William Shakespeare - The Complete Works/William Shakespeare - The Complete Works on CD-ROM.iso/library/line/lrf/lrf4.txt

Text File | 1994-05-22 | 11.1 KB | 312 lines

Act 1 Scene 4

Kent has disguised himself, and now applies to
Lear for a job. When Oswald, GonerilÆs servant, is
disrespectful in speaking to the king, Kent strikes
him. The Fool comments on LearÆs folly in giving
away his crown. Goneril complains to her father
about the behaviour of his knights, and insists that
their number must be reduced. Lear pronounces a
terrible curse on his eldest daughter. He leaves
GonerilÆs house and sets off to make his home with
Regan. GonerilÆs husband, Albany, reproaches
her; but Goneril is unrepentant. She sends a letter
to her sister.
2     diffuse: disguise.
2, 3     my good . . . issue: I may be able to carry
out my good intentions properly.
4     razed my likeness: altered my
appearance; Kent has perhaps shaved off (ôrazedö)
his beard.
banished Kent: Kent makes sure that the audience
can recognize his character in the new disguise.
6     So may it come: with any luck it will
happen that.
7     full of labours: very useful.
7s.d     Horns within: The sound of horns,
offstage, indicates the kingÆs return from hunting.
8     Let . . . jot: DonÆt keep me waiting for
one moment; Lear is obviously not an easy guest to
entertain.
11     What . . . profess?: What do you claim to
be? Lear means simply ôWhat is your job?ö, but
KentÆs answer is less direct.
wouldÆst thou: do you want.
13     seem: appear.
15     converse: consort, keep company with.
16     fear judgement: i.e. the final judgement
on his life, made by some divine judge.
cannot choose: cannot do anything else.
17     eat no fish: This seems to be a joke ù
but its meaning is not clear.
19, 20     as poor as the king: Kent is risking the
kingÆs displeasure with this joke, but Lear
responds with good humour.
27     countenance: bearing, manner.
28     would fain: would like to.
32     honest counsel: an honourable secret.
curious: complicated; Kent seems to be saying that
he cannot tell fanciful stories ù i.e. he speaks only
the plain truth.
37     to love: as to love.
42     knave: boy.
45     So please you: Oswald is treating Lear
with the ôweary negligenceö recommended by
Goneril in 1, 3, 13.
46     clotpoll: blockhead.
52     roundest: rudest.
55, 56, 57, 58, 59, 60     The knight chooses
his words carefully to avoid giving offence to his
master.
56     entertained: treated.
57     ceremonious affection: the ceremony
(due to a king) and the affection (due to a father).
wont: accustomed to.
58     abatement: decrease.
59     general dependents: the servants in
general.
65     thou . . . conception: you are only
reminding me of what I thought myself.
66     most faint: hardly noticeable.
67, 68     mine own . . . unkindness: I put it down
to my own worries about whether they were
treating me properly.
68     very pretence and purpose: actual
intention.
72     hath much pined away: has been very
distressed.
78     whoreson: mis-begotten.
82     bandy: exchange; the metaphor is from
the game of tennis, where the players ôbandyö the
ball from one to another.
83     strucken: struck; Oswald refuses to be
LearÆs tennis-ball.
84     tripped: Kent kicks Oswald, and suggests
that he is better suited to a different game ù tennis
was played only by aristocrats, but football was a
game for servants.
88, 89     teach you differences: make you learn
your position.
89, 90     measure . . . length: be thrown to the
ground again like the clumsy lout that you are.
90     tarry: stay here.
91     wisdom: any sense.
So: thatÆs right.
93     earnest: earnest-money ù a small sum
paid to secure a contract.
94     coxcomb: foolÆs cap; the professional
jester wore the head and neck of a cock in his cap.
96     Sirrah: The Fool uses a form of ôsirö
which is normally addressed to inferiors.
you were best: you had better.
99     smile as the wind sits: take the winning
side.
100     catch cold: be out of favour.
101     onÆs: of his.
102     did . . . will: The fool asserts that by
disinheriting Cordelia, Lear has in fact done her a
favour ù she is now Queen of France.
104     nuncle: mine uncle; the affectionate,
childish abbreviation emphasizes the FoolÆs simple
dependence on Lear.
Would: I wish.
107     living: property.
108     beg . . daughters: ask your daughters to
give you another one (so Lear will be twice a fool).
109     whip: The fool was allowed to take
considerable liberties in his jesting, but he would
be whipped if he went too far.
110     TruthÆs . . . fire: Truth is like a dog, that
must be whipped and sent to his kennel, whilst the
fawning pet ù ôBrachö was a common name for
bitch hounds ù can live indoors, however much it
smells.
113     ôThat pains meö Lear may be referring to
something the fool has said, or meditating on his
own situation; a ôgallö is a rubbed sore.
117     Have . . . showest: donÆt display
everything you possess.
118     Speak . . . knowest: donÆt tell everything
you know.
119     Lend . . . owest: lend less than you own.
120     Ride . . . goest: ride more than you walk.
121     Learn . . . trowest: donÆt believe all that
they tell you.
122     Set . . . throwest: donÆt put all that you win
on a single throw (of the dice).
124     keep in-a-door: stay at home.
125     And . . . score: i.e. you will do better than
most people.
128     breath of an unfeeÆd lawyer: A lawyer
will not plead a case unless he is paid.
131     nothing . . . nothing: nothing can only be
multiplied into nothing; see 1, 1, 89.
132     so much . . . comes to: i.e. nothing; Lear
has no ôlandö ù property ù now.
134     bitter: sarcastic.
140     What . . . be?: Lear gives a ôfeedö to his
fool.
142     meat: i.e. the yolk.
