| On the surface Lear is accusing Goneril of his suffering and Cordelia, but “small fault” could be interpreted as the love-test (a small mistake that led to a chain-reaction of mistakes) or himself, “small” meaning either he is insignificant (although this would suggest that he is beginning to realise his mistakes) or that the “fault” was insignificant in comparison to the retribution he has earned; link to “I am a man more sinned against than sinning” | O most small fault, how ugly didst thou in Cordelia show |
| Lear creating the image of tearing a structure from its foundations, saying he has wrenched his natural affection (for Cordelia) from where it should be centered; link to “crack nature’s moulds, all germens spill at once that make ingrateful man!” | like an engine wrenched my frame of nature from the fixed place |
| Lear going mad, hitting his head against the wall and seeming to realise what he needs to improve things | [striking his head] beat at this gate that let thy folly in and thy judgement out |
| Fool says that Lear has all the madness and lack of judgement of an old man when physically he has more in him; the fool perhaps believes in Lear and that Lear has wisdom; compare to “thou shouldst not have been old till thou hadst been wise” | I’d have beaten thee for being old before thy time |
| Goneril and Regan are wary of Lear’s unpredictability, particularly in his age | the best and soundest of his time hath been but rashthe imperfections of long-engrafted conditionthe unruly waywardness that infirm and choleric years bring with them |
| Lear resents the storms infliction, comparing it to his daughters | I tax not you, you elements, with unkindness. / I never gave you kingdom, called you children; / You owe me no subscription |
| link in language between the storm and Lear’s “dragon” comparison | wrathful skiessheets of fireburst of horrid thunderroaring wind |
| all the suffering in the kingdom goes against human nature | man’s nature cannot carry / Th’affliction, nor the fear |
| Lear’s mental turmoil out-does his physical suffering in the storm | where the greater malady is fixed, the lesser is scarce felt |
King Lear quotes – Lear’s mental turmoil and rage/madness
July 15, 2019