Scene 1: Savagery of the storm – what they do when Lear calls on them to ‘bids the wind blow the earth into the sea’ | ‘Which the impetuous blasts with eyeless rage catch in their fury and make nothing of’ |
Scene 2: Lear’s opening line to the storm | ‘Blow winds and crack your cheeks! Rage, blow!’ |
Scene 2: Fool’s description of the storm | ‘Good nuncle, in and ask thy daughters blessing. Here’s a night pities neither wise men nor fools’ |
Scene 2: Lear’s pitiful declarations | ‘Here I stand your slave, a poor, infirm, weak and despised old man’ |
Scene 2: Lear’s refusal to go back to Goneril and Regan | ‘No, I will be the pattern of all patience. I will say nothing’ |
Scene 2: Lear’s declaration of injustice | ‘I am a man more sinned against than sinning’ |
Scene 3: Gloucester’s declaration of loyalty to Lear | ‘Alack, alack, Edmund, I like not this unnatural dealing’ |
Scene 3: Gloucester explains how much he’s willing to sacrifice for Lear | ‘If I die for it – as no less is threatened me – the King my old master must be relieved’ |
Scene 3: Edmund instantly betrays his father | ‘This courtesy, forbid thee, shall the Duke instantly know; |
Scene 3: Edmund gains from betraying his father | ‘That which my father loses, no less than . The younger rises when the old doth fall’ |
Scene 4: Kent explains the lengths he’s willing to go to for Lear | ‘Wilt break my heart?’ LEAR’I had rather break mine own’ KENT |
Scene 4: Lear explains how prominent his madness is | ‘this tempest in my mind doth from my senses take all feeling else, save what beats there, filial ingratitude’ |
Scene 4: Lear’s still arrogant – even in the storm | ‘In such a night to shut me out? Pour on, I will endure.’ |
Scene 4: Lear thinks madness is a choice | ‘O, that way madness lies, let me shun that; no more of that’ |
Scene 4: Lear allows the Fool to enter the Hovel first | ‘In boy, go first. You houseless poverty – nay, get thee in’ |
Scene 4: Lear becomes more aware of the lower classes | ‘O, I have ta’en too little care of this. Take physic, pomp, expose thyself to feel what wretches feel’ |
Scene 4: Edgar believes he’s being followed by the Devil | ‘Away, the found fiend follows me”Whom the foul fiend hath led through fire and through flame, through ford and whirlpool, o’er bog and quagmire’ |
Scene 4: Lear questions how Poor Tom ended up in such a state | ‘Nothing could have subdued nature to such a lowness but his unkind daughters’ |
Scene 4: Lear’s description of his daughters | ‘Twas this flesh begot those pelican daughters’ |
Scene 4: Lear’s descent into madness as he takes off his clothes | ‘Thou ow’st the worm no silk, the beast no hide, the sheep no wool, the cat no perfume’ |
Scene 4: Gloucester finds Lear in the storm and proclaims his loyalty | ‘My duty cannot suffer t’obey in all your daughters’ hard commands’ |
Scene 4: Lear’s reliance on Poor Tom | ‘First let me talk with this philosopher”I’ll talk a word with this same learned Theban’ |
Scene 5: Edmund betrays Gloucester to Cornwall and gives Gloucester’s letter to Cornwall | ‘I may be censured that nature thus gives way to loyalty’ |
Scene 5: Edmund wins Cornwall’s loyalty for betraying his father | ‘I will lay trust upon thee and thou shalt find a dear father in my love’ |
Scene 6: Lear allows Edgar to have power in Goneril’s Mock Trial | ‘Thou robed man of justice, take thy place’ |
Scene 6: Lear begins the trial | ’tis Goneril – I here take my oath before this honourable assembly – kicked the poor King her father’ |
Scene 6: Fool’s description of Goneril in the mock trial | ‘Cry you mercy, I took your for a joint stool’ |
Scene 6: Lear tries Regan | ‘And here’s another whose warped looks proclaim what store her heart is made on’ |
Scene 6: Lear issues a declaration against Regan | ‘Then let them anatomize Regan; see what breeds about her heart’ |
Scene 6: Edgar’s speech about inequality | ‘When we our betters see bearing our woes, we scarcely think our miseries our foes”When that which makes me bend makes the King bow, he childed as I fathered’ |
Scene 7: Regan and Goneril’s punishment on Gloucester | ‘Hang him instantly!’ REGAN’Pluck out his eyes!’ GONERIL |
Scene 7: Cornwall subverts justice to punish Gloucester | ‘Though well we may not pass upon his life without the form of justice, yet our power shall do a courtesy to our wrath’ |
Scene 7: Gloucester proclaims his injustice | ‘Good my friends, consider; you are my guests. Do me no foul play, friends”I am your host; with robber’s hands my hospitable favours you should not ruffle thus’ |
Scene 7: Cornwall tries to temper Regan’s vicious anger | ‘Wherefore to Dover? Wast thou not charged at peril-‘ REGAN’Wherefore to Dover? Let him first answer that’ |
Scene 7: Gloucester believes judgement will eventually be served | ‘I shall see the winged vengeance overtake such children’ |
Scene 7: Gloucester’s eye is plucked out | ‘Give me some help! – O cruel! O you Gods!’ |
Scene 7: Cornwall’s servant defies him | ‘Hold your hand, my lord, I have served you ever since I was a child, but better service…than now to bid you to hold’ |
Scene 7: Servant fights Cornwall | ‘Nay then, come on, and take of anger’ |
Scene 7: Gloucester discovers – too late – that Edmund betrayed him | ‘O my follies! Then Edgar was abused? Kind gods, forgive me that and prosper him’ |
Scene 7: Cornwall dies | ‘Untimely comes this hurt’ |
Scene 7: Cornwall’s servants help Gloucester | ‘Go thou; I’ll fetch some flax and whites of eggs to apply to his bleeding face. Now heaven help him!’ |
King Lear Act 3 Key Quotes
July 14, 2019