Lear. It may be so, my lord.- Albany. Now, gods that we adore, whereof comes this? Goneril. Never afflict yourself to know the cause, But let his disposition have that scope That dotage gives it. 280. derogate: degraded, dishonoured. 281. teem: be fruitful. 283. thwart: perverse. disnatur'd: without natural affection. 285. cadent: falling. fret: wear away by friction. 286. pains and benefits: maternal cares and the blessings which a mother affords her child. 291. afflict: trouble. Don't trouble yourself. 292. scope: freedom. 275 280 285 290 Hardly conscious of Albany's protest, Lear bursts forth in the most terrible of all curses, the curse upon the unborn. Lear's own emotional nature knows the love of children as a passion, his emɔtions are all passionate; and this prayer is so genuine in its terrible seriousness that it possesses no characteristic of a superficial curse. It is a prayer-curse. There lies back of it all the force of an outraged nature feeling its utterance to be in harmony with the great ethical Will of all things. No prayer, no desire, attains its maximum of vital force except as it rises in the consciousness of such harmony. "Thy will be done" has been the spirit of every truly great prayer in all ages even when, as here, through perversion of nature, it is antagonistic to the spirit of divine justice and love. The substance of this perverted prayer is significant in its relation to the dominant idea which becomes the central point in Lear's insanity. Goneril's opposition becomes to his passionate nature an ever-present consciousness of filial ingratitude. Albany is a man of few words, with whose quiet, loyal nature his wife has no sympathy. Her unquestioned intellectual ability aroused his admiration and developed within him the habit of submission to her leadership, while her quick emotional nature taught him the foolishness of opposition; yet he is a man of moral instincts who cannot approve all that she does, and whose moral as well as personal sense is shocked by this terrible utterance against a woman who is also his wife. The curse is upon any possible child of hers. He feels the sincerity of Lear's words, and turns to Goneril with a demand for ̈ their explanation as though conscious that in her lay the source whereof this comes. Goneril evades her husband's wrath, which she might well fear had she by her own act brought upon herself or child such a curse; and the question can be pressed no further because of the storm which attends Lear's re-entrance. Re-enter Lear. Lear. What, fifty of my followers at a clap? Within a fortnight? Albany. What's the matter, sir? Lear. I'll tell thee. Life and death! I am asham'd That thou hast power to shake my manhood thus; That these hot tears, which break from me perforce, Should make thee worth them. Blasts and fogs upon thee! Th' untented woundings of a father's curse Pierce every sense about thee! Old fond eyes,' Beweep this cause again, I'll pluck ye out And cast ye with the waters that you loose, To temper clay. Ha? Let it be so. I have another daughter, Who, I am sure, is kind and comfortable. 205 300 305 When she shall hear this of thee, with her nails (Exeunt Lear, Kent, and Attendants.) From Oswald, or some subordinate, Lear may be supposed to have learned the details of Goneril's order (248-251). This touch of the concrete gives added reality to what he feels to be deeply insulting; and he bursts into the hall with a cry of questioning amazement. He begins to show signs of physical weakness. His uncontrolled emotion now masters his body; and, against his will, he weeps. While thus in tears, his curses lose their awful grandeur and become the mere exclamations of passion. In The time element in this play is a subject under dispute. general it may be said that Shakespeare pays little attention to the limitations of actual time. Dramatic time, the impression of time, is skillfully created to meet all requirements. More than a fortnight from the time of the opening scene seems demanded for the development of events, especially of those connected with the movements of Cordelia in France and the approach of the French troops; but, on the other hand, it must be remembered that this play is a play of passion in quick movement, and that the effect of unnatural haste in the development of situations only increases the general impression of passion. 294. at a clap: suddenly. 300. untented: incurable. To tent is to probe as one probes a wound. 306. comfortable: comforting, that which gives comfort. 309. shape: the shape of royal power. ** See Appendix IX. Goneril. Do Do you mark that, my lord? Albany. I cannot be so partial, Goneril, To the great love I bear you,——— Goneril. Pray you, content. What, Oswald, ho! You, sir, more knave than fool, after your master. 315 311. that: Lear's threat of resuming the Royal Authority which he has surrendered. This would affect Albany. 312. partial: so partial as to agree with your judgment and treatment of Lear. 314. content: be content, do not argue. 318-322. Ellis in his English Pronunciation shows that in the sixteenth century halter and after were pronounced hauter and auter. (Hudson.) 820 |