Not Peer Reviewed
- Edition: King Lear
King Lear (Modern, Extended Quarto)
- Introduction
- Texts of this edition
- Contextual materials
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- Holinshed on King Lear
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- The History of King Leir
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- Albion's England (Selection)
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- Hardyng's Chronicle (Selection)
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- Kings of Britain
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- Chronicles of England
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- Faerie Queene
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- The Mirror for Magistrates
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- The Arcadia
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- A Declaration of Egregious Popish Impostures
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- Aristotle on tragedy
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- The Book of Job (Selections)
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- The Monk's Tale (Selections)
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- The Defense of Poetry
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- The First Blast of the Trumpet
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- Basilicon Doron
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- On Bastards
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- On Aging
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- King Lear (Adapted by Nahum Tate)
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- Facsimiles
1996[Scene 13]
19971715Enter Gloucester and Lear, [with] Kent, [disguised, the] Fool, and [Edgar disguised as Poor] Tom.
Here is better than the open air. Take it 1999thankfully. I 1717will piece out the comfort with what addition I 2000can. I will not be 1718long from you.
[Exit Gloucester.]
Frateretto calls me, and tells me Nero is an 2005angler in the 1722lake of darkness. Pray, innocent. Beware 2006the foul fiend.
Lear
33.3A king, a king.
2010Fool
Lear
The foul fiend bites my back.
He's mad that trusts in the tameness of a wolf, 2014.3a 1729horse's health, a boy's love, or a whore's oath.
It shall be done. I will arraign them straight.
[Sings.]
Come o'er the burn Bessy, to me.
[Sings.]
The foul fiend haunts poor Tom in the voice of a nightingale. 2014.121738Hoppedance cries in Tom's belly for two white herring. 2014.131739Croak not, black angel, I have no food for thee.
I'll see their trial first. Bring in their evidence. [To Edgar] Thou 2014.171743robed man of justice, take thy place; [To the Fool] and thou, his yokefellow of 2014.181744equity, bench by his side. [To Kent] You are o'th'commission, sit you too.
Let us deal justly.
[Sings]
Sleepest or wakest, thou jolly shepherd,
Thy sheep shall take no harm.
Purr, the cat is gray.
Arraign her first. 'Tis Goneril. I here take my oath before 2014.231749this honorable assembly she kicked the poor king her father.
Come hither, mistress. Is your name Goneril?
She cannot deny it.
Cry you mercy, I took you for a join-stool.
And here's another whose warped looks proclaim,
Bless thy five wits.
Oh, pity! Sir, where is the patience now,
[Aside] My tears begin to take his part so much
The little dogs and all,
Tom will throw his head at them. Avaunt, you 2023curs!
1765Be thy mouth or black or white,
2024Tooth that poisons if it bite,
2026Hound or spaniel, brach, or him,
2028Tom will make them weep and wail,
2031Loudla doodla, come march to wakes and fairs and 20321770market towns. Poor Tom, thy horn is dry.
Then let them anatomize Regan, see what 2034breeds about her 1772heart. Is there any cause in nature that 2035makes this hardness? 1773[To Edgar] You, sir, I entertain you for one of 2036my hundred, 1774only I do not like the fashion of your 2037garments. You'll say 1775they are Persian attire, but let them be 2038changed.
Now, good my lord, lie here awhile.
Make no noise, make no noise, draw the 2042curtains, so, so, so. 1778We'll go to supper i'th'morning, so, so, so.
33[He sleeps.]
Fool
33.5And I'll go to bed at noon.
2039Enter Gloucester.
Come hither, friend. 2045Where is the King, my master?
Here, sir, but trouble him not. His wits are gone.
Good friend, I prithee take him in thy arms.
2051Both welcome and protection. Take up thy master.
2055And follow me, that will to some provision
Oppressèd nature sleeps.
Thou must not stay behind.
Come, come away.
Exeunt [all but Edgar].
When we our betters see bearing our woes