King Lear (40 page)
Authors: William Shakespeare
Act 1 Scene 5
1
before
ahead
3
demand out of
questions prompted by
8
kibes
chilblains
10
wit
intellect
10
slip-shod
in slippers (worn for chilblains)
13
Shalt
i.e. thou shalt
14
crab
sour-tasting crab apple
18
on’s
of his
20
side’s
side of his
22
her
i.e. Cordelia (though Goneril is just possible)
31
asses
idiots/donkeys (i.e. Lear’s servants)
31
the seven stars
the Pleiades
32
pretty
ingenious
35
again
back again (refers either to an intention to reclaim sovereignty, or to Goneril’s withdrawal of Lear’s privileges)
42
temper
my right state of mind
46
maid
virgin
47
things
penises
Act 2 Scene 1
2.1
Location: the Earl of Gloucester’s residence
2.1
severally
separately
1
Save thee
God save thee (a common greeting)
7
abroad
out there, in circulation
7
ones
i.e. the
news
, regarded as plural
7
ear-kissing arguments
rumored, whispered topics, not established truths
10
toward
impending
15
perforce
of necessity
16
take
arrest
17
queasy question
dangerous, uncertain nature
20
watches
is on guard, on the lookout
21
intelligence
information
24
i’th’haste
in haste
25
have … Albany
i.e. have you spoken in support of Cornwall and against Albany/have you spoken critically about Cornwall’s hostility to Albany
27
Advise yourself
consider
30
In cunning
to deceive (Gloucester; though playing on the fact that it is Edgar who is being tricked)
31
quit you
acquit yourself
34
beget … endeavour
give the impression that I fought more fiercely
35
fierce
violent/brave/zealous
40
conjuring
invoking
40
the moon
i.e. Hecate, goddess of the moon and of witchcraft
41
stand auspicious mistress
favor him as his patroness
50
bend
direct
52
fine
conclusion
53
loathly opposite
deeply opposed, horrified
54
fell
savage, ruthless
55
preparèd
unsheathed
55
charges home
makes a direct attack on
56
unprovided
unprotected
56
latched
caught
57
alarumed
stirred, roused
58
quarrel’s right
rightfulness of my cause
58
th’encounter
the fight
59
ghasted
frightened
60
Full
very
63
found — dispatch
once found, he shall be killed
64
arch and patron
chief patron
67
stake
i.e. place of execution
70
pight
determined
70
curst
angry
71
discover
reveal his plans
72
unpossessing
unable to take possession of land and property (illegitimate children could not legally inherit)
73
would stand against
stood against, contradicted
73
reposal
placing
75
faithed
believed
77
character
handwriting
78
suggestion
incitement to evil
78
practice
scheme
79
make … world
think the world very stupid
80
not thought
did not think
80
profits
i.e. benefits to Edmund
81
pregnant … spirits
fertile and powerful temptations (literally, evil spirits)
2.1
Tucket
personal trumpet call, here signaling the arrival of Cornwall
83
strange
unnatural
83
fastened
confirmed, determined
85
where
why
86
ports
seaports/gates of walled towns
87
picture
could also mean “description”
90
natural
naturally loyal and loving to one’s family (plays on the sense of “illegitimate”)
90
work the means
find a way
91
capable
able to inherit
101
tended upon
attended, waited on
103
consort
company (often pejorative)
104
though … affected
if he is ill-disposed
105
put him on
incited him to
106
th’expense
the spending
113
child-like
i.e. obedient, loving
113
office
duty/service
115
bewray
inform on, expose
115
his practice
Edgar’s plot
120
make … please
to achieve your ends, use my means and authority in any way you wish
121
For
as for
123
be ours
i.e. work for us, join our household
125
seize on
take possession of (legal term)
129
out of season
inconveniently, unconventionally
129
threading
finding a way through (sewing image)
129
dark-eyed
quibbling on the idea of a needle’s eye
130
occasions
events/circumstances
130
prize
importance
133
differences
disputes
134
from
away from
135
attend dispatch
wait to be dispatched
138
craves … use
requires immediate action.
