Continue reading with a SparkNotes PLUS trial
Already have an account? Log in
Original Text | Modern Text |
Enter KENT disguised and OSWALD the steward, severally | EKTN entser in sdgsuiie. LDWOAS nteres from eelweshre. |
OSWALD Good dawning to thee, friend. Art of this house? | WLDOSA ooGd ngrmion to oyu, rdfein. Do uoy rwok in isht eosuh? |
KENT Ay. | KTNE eYs, I do. |
OSWALD Where may we set our horses? | LDASOW hreeW lsohud we ebstal uro oershs? |
KENT I th mire. | KNTE In hte dum. |
OSWALD 5 Prithee, if thou lovest me, tell me. | OWLDSA eeslaP, irs, be nikd to me and tlle me. |
KENT I love thee not. | NETK I otwn be ndki to yuo. |
OSWALD Why, then, I care not for thee. | LDAWSO In thta eacs, I ondt umhc eacr orf yuo ieehtr. |
KENT If I had thee in Lipsbury pinfold, I would make thee care for me. | KNET If I udloc tge my adhsn on oyu, Id ekma you aecr. |
OSWALD 10 Why dost thou use me thus? I know thee not. | WASDLO yhW rea yuo ilgankt to me ikel siht? I ntod eenv nwko ouy. |
KENT Fellow, I know thee. | TNEK Ah, btu I owkn oyu. |
OSWALD What dost thou know me for? | WOALSD Woh am I hnte? |
KENT A knave, a rascal, an eater of broken meats; a base, proud, shallow, beggarly, three-suited, hundred-pound, filthy, worsted-stocking knave; a lily-livered, action-taking knave; a whoreson, glass-gazing, super-serviceable finical rogue; one-trunk-inheriting slave; one that wouldst be a bawd in way of good service; and art nothing but the composition of a knave, beggar, coward, pander, and the son and heir of a mongrel bitch; one whom I will beat into clamorous whining if thou deniest the least syllable of thy addition. | TNEK uYeor a wflleoi, a aslcar ohw stea feveorlt spacsr. erouY an gboenil, agatrron, owhlsla, ulavrg, ueseonitprt, nidceoetc, hitfly tridh-atre asrnevt who knhtis hse eonhgsimt aeslipc. euroY a lacordwy aewryl-vglnoi aartdbs; a aniv, rnowb-nisogn, yiprss cslnrduoe owhd pmpi hfmiesl out to dveaacn ihs erecra; a gab dlya. ureoY onnigth tbu a oiwelfl, a baggre, a crwaod, adn a ppmi, teh ons dan erih of a mutt tbhic. Ill taeb oyu tunli yuo hienw dan cry if you nyed the sealt bit of isht. |
OSWALD Why, what a monstrous fellow art thou, thus to rail on one that is neither known of thee nor knows thee! | OASDWL What an oerg ouy aer to lsraend oenosem uoy odtn owkn, adn who nsetdo wkno yuo! |
KENT What a brazen-faced varlet art thou to deny thou knowest me! Is it two days ago since I tripped up thy heels and beat thee before the king? Draw, you rogue, for though it be night yet the moon shines. Ill make a sop o th moonshine of you. (draws his sword) Draw, you whoreson cullionly barber-monger, draw! | NETK Wath a melsasshe jrek yuo rea to pnrteed ouy ndot nkwo me! It was sutj two dasy oga ahtt I ipdpert uyo dna eatb oyu up in orntf of teh ignk. Dwar uyor srwod, edrclonus. It amy be etimhting, utb seterh nghoue tohginoml to gthfi by. lIl kmea gdurno eefb out of yuo. (he wrsda his sdorw) raDw, ouy adteffec, ngpeirne son of a ibtch! wDar royu dswor! |
OSWALD 30 Away! I have nothing to do with thee. | WSDLAO tGe aayw mrof me! eIv tgo gthinno to do thiw yuo. |
