King lear, p.25
King Lear, page 25
137 sway authority, rule
145 make … shaft avoid the arrow (of my anger)
146 fork barbed arrowhead
148 thou kings are almost always addressed, respectfully, as “you”; Kent is unmannerly in his use of the familiar “thou”
151 Reserve thy state retain your sovereignty
152 in … consideration with wise and careful reflection
153 Answer … judgement I’ll stake my life on my opinion
156 Reverb no hollowness do not reverberate hollowly (i.e. emptily/insincerely)
158 held regarded, valued
158 pawn a pledge, surety
159 wage deposit as security
163 blank center of a target/line of sight (Kent asks to be the means to help Lear see better)
164 Apollo Greek and Roman sun god
167 vassal servant/wretch
167 Miscreant villain (literally, “infidel, unbeliever”)
168 forbear stop, desist
169 Kill … disease i.e. Lear has got things the wrong way round
170 foul disease loathsome, festering disease/syphilis
173 recreant traitor
174 That in that, since
175 durst dared
175 strained excessive/unnatural
176 sentences pronouncements, decisions
177 nor … nor neither … nor
177 place status, rank
178 potency power
178 made good being carried into effect/shown to be valid/secured, defended
180 disasters misfortunes
183 trunk body
184 Jupiter supreme Roman god
186 sith since
190 your … approve may your actions prove the truth of your grand statements
193 shape … course behave in his usual manner
1.1 Flourish trumpet fanfare signaling the arrival of an important person
197 rivalled competed
197 in the least at the lowest
198 present dower immediately available dowry
202 tender offer
204 hold her so consider her to be dear (i.e. beloved/worth a great deal)
206 aught anything
206 little seeming substance insignificant (or physically small) thing/one who totally refuses to play a part
207 pieced augmented, increased
208 fitly like justly please
211 infirmities deficiencies
211 owes owns
213 Dowered with given as a dowry
213 strangered made a stranger, disowned
216 Election … up choice is impossible
218 tell you inform you of/enumerate
219 from … stray stray so far from your love as
225 your object your focus, the object of your sight (the apple of your eye)
226 argument theme
226 balm soothing ointment
227 trice mere moment
228 monstrous unnatural
228 dismantle strip off (the folds of the metaphorical cloth of favor)
231 monsters it it becomes monstrous
231 fore-vouched previously sworn
232 Fall into taint (must) come under suspicion
232 which … me i.e. and to believe in all reason that she had committed such a monstrous offense would require a miracle
236 for (your anger is) because
236 want lack
237 purpose not not intend to do what I say
239 foulness wickedness/moral impurity
242 for which i.e. for lack of which
243 still-soliciting constantly entreating, self-seeking
248 tardiness in nature natural slowness
249 history account (of an action)
252 regards … point irrelevant concerns
263 respect and fortunes status and wealth
266 Most choice forsaken most desirable when rejected
267 seize upon take possession of (legal term)
268 be it lawful provided it is lawful
269 their may refer to either the gods or to Lear and Burgundy
270 inflamed glowing, ardent
271 thrown … chance cast to my luck (gambling metaphor)
273 wat’rish well-watered (with rivers)/wet, feeble
274 unprized unvalued (may play on a sense of “priceless”)
275 though unkind though they are cruel (or “lacking in natural familial affection”)
276 where somewhere, place
280 grace favor (with connotations of “divinely sanctioned mercy”)
280 benison blessing
283 washèd i.e. wet with tears
286 as … named by their true names
287 your professèd bosoms i.e. the love you claim to have for him
287 commit entrust; perhaps with connotations of “confine (to prison)”
289 prefer advance, promote
292 study concern, endeavor
294 At fortune’s alms as a charitable gift from fortune
294 scanted stinted, withheld/slighted, neglected
295 are … wanted deserve to be deprived of the love you have failed to show (to others)
296 plighted cunning secret cunning/deceitful promises
297 Who … derides those who hide their faults will in the end be shamed and mocked
300 nearly closely
307 grossly obviously
308 ever always
309 slenderly slightly
310 The … rash even at his best and healthiest he was impulsive
311 look expect
312 long-engrafted condition long-implanted tendencies
312 therewithal in addition to that
313 choleric irascible, hot-tempered, impulsive/bilious; one of the four “humors” or temperaments thought to be related to an excess of bile in the constitution
315 unconstant starts unpredictable fits
317 compliment etiquette, ceremony
318 sit together i.e. get together, confer
319 carry maintain, manage
