King Lear (Quarto 2, 1619)

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

The History of King Lear.
 2311.32108To let these hands obey my bloud,
 2311.42109They are apt enough to dislecate and teare
 2311.52110Thy flesh and bones, how ere thou art a fiend,
 2311.62111A womans shape doth shield thee.
 2311.72112Gon. Marry your man-hood now ------- 
 
 23122113Enter a Gentleman.
 2114Alb. What newes?
 23132115Gent. O my good Lord, the Duke of Cornwalls dead, slaine by
 23142116his seruant, going to put out the other eie of Gloster.
 23162117Alb. Glosters eyes?
 23172118Gen. A seruant that he bred, thrald with remorse,
 23182119Oppos'd against the acte, bending his sword
 23192120To his great master, who thereat enraged,
 23202121Flew on him, and amongst them feld him dead,
 23212122But not without that harmfull stroke,
 2123Which since hath pluckt him after.
 23232124Alb. This shewes you are aboue your Iustices,
 23242125That these our neather crimes so speedily can venge.
 23252126But oh poore Glocester, lost he his other eye?
 23272127Gent. Both, both my Lord, this letter Madam, craues a speedy
 23282128Answer, tis from your sister.
 23302129Gon. One way I like this well,
 23312130But being widow, and my Glocester with her,
 23322131May all the building on my fancy plucke,
 23332132Vpon my hatefull life, another way the newes is not so tooke,
 23342133Ile reade and answer. Exit.
 23352134Alb. Where was his sonne when they did take his eies?
 23372135Gent. Come with my Lady hither.
 23382136Alb. He is not here.
 23392137Gent. No my good Lord, I met him backe againe.
 23402138Alb. Knowes he the wickednesse?
 23412139Gent. I my good Lord, twas he inform'd against him,
 23422140And quit the house on purpose, that their punishment
 23432141Might haue the freer course.
 23442142Alb. Glocester, I liue to thanke thee for the loue
 23452143Thou shewedst the King, and to reuenge thy eyes;
Come
H3

Internet Shakespeare Editions

Reading Room

Toolbox

About this text

King Lear (Quarto 2, 1619)