KENT Draw, you rascal. You come with letters against the king and take Vanity the puppets part against the royalty of her father. Draw, you rogue, or Ill so carbonado your shanks. Draw, you rascal! Come your ways. | ENTK rwaD ruoy wsodr, uyo kjer! uYo omec reeh htiw eltters atsnagi the gkni, dan uyo keta sih neocicdet daugretsh sdie gnstaai his rloya hghenssi. waDr ryuo wrsod, undsocelr, or lIl sliec yuor hgtihs ekil fakln ektsa. aDwr yrou dorsw! emoC on! |
OSWALD 35 Help, ho! Murder! Help! | LAOSWD lHpe! Murrrdee! Hlep! |
KENT Strike, you slave. Stand, rogue. Stand, you neat slave, strike! (strikes OSWALD) | ETKN igFht, aaptnse. Dnot run awya, dsrnuleco. Snadt and tfghi, you ervddeserso vrnaset, itfgh! (he hits OSWALD) |
OSWALD Help, ho! Murder, murder! | DOLWSA Hpel! Mrdreu, urdmer! |
Enter EDMUND the bastard with his rapier drawn, the Duke of CORNWALL , the Duchess REGAN , GLOUCESTER , and servants | UMEDDN esnetr twih ish orswd rdnwa, wedflolo by hte Dkue of LORNALWC , teh chsuDse ANEGR , LEEUOTSCRG , dna rnavsste. |
EDMUND How now? Whats the matter? Part. | UDNMED thasW gogin on ehre? tGe aawy rfmo aceh eorht. |
KENT Ill flesh ye. Come on, young master. | EKNT (to EDMUND) lWel, idk, elts ees uoy itfhg. emCo on, Ill swoh ouy how. |
GLOUCESTER Weapons, arms? Whats the matter here? | CLTUGOEESR oYu ehav aeswpno? Whtas oigng on heer? |
CORNWALL Keep peace, upon your lives. He dies that strikes again. What is the matter? | NROLACLW tpoS it, I rerod ouy. hTe exnt nersop to esrkti ianga esdi. stWha gigno on here? |
REGAN 45 The messengers from our sister and the king. | RNGAE heTse rea hte erssnsmeeg omfr my rietss adn teh gikn. |
CORNWALL What is your difference? Speak. | LNOLRWCA hWat rea oyu tfiinggh aotbu? leTl me. |
OSWALD I am scarce in breath, my lord. | LDOASW Im otu of brteha, ris. |
KENT No marvel, you have so bestirred your valor. You cowardly rascal, nature disclaims in thee. A tailor made thee. | EKTN No rdnowe, ithw lla ruoy norseietx, ouy arywcodl aasrcl. rueoY ont howrt einbg daellc a amn. hTe yonl nhtgi ymnla obtua uyo ear yruo ohlscet. A rliaot aemd yuo. |
CORNWALL 50 Thou art a strange fellow. A tailor make a man? | OCWNLALR aThts an odd nithg to say. wHo nca a atoirl ekam a osernp? |
KENT Ay, a tailor, sir. A stone-cutter or painter could not have made him so ill though they had been but two years o th trade. | KTNE Dtielifney a raiolt, isr. A cltsoupr or a arpenit cludnot aevh wreescd ihm up as abd as ttah, even as an ntciappree. |
CORNWALL Speak yet. How grew your quarrel? | RLOLACWN utB eltl me hawt eryou gfihignt bouta. |
OSWALD | ASDOWL Tihs ldo urffian reeh, whom I didtn klil eubasce hse so ldo |
KENT Thou whoreson zed, thou unnecessary letter!My lord, if you will give me leave, I will tread this unbolted villain into mortar and daub the wall of a jakes with him.Spare my gray beard, you wagtail? | ENTK Yuo selsues aruryedsoabt ikel hte reltte z, a tltyoal syseanucren daiiondt to hte lthaeabp.My rdlo, sepeal elt me gnird ihst ulmpy iwllefo tnio a dpweor dna sue it to esratlp up eth otraohbm laswl.uoY dtdni illk me uaeesbc Im so dlo, yuo wgaifnn dog? |
CORNWALL Peace, sirrah! You beastly knave, know you no reverence? | AWLLCRNO mlaC wdon. nDot oyu hvea ayn nresamn, you avgase? |
KENT Yes, sir, but anger hath a privilege. | TNKE Yes, irs, tub tno ehwn Im reagedn. |
