King Lear

King Lear

1. Divine imagery

   • These late eclipses in the sun and moon portend no good to us
     • To lay his goatish disposition on the charge of a star
   • Strike flat the thick rotundity o' the world
   • Here i stand your slave, a poor, infirm weak and despised old man
   • Expose thyself to feel how wretches feel , that thou mayst shake the superflux to them and show the heavens more just
   • as flies to wanton boys are we to the gods, they kill us for their sport
   • Oh you kind gods, cure this great breach in his abused nature
   • The gods defend her

2. Animal imagery

   • Marble hearted fiend
   • Unaccommodated man is no more but such a poor, bare, forked animal
   • The little dogs they bark at me
   • thou art a fiend a womans shape doth shield thee
   • Thy wolfish visgae
   • How sharper than a serpents tooth it is to have a thankless child
   • Unnatural hags
   • tigers not daughters

3. Loyalty

   • My life i have never held but as a pawn to wage against thine enemies, nor fear to lose it thy safety being motive
   • Thy master whom thou lov'st shall find thee full of labours

4. Betrayal

   • I am made of that self metal as my sister...only she comes to short, that i profess myself an enemy to all other joys
     • 'tis the infirmity oi his age; yet he hath ever but slenderly known himself
     • O sir you are old
   • I love you more than words can weild the matter dearer than eye-sight space and liberty
     • He always loved our sister most
   • Nothing will come of nothing speak again
     • Better thou hadst not been born than not t'have pleased me better
     • O most small fault how ugly didst thou in cordelia show
   • I gave you all...In good time you gave it
     • what need one
   • Thou call on him that hates thee
     • Shall the duke instantly know

5. Bad characters

   • my practises ride easy .....if not by birth i shall have land by wit
     • Which of them shall i take? both? one or neither?
   • into her womb convey sterility
   • there was good sport at his making
   • Pluck out his eyes
     • Shut up your doors
     • One side will both another th'other too
     • Let him smell his way to dover
     • It was with great ignorance , Gloucesters eyes being out, to let him live
   • May gods stand up for bastards
     • Thou nature art my goodess
   • Her sister by her is poisoned she confesses
   • I had rather loose the battle than that sister should loosen him and me
     • Put on what weary negligence you please
     • A little to disquanity your train

6. Lears madness/ decline in power

   • I am a fool though art nothing
   • Thou shouldst not have been old till thou hadst been wise
   • O let me not be mad
   • Infirmity doth still neglect all office whereto health is bound
   • Rather i abjure all roofs, and choose to be comrade with wolf and owl
   • I am a man more sinned against than sinning
   • My wits begin to turn
   • I prithee daughter do not make me mad
   • Is man no more than this

7. Good characters

   • I love your majesty according to my bond no more no less
     • I would prefer him to a better place
     • time shall unfold what plighted cunning hides
     • No cause no cause
   • I have one part in my heart that's sorry yet for thee
     • the art of our necessities is strange than can make vilde things precious
     • I have ta'en too little care of this
   • You are not worth the dust which the rude wind blows in your face
     • This milky gentleness of yours
   • Some villian hath done me wrong
   • O villian, Villian
     • My son edgar had he a hand to write this ?