King Lear Act Four

As flies to wanton boys, are we to th’ Gods/They kill us for their sport Gloucester- the Gods treat us unkindly, as schoolboys treat flies
Tis the times plague, when madmen lead the blind Gloucester- Edgar is madmen, but more authority than Gloucester
Five fiends have been in poor Tom at once Edgar- being haunted by the fiend, deadly sins
It is the cowish terror of his spirit Goneril- calling Albany a coward
a fool usurps my bed Goneril- her husband is a fool
You are not worth the dust which the rude wind/Blows in your face Albany to Goneril- views his wife as worthless after her actions
Tigers, not daughters, what have you performed? Albany- animalistic actions of the sisters
milk-livered man! Goneril- emasculates Albany
proper deformity shows not in the fiend/so horrid as in woman Albany- Goneril is worse than the fiend
Faith, once or twice she heaved the name of father Gentleman- link to Cordelia heaving her heart into her mouth
she shook the holy water from her heavenly eyes Gentleman- Cordelia dealing with the news, deification
It is the stars/The stars above us, govern our conditions Kent- like Gloucester blaming the stars for the events
It seemed she was a queen/over her passion Gentleman- self-control of Cordelia, putting her on pedestal
as mad as the vexed sea Cordelia- representation of her father
crowned with…hardocks, nettles, cuckoo-flowers Cordelia- her father has been crowned with poisonous weeds
he that helps him take all my outward worth Cordelia- would give her body for her father
I know your lady does not love her husband Regan to Oswald- worried about status of Goneril and Albany
why then your other senses grow imperfect/By your eyes anguish Edgar- more than just Gloucester’s eye-sight has been destroyed
In nothing I am changed/But in my garments Edgar- disguise but still same person
The fisherman that walk upon the beach/Appear like mice Edgar to Gloucester- vivid imagery, emphasizing height
O you mighty Gods!/This world I do renounce Gloucester before jumping off cliff
Thou’dst shivered like an egg; but thou dost breathe Edgar- Gloucester is lucky to be alive, he should have broken like an egg from the fall off the cliff
Is wretchedness deprived that benefit/To end itself by death? Gloucester- epitome of low, cant even kill himself
Goneril with a white beard Lear- seeing Gloucester reminds him of the treatment of his daughters
They flattered me like a dog Lear- how he was treated by his daughters
Down from the waist they are centaurs/Though women all above Lear- women are animals sexually
your eyes are in a heavy case, your purse in a light: yet you see how this world goes Lear- Gloucester doesn’t need eyes to see clearly
when we are born, we cry that we are come/To this great stage of fools Lear- the world is full of fools but perhaps they are now one of them
I am even/The natural fool of Fortune Lear- natural fool vs licensed fool
I am cut to th’ brains’ Lear- emotionally and physically wounded
Let not my worser spirit tempt me again/To die before you please Gloucester- wont try to kill himself again
A most poor man, made tame to Fortune’s blows Edgar- motif of fortune
O you kind Gods/ Cure this great breach in his abused nature Cordelia- asking Gods for help
Let this kiss repair these violent harms Cordelia- cant believe actions of sisters, ‘violent’
Mine enemy’s dog/Though he had bit me, should have stood that night/Against my fire Cordelia- they treated him worse than she would have treated a hated dog
You do me wrong to take me out o’th’ grave Lear- convinced he’s dead
I am a very foolish fond old man Lear- reconciling with Cordelia, fool
If you have poison for me, I will drink it/ I know you do not love me Lear- expects Cordelia to hate him, she ‘has cause’
July 14, 2019