King Lear (Modern, Folio)

Introduction
2. Textual Introduction
Texts of this edition
1. King Lear (Folio, 1623)
3. Modern
5. Extended modern
7. Old-spelling transcription
8. King Lear (Quarto 1, 1608)
10. Modern
12. Extended modern
14. Old-spelling transcription
15. King Lear (Quarto 2, 1619)
17. Old-spelling transcription
Contextual materials
1. Sources for the Lear story
3. Holinshed on King Lear
5. The History of King Leir
7. Albion's England (Selection)
9. Hardyng's Chronicle (Selection)
11. Kings of Britain
13. Chronicles of England
15. Faerie Queene
17. The Mirror for Magistrates
18. Sources for the Gloucester plot
20. The Arcadia
22. A Declaration of Egregious Popish Impostures
23. Literary, political, and social contexts
25. Aristotle on tragedy
27. The Book of Job (Selections)
29. The Monk's Tale (Selections)
31. The Defense of Poetry
33. The First Blast of the Trumpet
35. Basilicon Doron
37. On Bastards
39. On Aging
40. King Lear's afterlife
42. King Lear (Adapted by Nahum Tate)
Facsimiles

[Scene 16 in Quarto]
 4.2.0.122664.2
 4.2.0.22267Enter Goneril, [Edmund the] Bastard, and [Oswald, the] steward.
 4.2.12268Goneril
 Welcome, my lord. I marvel our mild husband
 4.2.22269Not met us on the way. Now, where's your master?
 4.2.32270Oswald
 Madam, within, but never man so changed.
 4.2.42271I told him of the army that was landed;
 4.2.52272He smiled at it. I told him you were coming;
 4.2.62273His answer was "The worse." Of Gloucester's treachery
 4.2.72274And of the loyal service of his son,
 4.2.82275When I informed him, then he called me sot
 4.2.92276And told me I had turned the wrong side out.
 4.2.102277What most he should dislike seems pleasant to him,
 4.2.112278What like, offensive.
 2279Goneril
 What like, offensive.  [To the Bastard] Then shall you go no further.
 4.2.122280It is the cowish terror of his spirit
 4.2.132281That dares not undertake. He'll not feel wrongs
 4.2.142282Which tie him to an answer. Our wishes on the way
 4.2.152283May prove effects. Back, Edmund, to my brother;
 4.2.162284Hasten his musters, and conduct his powers.
 4.2.172285I must change names at home and give the distaff
 4.2.182286Into my husband's hands. This trusty servant
 4.2.192287Shall pass between us. Ere long you are like to hear,
 4.2.202288If you dare venture in your own behalf,
 4.2.212289A mistress's command. Wear this--spare speech.
 4.2.20.1[Gives him a favor of some kind.]
 4.2.222290Decline your head.
 4.2.22.1[She kisses him.]
 Decline your head.  This kiss, if it durst speak,
 4.2.232291Would stretch thy spirits up into the air.
 4.2.242292Conceive--and fare thee well.
 4.2.252293Bastard
 Yours in the ranks of death.
 4.2.25.1Exit.
 2294Goneril
 Yours in the ranks of death.  My most dear Gloucester.
 4.2.262295Oh, the difference of man and man.
 4.2.272296To thee a woman's services are due--
 4.2.282297My fool usurps my body.
 4.2.292298Oswald
 Madam, here comes my lord.
 4.2.29.1[Exit Oswald.]
 4.2.30.12299Enter Albany.
 4.2.302300Goneril
 I have been worth the whistle.
 2301Albany
 I have been worth the whistle.  O Goneril,
 4.2.312302You are not worth the dust which the rude wind
 4.2.322303Blows in your face.
 2304Goneril
 Blows in your face.  Milk-livered man,
 4.2.332305That bear'st a cheek for blows, a head for wrongs,
 4.2.342306Who hast not in thy brows an eye discerning
 4.2.352307Thine honor from thy suffering39.
 2308Albany
 Thine honor from thy suffering.  See thyself, devil.
 4.2.362309Proper deformity seems not in the fiend
 4.2.372310So horrid as in woman.
 2311Goneril
 So horrid as in woman.  O vain fool.
 4.2.37.12312Enter a Messenger.
 4.2.382313Messenger
 O my good lord, the Duke of Cornwall's dead,
 4.2.392314Slain by his servant, going to put out
 4.2.402315The other eye of Gloucester.
 2316Albany
 The other eye of Gloucester.  Gloucester's eyes?
 4.2.412317Messenger
 A servant that he bred, thrilled with remorse,
 4.2.422318Opposed against the act; bending his sword
 4.2.432319To his great master, who, threat-enraged,
 4.2.442320Flew on him, and amongst them felled him dead;
 4.2.452321But not without that harmful stroke which since
 4.2.462322Hath plucked him after.
 23232076Albany
 Hath plucked him after.  This shows you are above
 4.2.472324You justices, 2077that these our nether crimes
 4.2.482325So speedily can venge. 2078But oh, poor Gloucester,
 4.2.492326Lost he his other eye?
 2327Messenger
 Lost he his other eye?  Both, both, my lord.
 4.2.502328[To Goneril] This letter, madam, craves a speedy answer.
 4.2.512329'Tis from your sister.
 2330Goneril
 'Tis from your sister.  [Aside] One way I like this well;
 4.2.522331But being widow, and my Gloucester with her,
 4.2.532332May all the building in my fancy pluck
 4.2.542333Upon my hateful life. Another way
 4.2.552334The news is not so tart. [Aloud] I'll read, and answer.
 4.2.55.1[Exit Goneril.]
 4.2.5623352085Albany
 Where was his son 2336when they did take his eyes?
 4.2.5723372086Messenger
 Come with my lady hither.
 2338Albany
 Come with my lady hither.  He is not here?
 4.2.582339Messenger
 No, my good lord, I met him back again.
 4.2.592340Albany
 Knows he the wickedness?
 4.2.602341Messenger
 Ay, my good lord, 'twas he informed against him,
 4.2.612342And quit the house on purpose that their punishment
 4.2.622343Might have the freer course.
 2344Albany
 Might have the freer course.  Gloucester, I live
 4.2.632345To thank thee for the love thou showed'st the King,
 4.2.642346And to revenge thine eyes.--Come hither, friend,
 4.2.652347Tell me what more thou knowest.
 4.2.65.142Exeunt.42.1

Internet Shakespeare Editions

Reading Room

Toolbox

About this text

King Lear (Modern, Folio)