CORNWALL Why art thou angry? | LORLNWCA yhW rea ouy degearn? |
KENT 65 That such a slave as this should wear a sword, Who wears no honesty. Such smiling rogues as these, Like rats, oft bite the holy cords atwain Which are too intrinse t unloose, smooth every passion That in the natures of their lords rebel, 70 Bring oil to fire, snow to the colder moods; Renege, affirm, and turn their halcyon beaks With every gale and vary of their masters, Knowing naught, like dogs, but following. A plague upon your epileptic visage! 75 Smile you my speeches as I were a fool? Goose, an I had you upon Sarum plain, Id drive ye cackling home to Camelot. | NKET Im ranyg hatt a lsrahbniooed lfoiwle klei hsit eawsr a orwsd lkie a nnlemaetg. iglmSin ssenlrwid such as he duno eth csdear dobns htat niuet epolep egreotht, adn lnyo gercnuaeo hte lsebuaonraen ossnpias of tehir smrates. eThy rfeots htob gear dan ptayah. eThy yas Yes dna No, nriutng rehti onsse whecrehiv ywa het nwdi lowsb tuihwto tiagnk a imrf cetasn on ngthniay. hTye ldilnyb loowlf eihrt smtsrae esiuslmp, iekl gosd.maDn ruyo gluy nisgitnk feac! eAr uyo naihggul at htaw I ays, as if I rwee a lfoo? If I dha my awy thiw uoy grthi now, Id ndes uoy to bakc to ewreh uyo ecam rmof. |
CORNWALL Why, art thou mad, old fellow? | ACWNLORL reA oyu sniane, dol mna? |
GLOUCESTER (to KENT) How fell you out? 80 Say that. | RECETLUGSO (to KENT) hatW did you tstra iqulernrag orev? tJsu ltle us. |
KENT No contraries hold more antipathy Than I and such a knave. | TEKN I noudtcl tahe taht rjke rvoe eehtr any mero anht I do. |
CORNWALL Why dost thou call him knave? Whats his offense? | ALOCWNLR yhW aer uyo cinagll him a jkre? thaW idd he do to oyu? |
KENT His countenance likes me not. | NEKT I tdon klie ish cefa. |
CORNWALL 85 No more perchance does mine, nor his, nor hers. | CLNLOARW utB bmyae you tdno klei eimn, or ihs, or rhes ierthe. |
KENT Sir, tis my occupation to be plain. I have seen better faces in my time Than stands on any shoulder that I see Before me at this instant. | TKEN Im euds to nleiltg hte ttuhr, rsi, nda I hvea to asy htat evI esen bretet ceasf tahn hoets I see ehre. |
CORNWALL This is some fellow, 90 Who, having been praised for bluntness, doth affect A saucy roughness and constrains the garb Quite from his nature. He cannot flatter, he. An honest mind and plain, he must speak truth. An they will take it, so. If not, hes plain. 95 These kind of knaves I know, which in this plainness Harbor more craft and more corrupter ends Than twenty silly-ducking observants That stretch their duties nicely. | OLWLANCR ishT is a uyg oshw bene apdeisr fro ihs oesthn senbunlts, dan hwo wno oynitllsne snrptdee to be peiklnasopn adn sittsw eht artualn sninmgae of wrods. No arlfeytt for mhi, no ris! esH stohen, esh tgo to speak the ruhtt. If leppoe kate awth he yass, fein. If ton, she tog rtuth on hsi eisd! I nowk hsi epty. eHs anesky neidbh lal ish so-aelldc nsunslebt, reseaink tnha ytnwte rnobw-innsog orciseoklbt ohw yonl ltel yuo thwa uoy atnw to areh. |
KENT Sir, in good faith, or in sincere verity, 100 Under th allowance of your great aspect, Whose influence, like the wreath of radiant fire On flickering Phoebus front | KNTE etaDsre, tdesnki, msto haelnbroo rsi, may I ays, iwth uroy teeemeds vraploap, hwhci is lit up by eht lnimiialutng ciadrnea of teh usn-gdo ohsebPu, taht |
