Kent quotes + connected themes “I cannot conceive you.” Encourages Gloucester’s cruelty towards E. GENDER, SOCIETY, IDENTITY, LOVE, MADNESS “To plainness honour’s bound,When majesty stoops to folly.”LOYALTY, TRUTH, LOVE, RESPONSIBILITY.Sir, I am too old to learn.” AGING, GENDER, IDENTITY, LOYALTY”Your eldest daughters have fordone themselves, / And desperately are dead, decay of Goneril and Regan.” RESPECT, LOYALTY, GOOD V EVIL “Sir, ’tis my occupation to be plain:” GOOD V EVIL, LOYALTY, SOCIETY, HONESTY “What wouldst thou do old man?” AGING, GENDER, IDENTITY, RESPECT, TRUTH. Kent only resorts to rudeness when he is previously ignored.”Thy youngest daughter does not love thee least,” (…) “See better, Lear; and let me still remain / The true blank of thine eye.” LOVE, HONESTY, TRUTH, JUDGEMENT, AGING, RESPECT, GENDER”See better Lear””Check this hideous rashness””I have a journey, sir, shortly to go. My master calls me; I must not say no.””Good my lord, soothe him; let him take the fellow” Kent encourages Gloucester to let Lear take the fool with him into the hovel on the heath.
Gloucester quotes + connected themes???? “And the whoreson must be acknowledged.” LOVE, MADNESS, FAMILY, IDENTITY “As flies to wanton boys are we to th’ gods; / They kill us for their sport.” FATE, VIOLENCE, AGING, REALITY, GENDER, NATURE”These late eclipses in the sun and moon portend no good to us.” GODS, HEAVEN, FATE”Go to; say you nothing. There is division / betwixt the dukes, and a worse matter than that.” LOYALTY, HONESTY, AGING, LOVE (?), DUTY G continues to help KL.”Because I would not see thy cruel nails / pluck out his poor old eyes.” (Link KL flail quote. HONESTY, RESPECT, VIOLENCE, AGING, GENDER, NATURE (NATURAL ORDER)”That I am wretched makes me happier.” (To Tom after blinding). HONESTY, REVELATION, AGING, FAMILY, VIOLENCE”A ruined piece of nature.” Gloucester calls Lear this.”I stumbled when I saw.” “Unnatural, detested, brutish villan!””I have so often blushed to acknowledge him that now I am brazed to’t””The quality of nothing hath not such need to hide itself. Let’s see.—Come, if it be nothing, I shall not need spectacles.”
Albany quotes + connected themes “The gods defend her [Cordelia]!.” FATE, CONTROL, LOVE, FAMILY, LOYALTY, GOOD V EVIL”Shut your mouth dame, or with this paper shall I stop it.” To G. GENDER, RESPECT, VIOLENCE, POWER, CONTROL “You justicers,” GODS, JUSTICE, FATE, POWER “Thou changed and self-covered thing,” comment on Shakespeare’s use of “thing” throughout the play. “I hold you but a subject of this war, not as a brother.” Albany to Edmund. DISLOYALTY, GOOD V EVIL, GENDER, NATURE, CRUELTY, VIOLENCE”I cannot be so partial, Goneril, To the great love I bear you.” DUTY, GENDER, LOYALTY, POWER (actually undermining Goneril, as he continues to show respect to a mad man who has insulted his wife, rather than show respect to a woman).”abused father’s wrath”, Albany’s comment mirrors Lear’s earlier comment “Come not between the dragon and his wrath.” POWER, DUTY, LOYALTY, AGE”Monster ingratitude.” (Says this to Goneril, comment on Latin of monster = unnatural). GOOD V EVIL, POWER, RELATIONSHIPS.”Half-blooded fellow, yes.” A calls Edmund this to Regan. HUSBANDS AND WIVES, JEALOUSY, POWER, CONTROL. “‘Tis she is sub-contracted to this lord And I her husband contradict your banns:” Albany says this to Goneril, explaining how Edmund is engaged to Regan.”Monsterous, O!” Comment on significance of yonic imagery here.
Cornwall quotes + connected themes “Fetch forth the stocks! / You stubborn ancient knave, you reverent braggart,” To Kent. DUTY, LOYALTY, CONTROL, VIOLENCE, NATURE (NATURAL ORDER)”Bind fast his corky arms.” AGING, GENDER, CONTROL, VIOLENCE, GOOD V EVIL (complex- as we are not first introduced to G as a good character, varying audience views).”Upon these eyes of thine I’ll set my foot.” VIOLENCE, AGING, DUTY, RESPECT, GOOD V EVIL.”I have receiv’d a hurt. Follow me, lady. /Turn out that eyeless villain. Throw this slave / Upon a dunghill.” CONTROL, NATURAL ORDER, RESPECT, POWER, VANITY, GOOD V EVIL.”Shut up the doors, (…) my Regan counsels well.” LOVE, GREED,
Edmund quotes + connected themes “Now, gods, stand up for bastards!” NATURE, GENDER, FATE, IDENTITY, RELIGION (?), MADNESS, SOCIETY”My shape as true, as honest madam’s issue.” GENDER, IDENTITY, MADNESS, SOCIETY, GOOD V EVIL, NATURE “[aside] If I find him comforting the King, it will stuff his suspicion more fully.” GOOD V EVIL, VIOLENCE, DUTY, FAMILY”The younger rises when the old does fall.” DUTY, NATURE, GOOD V EVIL, FAMILY (ironic as Edmund is talking about Edgar’s fall, but could also be talking about KL and daughters, further links with tragic parallelism).”Some good I mean to do, / Despite of mine own nature.” NATURE, IDENTITY, POWER, SOCIETY, FAMILY”As if we were villains on necessity; fools by heavenly compulsion.” HEAVEN, GODS, FATE, GOOD V EVIL”Each jealous of the other as the stung Are of the adder.” JEALOUSY, DIVISION, FAMILY, GENDER, VIOLENCE.”…for my state stands on me to defend, not to debate.” HOPE, GREED, CONTROL, POWER. “If thou dost As this instructs thee, thou dost make thy way To noble features.””At this time, to be tender minded, does not become a sword.””Whose nature is so far from doing harm that he suspects none, on whose foolish honesty my practices ride easy.” – Edmund on Edgar.”Let me if not by birth have lands by wit.”