319 disposition frame of mind
320 last surrender recent yielding (of authority)
320 offend harm
322 i’th’heat immediately
Act 1 Scene 2
1.2 Location: the Earl of Gloucester’s residence
2 Wherefore why
3 Stand in endure/stand still under
4 curiosity scruples, fussiness
4 nations i.e. society
5 moonshines months
6 Lag of behind (i.e. younger than)
6 base illegitimate (also low/unworthy/dishonorable)
7 dimensions physical proportions
7 compact composed
8 generous noble
8 true well-proportioned/authentic, true to his father’s likeness
9 honest madam’s issue a legitimate child
11 Who i.e. we bastards who
11 take require/receive
12 More … quality a more complex creation and more vigorous disposition
14 fops weak fools
15 Got conceived
18 As the same as
19 speed succeed
20 invention scheme
21 to th’legitimate advance to (or “take over”) the place of the legitimate son; editors sometimes emend this to “top the legitimate”
23 choler anger
23 parted departed
24 Prescribed restricted, limited
25 exhibition an allowance, maintenance
26 gad spur of the moment
28 up away
32 terrible dispatch fearful and hasty stowing away
37 for as for
38 o’erlooking reading
44 essay or taste test
45 policy … age policy of revering the old (policy also suggests the “strategic cunning” of the elderly)
46 the … times i.e. our youth, our prime
46 fortunes inheritance
47 relish savor, enjoy
47 idle useless
48 fond foolish
49 sways rules
49 as … suffered only insofar as it is allowed to do so
58 casement window
58 closet private room
59 character handwriting
60 matter subject matter
61 in … that given the contents
61 fain willingly
67 at perfect age being mature
67 declined old/ill
72 sirrah sir (used to social inferiors and children)
72 apprehend arrest
73 Abominable often, popularly, "inhuman, unnatural" (from the incorrect belief that the word was derived from the Latin ab homine, i.e. “away from man”)
77 run … course proceed securely
77 where whereas
77 proceed perhaps with legal connotations (in keeping with apprehend and testimony)
80 pawn down pledge
81 feel test, feel out
82 pretence intention, purpose
84 meet suitable
85 auricular assurance i.e. by hearing for yourself
86 have your satisfaction resolve yourself of any doubt
89 wind … him insinuate yourself into his confidence for me
89 frame devise, arrange
90 unstate … resolution give up my rank and wealth to be resolved on this matter
92 presently immediately
92 convey manage, undertake
93 withal therewith
94 late recent
95 wisdom of nature human reason/natural science
96 scourged punished
96 sequent effects subsequent events
101 bias of nature natural inclination (a bowling image: the bias refers to the curving path taken by a weighted ball)
104 it … nothing i.e. it will advantage you
108 excellent foppery supreme foolishness
109 surfeits excesses
110 disasters misfortunes
111 on i.e. by
112 treachers traitors
113 spherical predominance the dominant influence of a particular planet at one’s birth
115 divine celestial, supernatural
115 evasion shuffling excuse
116 whoremaster i.e. lecherous, whore-using
116 goatish lustful
117 charge responsibility
117 compounded had sex
118 the dragon’s tail the constellation Draco
118 Ursa Major (constellation of) the Great Bear (or Plough)
119 rough cruel, violent
120 maidenliest most virginal
121 firmament sky, heavens
121 bastardizing conception out of wedlock
122 Pat on cue
122 catastrophe conclusion
122 comedy play
122 my cue could also mean “designated role”
123 Tom o’Bedlam i.e. a madman (from the Saint Mary of Bethlehem hospital in London, an institution for the insane)
124 divisions conflicts, discords (plays on the sense of “musical variations”)
124 Fa … mi Edmund hums a musical scale to himself
127 this the
130 succeed follow
131 unhappily unluckily, by misfortune
136 countenance bearing, demeanor/facial expression
139 forbear avoid
140 qualified cooled, lessened
141 mischief … person harm caused by your presence
142 allay abate, calm
144 have … forbearance i.e. restrain yourself and stay away from him
146 fitly at an appropriate time
148 abroad out of the house
151 meaning intention
153 image and horror horrific true picture
154 anon soon
155 serve help/trick, deceive
159 practices plots
160 wit intelligence, ingenuity
161 meet fitting
161 fashion fit shape to my purposes
Act 1 Scene 3
1.3 Location: Goneril and the Duke of Albany’s residence
1 gentleman man of gentle (i.e. noble) birth attached to a royal household
1 chiding rebuking
5 flashes breaks out
10 come slack fall short
11 answer be answerable for
14 fellows fellow servants
14 question conflict, a dispute
15 distaste dislike
21 straight straight away
21 to i.e. and tell her to
Act 1 Scene 4