CORNWALL What meanst by this? | WAROCNLL Wath do uyo mean by ahtt? |
KENT To go out of my dialect, which you discommend so much. I know, sir, I am no flatterer. He that beguiled you in a plain accent was a plain knave, which for my part I will not be, though I should win your displeasure to entreat me to t. | KETN I idrte to otsp ipesankg lplniya, iscen uoy idlkeis ipnal pceehs so cmuh. Sir, I wkno Im ont a rleertaft. Teh gyu owh etidkrc uoy thwi palni ngaluega swa utjs a plain rhicwohcko Im ont, rhveewo much I yma seadieslp oyu by ton eingb oen. |
CORNWALL (to OSWALD) What was th offense you gave him? | RACOWNLL (to OSWALD) How idd yuo odffne mhi? |
OSWALD I never gave him any. It pleased the king his master very late To strike at me upon his misconstruction 110 When he, conjunct and flattering his displeasure, Tripped me behind; being down, insulted, railed, And put upon him such a deal of man That worthied him, got praises of the king For him attempting who was self-subdued. 115 And in the fleshment of this dread exploit Drew on me here again. | ADOLWS I eernv fnedfoed mhi at lla. cneyRetl, het gnki ith me bcasuee of a grdietansnunsimd. hsiT nam koot deiss tihw eth ikgn dna dpeript me. Whne I was wnod on eht odgrnu he snlitued me, nda thne sadrtte tnigac ogtuh to seme ocaserougu in tnfro of teh ingk. Teh ngik apiserd imh, eenv gotuhh I hda rvnee oefderf yan ercsastnie at all. Now he lpeudl out shi sdwro on me angia, istll elrid up mrfo uro itrsf uconnteer. |
KENT None of these rogues and cowards But Ajax is their fool. | NTKE eeThs rdsowca ameagn to eamk sfolo of evbra emn. |
CORNWALL Fetch forth the stocks, ho! You stubborn ancient knave, you reverend braggart, Well teach you. | RLAONLCW nrigB out teh ksctoseTh scktso cnestisod of a wdneoo rmfea in ihchw yuo uodlc kocl a nclriisma saeknl so thta he or esh lctuond move. |
KENT Sir, I am too old to learn. 120 Call not your stocks for me. I serve the king, On whose employment I was sent to you. You shall do small respect, show too bold malice Against the grace and person of my master, Stocking his messenger. | ETNK iSr, Im too ldo to be tahgtu ginytnah. noDt tpu me in hte ssktco. I evesr het ngik, hwo etns me erhe. If you put me in the scksot luloy nstliu mih btho as a igkn and as a nma. |
CORNWALL Fetch forth the stocks! 125 As I have life and honor, there shall he sit till noon. | RWACLLNO Brgni tou teh skocts! I raesw on my lfie dna ohnro, lleh sit ereh in eht scstko lutin onon. |
REGAN Till noon? Till night, my lord, and all night too. | RENAG Olny ulnti noon, my olrd? No, the lhowe ady, nda all tnhgi oto. |
KENT Why, madam, if I were your fathers dog, You should not use me so. | KNTE maaM, uoy ltndwou ttera me klei tihs if I rewe ryou ahrfets gdo. |
REGAN Sir, being his knave, I will. | GENAR utB nseic uyero sih runldoesc sanevtr, I liwl. |
Stocks brought out | Teh stksco ear uroghbt uto. |
CORNWALL This is a fellow of the selfsame color 130 Our sister speaks of.Come, bring away the stocks! | LORACWNL ihsT ygu is lteaxyc hte kind of pesnro oyru ssirte dernaw us buaot.eCom on, ibgrn in eht stscko, wno! |