143     clovest: split.
144     thou . . . dirt: The fool refers to one of
AesopÆs fables about a man who, for fear of
overloading the beast, carried his ass to the market.
146     like myself: i.e. like a fool.
147     so: true.
148     Fools . . . apish: Fools have never been so
much out of favour as they are at the present time,
when wise men have become so silly: instead of
using their intelligence, they imitate (ape) the
fools.
153     used it: made a habit of it.
158     bo-peep: a childrenÆs game which
involves covering the eyes and pretending not to
see.
163     kin: relationship.
166     pared: peeled.
171     what . . . on: why are you looking like
that; a ôfrontletö was a band worn round the
forehead.
174     an O without a figure: a zero with no
other number before it to give it value ù i.e.
nothing.
179     Mum, Mum: softly, softly. ôHe who gives
everything away (nor . . . nor = neither . . . nor)
because he is tired of it all, will one day want it
back.ö
182     shealed peascod: shelled peapod.
183     all-licensed fool: see note to line 104.
184     other: others.
185     carp: find fault with things.
186     rank: gross.
188     safe redress: sure remedy.
189     too late: only recently.
190     put it on: encourage it.
191     By your allowance: by giving your
permission.
195, 196     which . . . proceeding: GonerilÆs
speech is curiously involved in its syntax; she
seems to be saying to her father ôIf you are
encouraging this misbehaviour (ôcourseÆÆ), you are
making a mistake (ôfaultÆÆ) which cannot go
unnoticed (ôÆscape censureÆÆ); and I shall have to
find remedies for the misbehaviour ù even though
in my desire for a healthy state of affairs
(ôwholesome wealÆÆ) I might have to adopt
measures whose effects (ôworkingÆÆ) are
displeasing to you, and which at any other time
would be wrong of me (ôelse were shameÆÆ); but
when it is seen how necessary this is, it will be
called a sensible course of actionö.
198, 199     The . . . young: Cuckoos, which are
quite large birds, lay their eggs in the nests of
smaller birds ù which then have to rear the young
cuckoo. The foolÆs couplet sounds like proverbial
wisdom.
199     it: its.
200     darkling: in the dark.
202     I would: I wish.
203     are fraught: have plenty.
204     dispositions: states of mind.
206     May . . . horse?: May not a fool see that
something is wrong when a daughter gives orders
to her father.
207     Whoop . . . thee: This must be the refrain
of a song ù which is now lost; ôJugö is a
nickname for ôJoanö.
210     notion: mind.
discernings: understanding.
211     lethargied: slowed down.
waking?: am I awake?
Ætis not so: I canÆt believe this ù I must be
dreaming.
215     admiration: pretence of amazement.
oÆthÆsavour: of the same kind.
216     other your: others of your.
pranks: childish tricks.
217     my purposes: what I mean.
218     should: you should.
220     disordered: disorderly.
222     Shows: looks like.
Epicurism: gluttony.
224     graced: graced with the royal presence.
225     desired: requested.
227     disquantity: reduce the size of.
228     remainders . . . depend: those who
remain as your followers.
229     besort: be suitable for.
230     ôWho know their own places, and
understand what you need.ö
235     Woe, that too late repents: woe unto him
that repents when it is too late.
239     the sea-monster: any sea-monster.
241     kite: carrion-bird.
242     choice and rarest parts: chosen for their
very special abilities.
243     ôWho know exactly what is expected of
them.ö
244     And . . . name: And are most careful to
live up to their reputations.
247     Which . . . place: Lear seems to be saying
that CordeliaÆs behaviour, like some kind of
powerful instrument (ôengineö), has thrown his
whole being out of order.
259     derogate: dishonoured.
260     teem: bear children.
261     spleen: evil temper.
262     thwart: perverse.
disnatured: unnatural.
264     cadent: falling.
fret: wear away.
265     her . . . benefits: the cares and joys that a
mother should have.
266     To . . . contempt: into a source for other
peopleÆs laughter and contempt.
268     a serpentÆs tooth: a snakeÆs bite.
270     gods: by all the gods.
272     let . . . give it: let him have his mood
(ôdispositionö) since heÆs in his dotage.
274     fifty of my followers: It is dramatically
effective that Lear should lose half his attendants
so suddenly (ôat a clapö) ù although it is difficult
to explain when the dismissal could have taken
place.
275     Within a fortnight: Lear has been staying
with Goneril for less than two weeks.
280     untented woundings: wounds too deep to
be cleansed by a ôtentö ù a roll of lint which
could be used for either probing or dressing a
wound.
281     fond: foolish.
282     Beweep: if you weep for.
283     loose: let fall.
284     temper: soften.
286     kind and comfortable: offering comfort
as a daughter should.
289     shape: appearance ù i.e. as a king.
299     Should sure: should certainly be sent.
300     halter: hangmanÆs noose; the word was
pronounced (with ôafterö) to rhyme with ôcaught
herö, ôdaughterö and ôslaughterö.
302 - 313     This man . . . thÆunfitness: om. Q.
304     At point: armed and ready.
305     buzz: rumour.
306     enguard: protect.
307     in mercy: at his mercy.
309     still: always.
310     Not . . . taken: rather than be in constant
fear for my own safety.
311     writ: written to.
316     away to horse: ride off quickly.
317     particular: personal.
319     compact: strengthen, confirm.
321     This . . . yours: your mild and gentle
course of action.
322     under pardon: if you donÆt mind me
saying so.
323     attasked for: charged with.
324     harmful mildness: a leniency that could be
dangerous.
328     thÆevent: letÆs see what will happen.