1 as will I perhaps “as I intend” (but most editors opt for the Quarto “well”- i.e. “as well as being disguised”)
2 defuse confuse, disorder
3 full issue complete outcome
4 razed my likeness erased my true appearance
8 stay wait
11 What … profess? What is your occupation? (Kent shifts the sense of profess to “claim, declare”)
11 wouldst thou do you want
12 us Lear continues to use the royal plural pronoun
16 judgement i.e. God’s judgment/the judgment of fellow men
16 cannot choose have no other option
16 to eat … fish i.e. only to eat a hearty diet of meat/not to eat fish on Fridays like a Roman Catholic/not to have sex with prostitutes
31 keep honest counsel keep secrets like an honorable man/keep secrets that are honorable
31 mar … tale spoil an elaborate story
37 anything “thing” plays on the sense of “vagina”
41 knave rogue/servant
44 So if it
45 clotpoll idiot
49 slave servant/villain
51 roundest bluntest
55 entertained received, treated hospitably
56 wont accustomed (to receive)
57 general dependants servants as a whole
63 rememb’rest remind
63 conception notion, thought
64 faint slight/lazy, half-hearted
65 jealous curiosity mistrustful fastidiousness
65 very pretence real intention
77 cur dog
79 bandy exchange looks as an equal (literally, “bat to and fro” as in tennis)
80 strucken struck, beaten
81 football played by the lower classes (unlike tennis)
84 differences class distinctions
85 measure … length be knocked flat to the floor
85 lubber clumsy lout
86 tarry stay
86 go to an expression of impatient dismissal
88 earnest part-payment in advance
90 coxcomb fool’s headgear with a crest like a cock’s comb
91 pretty fine-looking/clever
95 an … sits i.e. if you cannot please those in power
97 on’s of his
98 needs necessarily
99 nuncle contraction of “mine uncle”
99 Would I wish
102 living property, possessions
106 Brach bitch
107 pestilent gall troublesome irritation
110 Mark pay attention to
113 owest own
114 goest walk
115 trowest believe
116 Set … throwest don’t stake everything on the throw of the dice
119 have … score i.e. make a profit
120 score twenty
122 unfee’d unpaid
123 use employment/profit
134 crowns coins (the sense then shifts to “eggshells,” “royal headgear,” and “head”)
136 meat edible contents
136 clovest split
140 like myself i.e. foolishly
141 grace favor, patronage
142 foppish foolish
144 apish silly
146 used it made it my custom
147 rod punishment cane
151 bo-peep a child’s game (in which an adult alternately conceals and reveals his or her face)
152 the fool among among fools
154 fain gladly
155 An if
156 marvel wonder
160 pared trimmed
163 frontlet ornamental headband/band worn round forehead at night to smooth wrinkles
166 figure accompanying digit (to make it a number higher than zero)
168 forsooth in truth
171 nor … crumb i.e. no part of the loaf
172 want some need something/experience need
173 peascod peapod
174 all-licensed licensed to speak entirely freely
176 carp complain
177 rank excessive, uncontrolled
179 safe certain
180 too late all too recently
181 course behavior
181 put it on encourage it
183 scape escape
183 redresses sleep punishments be neglected
184 in … proceeding might offend and shame you but which, in the interests of maintaining a healthy state, must be deemed a prudent course of action
189 cuckoo young cuckoo, hatched from an egg its mother had laid in another bird’s nest
190 it’s had it it had its
190 it young the young cuckoo
191 darkling in darkness
194 fraught equipped (literally “freighted”)
195 dispositions moods
198 Jug a form of “Joan,” often used as a generic name for a prostitute
201 notion understanding
201 discernings Are lethargied power of discernment is asleep
202 Waking? Am I awake?
204 shadow reflection/ghost/shadow cast by the sun/imitator, actor
206 admiration air of wonder
206 o’th’savour of the flavor
209 should i.e. you should
211 bold presumptuous, audacious
213 epicurism gluttony/pleasure-seeking
215 graced honorable
215 speak call
216 desired requested, entreated
218 disquantity your train reduce your retinue
219 depend be your dependants, serve you
220 besort befit, suit
221 know … you i.e. know their place, and yours
224 Degenerate having lost the qualities proper to a family member
228 that to he who
234 kite bird of prey, scavenger
235 rarest parts splendid qualities
237 in … name uphold the honor of their names with the most careful consideration (or “… in every respect”)
240 engine piece of machinery
242 gall bitterness
246 moved provoked, angered
252 increase procreation
253 derogate degenerate, debased
254 teem be fertile, have children
255 spleen malice
256 thwart perverse, obstinate
256 disnatured unnatural
258 cadent falling
258 fret erode, wear
259 pains efforts (also suggests labor pains)
