Shakespeare's Tragedy of King LearMacmillan, 1907 - 257 pages Lear, the aging King of Britain, has chosen to lay aside the care of kingship and divide his kingdom between his three daughters. Their share is to be determined by their love for him. Two daughters speak with grandiose expressions of love while the third daughter finds nothing to say. The courts disinherit the third daughter, Cordelia. Much treachery, murder, and deceit ensued and Lear and Cordelia are captured and sentenced to death. |
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Alack Albany Bedlam better Burgundy Child Rowland Cordeilla Cordelia Corn Cornwall Cymbeline daugh daughters dear death Dost thou doth Dover dramatic Duke Duke of Albany Duke of Cornwall Edited Edmund English Exeunt Exit eyes father fear Folio reading follow Fool fortune foul fiend France Gent gentleman give Globe Theatre Glou Gloucester's castle gods Goneril grace hath haue hear heart High School hither I'ld Iliad Julius Cæsar Kent King Lear King of France knave lady Lear's Leir look lord madam master means nature never night noble nuncle old play Omitted OSWALD Palgrave's Golden Treasury pity plot Poems poor pray Prithee probably Quarto reading Regan SCENE Scott's seems Shakespeare sister sonne speak speech storm story sword tell thee there's thine thing thou art tragedy traitor trumpet villain vnto words
Popular passages
Page 8 - The barbarous Scythian, Or he that makes his generation messes To gorge his appetite, shall to my bosom Be as well neighbour'd, pitied and relieved, As thou my sometime daughter.
Page 89 - Lear. My wits begin to turn. — Come on, my boy. how dost, my boy? art cold? I am cold myself. — Where is this straw, my fellow? The art of our necessities is strange, That can make vile things precious. Come, your hovel. — Poor fool and knave, I have one part in my heart That's sorry yet for thee.
Page 157 - Come, let's away to prison: We two alone will sing like birds i' the cage: When thou dost ask me blessing I'll kneel down And ask of thee forgiveness: so we'll live, And pray, and sing, and tell old tales, and laugh At gilded butterflies, and hear poor rogues Talk of court news; and we'll talk with them too, — Who loses and who wins; who's in, who's out...
Page xl - At a fair vestal, throned by the west ; And loos'd his love-shaft smartly from his bow, As it should pierce a hundred thousand hearts...
Page xxvi - I am as sorry as if the original fault had been my fault, because myself have seen his demeanour no less civil than he excellent in the quality he professes: besides, divers of worship have reported his uprightness of dealing which argues his honesty, and his facetious grace in writing, that approves his art.
Page 86 - Spit, fire ! spout, rain. Nor rain, wind, thunder, fire, are my daughters: I tax not you, you elements, with unkindness; I never gave you kingdom, call'd you children, You owe me no subscription : then let fall Your horrible pleasure; here I stand, your slave, A poor, infirm, weak and despised old man: But yet I call you servile ministers, That have with two pernicious daughters join'd Your high-engender'd battles 'gainst a head So old and white as this.
Page 132 - tis, to cast one's eyes so low ! The crows and choughs that wing the midway air Show scarce so gross as beetles : half way down Hangs one that gathers samphire, — dreadful trade ! Methinks he seems no bigger than his head : The fishermen, that walk upon the beach, Appear like mice ; and yond...
Page 5 - Tell me, my daughters (Since now we will divest us both of rule, Interest of territory, cares of state), Which of you shall we say doth love us most? That we our largest bounty may extend Where nature doth with merit challenge.
Page xli - You do look, my son, in a moved sort, As if you were dismay 'd; be cheerful, sir. Our revels now are ended. These our actors, As I foretold you, were all spirits and Are melted into air, into thin air...
Page 42 - Hear, Nature, hear ! dear goddess, hear ! Suspend thy purpose, if thou didst intend To make this creature fruitful ! Into her womb convey sterility ! Dry up in her the organs of increase, And from her derogate body never spring A babe to honour her...