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    King Lear
    King Lear
    King Lear
    Ebook135 pages1 hour

    King Lear

    By William Shakespeare

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    King Lear is considered one of Shakespeare's greatest plays. King Lear decides to step down and divide his kingdom between his three daughters. When his youngest and favorite daughter refuses to compete and perform her love for him, he is enraged and disowns her. She remains loyal to him, however, though he slides into madness and his other children betray him.
    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherJH
    Release dateMar 24, 2019
    ISBN9788832550566
    Author

    William Shakespeare

    William Shakespeare was born in Stratford-upon-Avon, Warwickshire, in 1564. The date of his birth is not known but is traditionally 23 April, St George's Day. Aged 18, he married a Stratford farmer's daughter, Anne Hathaway. They had three children. Around 1585 William joined an acting troupe on tour in Stratford from London, and thereafter spent much of his life in the capital. A member of the leading theatre group in London, the Chamberlain's Men, which built the Globe Theatre and frequently performed in front of Queen Elizabeth I, Shakespeare wrote 36 plays and much poetry besides. He died in 1616.

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      Book preview

      King Lear - William Shakespeare

      King Lear

      William Shakespeare

      .

      Dramatis Personae

            Lear, King of Britain.

            King of France.

            Duke of Burgundy.

            Duke of Cornwall.

            Duke of Albany.

            Earl of Kent.

            Earl of Gloucester.

            Edgar, son of Gloucester.

            Edmund, bastard son to Gloucester.

            Curan, a courtier.

            Old Man, tenant to Gloucester.

            Doctor.

            Lear's Fool.

            Oswald, steward to Goneril.

            A Captain under Edmund's command.

            Gentlemen.

            A Herald.

            Servants to Cornwall.

            Goneril, daughter to Lear.

            Regan, daughter to Lear.

            Cordelia, daughter to Lear.

            Knights attending on Lear, Officers, Messengers, Soldiers,

              Attendants.

      Scene: - Britain.

      ACT I. Scene I. [King Lear's Palace.]

      Enter Kent, Gloucester, and Edmund. [Kent and Glouceste converse.

      Edmund stands back.]

        Kent. I thought the King had more affected the Duke of Albany

      than

          Cornwall.

        Glou. It did always seem so to us; but now, in the division of

      the

          kingdom, it appears not which of the Dukes he values most,

      for

          equalities are so weigh'd that curiosity in neither can make

          choice of either's moiety.

        Kent. Is not this your son, my lord?

        Glou. His breeding, sir, hath been at my charge. I have so

      often

          blush'd to acknowledge him that now I am braz'd to't.

        Kent. I cannot conceive you.

        Glou. Sir, this young fellow's mother could; whereupon she grew

          round-womb'd, and had indeed, sir, a son for her cradle ere

      she

          had a husband for her bed. Do you smell a fault?

        Kent. I cannot wish the fault undone, the issue of it being so

          proper.

        Glou. But I have, sir, a son by order of law, some year elder

      than

          this, who yet is no dearer in my account. Though this knave

      came

          something saucily into the world before he was sent for, yet

      was

          his mother fair, there was good sport at his making, and the

          whoreson must be acknowledged.- Do you know this noble

      gentleman,

          Edmund?

        Edm. [comes forward] No, my lord.

        Glou. My Lord of Kent. Remember him hereafter as my honourable

          friend.

        Edm. My services to your lordship.

        Kent. I must love you, and sue to know you better.

        Edm. Sir, I shall study deserving.

        Glou. He hath been out nine years, and away he shall again.

                                                      Sound a sennet.

          The King is coming.

            Enter one bearing a coronet; then Lear; then the Dukes of

            Albany and Cornwall; next, Goneril, Regan, Cordelia, with

                                    Followers.

        Lear. Attend the lords of France and Burgundy, Gloucester.

        Glou. I shall, my liege.

                                      Exeunt [Gloucester and Edmund].

        Lear. Meantime we shall express our darker purpose.

          Give me the map there. Know we have divided

          In three our kingdom; and 'tis our fast intent

          To shake all cares and business from our age,

          Conferring them on younger strengths while we

          Unburthen'd crawl toward death. Our son of Cornwall,

          And you, our no less loving son of Albany,

          We have this hour a constant will to publish

          Our daughters' several dowers, that future strife

          May be prevented now. The princes, France and Burgundy,

          Great rivals in our youngest daughter's love,

          Long in our court have made their amorous sojourn,

          And here are to be answer'd. 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. Goneril,

          Our eldest-born, speak first.