Edgar / Tom quotes + connected themes “Some villain hath done me wrong.” FAMILY, DECEPTION, TRUTH, IDENTITY.”That’s something yet, Edgar, I nothing am.” IDENTITY, NATURE, MADNESS, POWER, GENDER, GOOD V EVIL”We that are young / Shall never see so much, nor live so long.” AGING, POWER, IDENTITY”The foul fiend haunts Poor Tom in the voice of a nightingale.” MADNESS, IDENTITY, NATURRE (bird of love) ‘The gods are just, and of our pleasant vices / Make instruments to plague us’ GOOD V EVIL, GODS, NATURE, FATEAS TOM:”When we our betters see wearing woes, / We scarcely think our miseries our foes.” KINDNESS, LOYALTY, MADNESS, IDENTITY, SUFFERING”[aside] My tears begin to take his part so much /They’ll mar my counterfeiting.” SADNESS, KINDNESS, MADNESS, IDENTITY, (comment on how both E+E use asides, but with contrasting affect)”Sit you down, father; rest you. / Let’s see his pockets; these letters that he speaks of…” (asides, like Edmund but they show his purity). DUTY, KINDNESS, LOYALTY, AGING, RESPECT, NATURE (NATURAL ORDER).
The Fool quotes + key themes “Lear’s shadow.” LOYALTY, IDENTITY, TRUTH, AGING, GENDER, MADNESS”Thou shouldst not have been old till thou hadst been wise.” AGING, MADNESS, TRUTH, HONESTY, WISDOM”I am a fool, thou art nothing.” IRONY, MADNESS, SADNESS “Truth’s a dog must to kennel! He must be whipp’d out” REALITY, MADNESS, ANIMALISM, AGING, IDENTITY”Cry you mercy, I took you for a joint-stool.” HUMOUR, MADNESS, IRONY”Thou hast made thy daughters thy mothers””My poor fool is hanged”, Lear says this at the end of the play. Holding Cordelia, but could be relevant for both.”Give me an egg, nuncle, and I’ll give thee two crowns.” The fool, like Cordelia and Edmund, criticises assumed / inherited leadership.”I would rather be anything but a fool, (…), although I would not be you nuncle.”
Lear stage directions???????? ‘Enter king Lear, fantastically dressed with wild flowers…., and all the idle weeds that grow In our sustaining corn.—A century send forth. NATURE, IDENTITY, MASCULINITY (after Edgar and Gloucester reunite in cliff scene).
Extra Edgar quote ???????? ‘Methought his eyes were two full moons.’ AGE,IDENITY,FATE,GODS (reunited in cliff scene, repetition form G horoscope).
Extra Edgar quote- link with whole of Shakespearean tragedy “whost it can say ‘I am the worst?'”, comment in how Shakespeare combines many tragic moments to reach climax in play.
Edgar and Edmund asides Both use asides but for contrasting purpose- Edgar appears more natural, whilst Edmund appears less so. Edgar: “How should this be?” Speaking about his dad’s blinding. Edmund: “If I find him comforting the king, it will stuff his suspicion more fully.” NATURE, LOYALTY, ORDER, FAMILY, GOOD V EVIL (G helps Lear).
Calls to the God’s “The Gods are just and our pleasant vices make instruments to plague us.” EDGAR”All you unpublished virtues of the earth, spring with my tears. Be aidant and remediate in the man’s distress.” CORDELIA”These late eclipses in the sun and moon portend no good to us.” GLOUCESTER”As if we were villains on necessity; fools by heavenly compulsion.” EDMUND
Extra Edgar quote???? ‘Why I do trifle thus with his despair is done to cure it,’
Cordelia extra quote – paralleling Lear⚡️⚡️???? ‘Was this a face To be opposed against the warring winds”To stand against the deep dread-bolted Thunder”Still far far wide”The untuned and jarring senses, O, wind upOf this child-changed father!’
Lear extra quote on uniting with Cordelia‍♀️???? ‘Thou art a spirit in bliss, but I am bound, Upon a wheel of fire that mine own tears Do scald like molten lead.’ Cordelia’s action transcends gender. ‘If you have poison for me, I will drink it’ (…), ‘You have some cause, they have not.’ Comment on parallels between what Lear says is happening to himself, and what happened to G+R, shows damage of power? Link feminist criticism on Lear’s tears.’Pray, do not mock me: I am a very foolish fond old man, (…) and to deal plainly, I fear I am not in my perfect mind.’
Goneril and Regan Sticomythia G = “And call itself your brother” (…) R = “Not so hot!”
Edgar quote from transition into Tom “And with present nakedness, outface the winds and persecutions of the sky.”
Kent as Caius quote “I do profess to be no less than I seem—to serve him truly that will put me in trust,”
July 21, 2019