Act 2 Scene 2
2.2
Location: outside the Earl of Gloucester’s residence
2.2
severally
separately
1
dawning
it is actually before dawn; we later learn that the moon shines
2
Ay
in fact, Kent is not a servant at this house; perhaps Kent opens up an opportunity to abuse Oswald
3
set
put, lodge (Kent plays on the sense of “fix, make stuck”)
4
mire
mud
5
if … me
i.e. if you would be so kind (Kent pretends to take the expression literally)
8
Lipsbury pinfold
the pound for stray animals in Lips-town (i.e. “between my teeth”)
10
use
treat
12
for
as
13
knave
rogue (two lines later the sense shifts to “servant”)
13
broken meats
scraps of food
14
three-suited
servingmen were permitted to have three outfits a year
14
hundred-pound
far more than a servingman’s income; possibly a contemptuous reference to those who bought knighthoods from James I for £100
15
worsted-stocking
i.e. servant/unable to afford silk stockings (worsted is a woollen fabric)
15
lily-livered
cowardly, with a bloodless liver (the organ thought to be the seat of strong emotions)
15
action-taking
litigious
16
whoreson
bastard
16
glass
mirror
16
glass-gazing
vain
16
super-serviceable
ready to do any kind of service
16
finical
fussy
17
one-trunk-inheriting
owner (or heir to) no more than would fit in a single trunk
17
bawd
pimp
18
service
plays on the sense of “sex”
18
composition
combination
19
pander
go-between/pimp
21
addition
attributes/title/mark of honor added to a coat of arms (ironic)
22
rail
rant, heap abuse
24
varlet
rogue
26
Draw
draw your sword
27
sop o’th’moonshine
i.e. beat you to a pulp (so that you resemble either a soggy piece of bread lying under the moon’s light, or the blancmange pudding called moonshine)
28
cullionly
rascally
28
barber-monger
frequenter of barbers (i.e. vain fop)
31
vanity the puppet
i.e. Goneril, imagined as a puppet (or dressed-up woman) who is the personification of vanity
32
carbonado
slash diagonally, like meat prepared for broiling or grilling
33
come your ways
come on then
35
neat
trim, foppish
39
With you
i.e. I’ll fight with you
39
Goodman
a man below the rank of gentleman
39
Goodman boy
a contemptuous and belittling form of address (used to Edmund)
40
flesh ye
initiate you (into fighting; from the practice of feeding dogs bits of freshly killed meat in order to excite them for prey)
45
difference
argument
47
bestirred your valour
worked up your courage (ironic)
48
disclaims in
disowns
48
tailor made thee
i.e. his only worth lies in his fancy clothes
51
ill
badly
55
suit … beard
his own request, because his old age required it
56
zed … letter
“z” was regarded as
unnecessary
because “s” could be used instead and there was no “z” in the Latin alphabet
57
unbolted
unsifted (plays on the sense of “unmanly/impotent”—a “bolt” was a term for the penis)
58
jakes
privy, toilet
59
wagtail
tail-wagger, obsequious person/womanizer
61
beastly
brutish
62
a privilege
license to express itself
65
honesty
honor, integrity
66
holy cords
sacred bonds (family or matrimonial ties)
66
a-twain
in two
67
too intrinse t’unloose
too intertwined to be disentangled
67
smooth
flatter, indulge
68
rebel
i.e. against reason
69
Being … fire
i.e. feed the fire of their masters’ passions
70
halcyon beaks
the kingfisher (halcyon) was thought to act as a weather vane if dried and hung up
71
gall
irritation
71
vary
change
73
epileptic visage
seeing Oswald smiling away his insults, Kent compares his expression to that of an epileptic, grimacing involuntarily
74
my
at my
74
as
as if
75
Goose
proverbially stupid bird; cackling suggests that Oswald may be laughing
75
if … Camelot
i.e. if I had you at my mercy, I’d send you running home in fright; the exact nature of this reference is unclear, though, as Camelot was sometimes identified with Winchester, some suspect a jibe about a “Winchester goose” (i.e. a prostitute/venereal disease)
75
Sarum
Salisbury, in Wiltshire
76
Camelot
legendary city that was home to King Arthur
82
likes
pleases
84
occupation
habit, business
90
saucy
insolent
90
constrains … nature
forces the style (of speaking) away from its true purpose
93
An
if
93
so
so be it
93
plain
honest (his excuse for his rudeness)
95
craft
cunning
95
corrupter
corrupt
96
ducking observants
bowing attendants
97
stretch … nicely
strain to perform their duties to the last detail
98
verity
truth
99
th’allowance
the approval
99
aspect
face/planetary position (in comparing Cornwall to a powerful planet, Kent mocks a courtier’s flattery)
100
influence
astrological influence
101
Phoebus
the Greek and Roman sun god
101
front
forehead
103
dialect
usual manner of speaking
104
beguiled
deceived
106
though … to’t
even if I should incur your displeasure by refusing (to be a
knave
) when asked
110
misconstruction
misinterpretation
111
compact
colluding (with the king)
112
being
and I being
113
deal of man
great show of manliness
114
worthied him
earned him honor/made him a hero
115
attempting … self-subdued
attacking one who offered no resistance
116
fleshment
excitement of a first success
116
dread exploit
fearsome military enterprise (sarcastic)
118
None … fool
there is not one of these rogues and cowards who cannot make a fool of a man like
Ajax
(the great Greek warrior was famously stupid; Cornwall is the subject of this dig)
120
stocks
instrument of public punishment in which the offender sat with his ankles and sometimes wrists confined
121
reverent
old and revered (sarcastic)
121
braggart
boaster
126
bold malice
impudent hostility
127
grace
sovereignty
133
use
treat
135
colour
type
136
sister
sister-in-law, i.e. Goneril
136
away
here/there (Cornwall directs where the stocks are to be placed)
141
answer
be responsible for
145
pleasure
will
147
rubbed
deflected (from bowling where the “rub” is the obstacle that disrupts the path of the ball)
148
watched
gone without sleep
150
out at heels
worn out (literally, coming through one’s stockings or shoes; an appropriate phrase for one whose feet are poking out of the stocks)
151
Give … morrow
Good-bye
153
approve
prove
153
saw
saying
154
out … sun
proverbial for going from good to bad; Kent means that Regan will prove worse than Goneril
156
beacon
i.e. the sun
156
this under globe
i.e. the earth
157
comfortable
comforting, encouraging
158
Nothing … misery
the miserable are almost the only people to see miracles
161
obscurèd course
secret (and “disguised”) course of action/dimmed fortunes
162
From
away from (i.e. in France)
162
enormous state
disordered situation (or country)
163
o’erwatched
worn out by lack of sleep
164
vantage
advantage
166
Fortune … wheel!
Fortune was traditionally depicted as a woman turning a wheel that raised humans up and cast them down
167
proclaimed
publicly declared an outlaw
168
happy
opportune, fortunate
171
attend my taking
wait to catch me
172
am bethought
have decided
174
in … man
despising mankind (in particular, man’s claim to be superior to beasts)
176
elf
tangle (into “elflocks” or messy knots of hair)
177
presented
openly displayed
180
Bedlam
the Saint Mary of Bethlehem hospital in London; a number of those who were released became beggars
181
mortifièd
deadened
182
pricks
spikes
183
object
sight
183
low
humble, lowly
184
pelting
paltry, insignificant
185
bans
curses
186
Turlygod
unexplained; perhaps a deliberately nonsensical name