        Gon. Sir, I love you more than words can wield the matter;

          Dearer than eyesight, space, and liberty;

          Beyond what can be valued, rich or rare;

          No less than life, with grace, health, beauty, honour;

          As much as child e'er lov'd, or father found;

          A love that makes breath poor, and speech unable.

          Beyond all manner of so much I love you.

        Cor. [aside] What shall Cordelia speak? Love, and be silent.

        Lear. Of all these bounds, even from this line to this,

          With shadowy forests and with champains rich'd,

          With plenteous rivers and wide-skirted meads,

          We make thee lady. To thine and Albany's issue

          Be this perpetual.- What says our second daughter,

          Our dearest Regan, wife to Cornwall? Speak.

        Reg. Sir, I am made

          Of the selfsame metal that my sister is,

          And prize me at her worth. In my true heart

          I find she names my very deed of love;

          Only she comes too short, that I profess

          Myself an enemy to all other joys

          Which the most precious square of sense possesses,

          And find I am alone felicitate

          In your dear Highness' love.

        Cor. [aside] Then poor Cordelia!

          And yet not so; since I am sure my love's

          More richer than my tongue.

        Lear. To thee and thine hereditary ever

          Remain this ample third of our fair kingdom,

          No less in space, validity, and pleasure

          Than that conferr'd on Goneril.- Now, our joy,

          Although the last, not least; to whose young love

          The vines of France and milk of Burgundy

          Strive to be interest; what can you say to draw

          A third more opulent than your sisters? Speak.

        Cor. Nothing, my lord.

        Lear. Nothing?

        Cor. Nothing.

        Lear. Nothing can come of nothing. Speak again.

        Cor. Unhappy that I am, I cannot heave

          My heart into my mouth. I love your Majesty

          According to my bond; no more nor less.

        Lear. How, how, Cordelia? Mend your speech a little,

          Lest it may mar your fortunes.

        Cor. Good my lord,

          You have begot me, bred me, lov'd me; I

          Return those duties back as are right fit,

          Obey you, love you, and most honour you.

          Why have my sisters husbands, if they say

          They love you all? Haply, when I shall wed,

          That lord whose hand must take my plight shall carry

          Half my love with him, half my care and duty.

          Sure I shall never marry like my sisters,

          To love my father all.

        Lear. But goes thy heart with this?

        Cor. Ay, good my lord.

        Lear. So young, and so untender?

        Cor. So young, my lord, and true.

        Lear. Let it be so! thy truth then be thy dower!

          For, by the sacred radiance of the sun,

          The mysteries of Hecate and the night;

          By all the operation of the orbs

          From whom we do exist and cease to be;

          Here I disclaim all my paternal care,

          Propinquity and property of blood,

          And as a stranger to my heart and me

          Hold thee from this for ever. 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 reliev'd,

          As thou my sometime daughter.

        Kent. Good my liege-

        Lear. Peace, Kent!

          Come not between the dragon and his wrath.

          I lov'd her most, and thought to set my rest

          On her kind nursery.- Hence and avoid my sight!-

          So be my grave my peace as here I give

          Her father's heart from her! Call France! Who stirs?

          Call Burgundy! Cornwall and Albany,

          With my two daughters' dowers digest this third;

          Let pride, which she calls plainness, marry her.

          I do invest you jointly in my power,

          Preeminence, and all the large effects

          That troop with majesty. Ourself, by monthly course,

          With reservation of an hundred knights,

          By you to be sustain'd, shall our abode

          Make with you by due turns. Only we still retain

          The name, and all th' additions to a king. The sway,

          Revenue, execution of the rest,

          Beloved sons, be yours; which to confirm,

          This coronet part betwixt you.

        Kent. Royal Lear,

          Whom I have ever honour'd as my king,

          Lov'd as my father, as my master follow'd,

          As my great patron thought on in my prayers-

        Lear. The bow is bent and drawn; make from the shaft.

        Kent. Let it fall rather, though the fork invade

          The region of my heart! Be Kent unmannerly

          When Lear is mad. What wouldst thou do, old man?

          Think'st thou that duty shall have dread to speak

          When power to flattery bows? To plainness honour's bound

          When majesty falls to folly. Reverse thy doom;

          And in thy best consideration check

          This hideous rashness. Answer my life

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