Internet Shakespeare Editions

Toolbox




Jump to line
Help on texts
About this text
Print this page

About this text

  • Title: King Lear (Quarto 2, 1619)
  • Editor: Pervez Rizvi
  • Coordinating editor: Michael Best

    • ISBN: 978-1-55058-463-9

    Copyright Michael Best. This text may be freely used for educational, non-profit purposes; for all other uses contact the Editor.
    Author: William Shakespeare
    Editor: Pervez Rizvi
    Not Peer Reviewed

    King Lear (Quarto 2, 1619)

    The History of King Lear.
    2300Gon. I haue bene worth the whistle.

    Enter the Duke of Albeney.
    Alb. O Gonorill, you are not worth the dust which the winde
    Blowes in your face, I feare your disposition,
    2303.1That nature which contemnes it origin,
    Cannot be bordered certaine in it selfe,
    She that her selfe will sliuer and disbranch
    From her materiall sap, perforce must wither,
    2303.5And come to deadly vse.
    Gon. No more, the text is foolish.
    Alb. Wisedome and goodnesse to the vilde seeme vilde,
    Filths sauour but themselues, what haue you done?
    Tygers, not daughters, what haue you perform'd?
    2303.10A father, and a gracious aged man,
    Whose reuerence the head-lugd Beare would licke;
    Most barbarous, most degenerate haue you madded;
    Could my good brother suffer you to do it?
    A man, a Prince, by him so beneflicted,
    2303.15If that the heauens do not their visible spirits
    Send quickly downe to tame the vilde offences, it will come
    Humanly must perforce prey on it selfe, like monsters of the
    deepe.
    Gon. Milke liuer'd man,
    2305That bearest a cheeke for blowes, a head for wrongs,
    Who hast not in thy browes an eie deseruing thine honour,
    From thy suffering, that not know'st fooles, do these villains pity
    2307.1Who are punisht ere they haue done their mischiefe,
    Where's thy drum? France spreds his banners in our noiselesse
    Land, with plumed helme thy slaier begins threats,
    Whiles thou a morall foole, sits still and cries
    2307.5Alacke, why does he so?
    Alb. See thy selfe diuell, proper deformiry seemes not in the
    fiend, so horrid as in woman.
    Gon. O vaine foole.
    2311.1Alb. Thou chang'd and selfe-couerd thing, for shame
    Be-monster not thy feature, wer't my fitnesse
    To
    About
    Contact us
    Content quality
    Site guide
    © Internet Shakespeare Editions
    Copyright details
    Privacy policy
    This site is supported by:
    University of Victoria
    Friends of the ISE
    SSHRC