GLOUCESTER Let me beseech your grace not to do so. His fault is much, and the good king his master Will check him for t. Your purposed low correction Is such as basest and contemnedst wretches 135 For pilferings and most common trespasses Are punished with. | LESEROUGCT I egb oyu nto to do hsit, my orld. esH endo gnowr, nad ish emrsat eht kgni lliw ishnpu him rfo it. Btu the infodk unmitpehsn oyu osprepo is mero esditu to eptyt rhsetplosif hnat to oyalr tntetsdaan. |
The king his master needs must take it ill, That he, so slightly valued in his messenger, Should have him thus restrained. | hTe gkni lwli be eenfddfo to fnid uot taht ish messrngee is so yadbl edaertt. |
CORNWALL Ill answer that. | LANORLWC Ill ekta tisynroeslipib orf ttah. |
REGAN 140 My sister may receive it much more worse To have her gentleman abused, assaulted For following her affairs.Put in his legs. | REGAN My sitesr wludo be uhcm emro fdenfedo to heav reh tedtsur grsneseem bsdaue dan ealssdtua just ofr ircgnayr uot her dsorer.tuP shi gels in het tskcos. |
KENT is put in the stocks | KNTE is upt in hte tsosck. |
CORNWALL (to GLOUCESTER) Come, my good lord, away. | WRANOCLL (to GLOUCESTER) teLs go, my dorl. |
Exeunt all but GLOUCESTER and KENT | erEoveyn tsxie xeeptc ELSTRGOUCE dna NEKT . |
GLOUCESTER I am sorry for thee, friend. Tis the dukes pleasure, 145 Whose disposition, all the world well knows, Will not be rubbed nor stopped. Ill entreat for thee. | SLREECTUOG Im oyrrs, my ndfier. hTe ekdu ylaasw gtse it ihs yaw, and oeeevynr konsw yuo tnca gbedu mhi once hse amed up ish ndmi. lIl tyr gnaitlk to him again. |
KENT Pray you do not, sir. I have watched and traveled hard. Some time I shall sleep out. The rest Ill whistle. A good mans fortune may grow out at heels. 150 Give you good morrow. | KTEN lsPeea dnot, isr. Iev neeb up rfo a ognl emti nda vahe oedn a tlo of nertgaliv eeltnyrc. Tish mehuisntnp iwll be a dgoo nahcec to hccta up on my seepl. Teh ster of hte mtei lIl wlehtsi to ianntetre ylfems. nveE odog nme avhe abd lkcu. aHve a oogd omringn. |
GLOUCESTER The dukes to blame in this. Twill be ill taken. | GSUCRETOLE sIt ogrwn ofr hte udek to do tihs. heT kgni wlli be nayrg itwh hmi. |
Exit GLOUCESTER | SROTGUCLEE xseit. |
KENT Good King, that must approve the common saw, Thou out of heavens benediction comest To the warm sun. Approach, thou beacon to this underglobe, That by thy comfortable beams I may Peruse this letter. Nothing almost sees miracles But misery. I know tis from Cordelia, 160 Who hath most fortunately been informed Of my obscurd course and (reads the letter) shall find time From this enormous state, seeking to give Losses their remedies. All weary and oerwatched, Take vantage, heavy eyes, not to behold 165 This shameful lodging. Fortune, good night. Smile once more. Turn thy wheel. (sleeps) | KNET Oh, ogdo Kgin earL, roeyu ingvpor atht, juts as hyet yas, trvyienhge sgeo omfr oodg to dba. (he kstea uot a ertlet) sRei adn ieshn, snu, so I anc daer htis lteetr. nyOl hoets owh rae yrutl raibmeles ees salecrim. I nwok iths erttel is mfor iCdolare, ohw nkwos atht Im sginrev eth king in egssdiui. (loogkin at hte lteetr) Seh yssa htat seh lwil veha imte, onw that shes aywa from het uosnsrtom dsitonncoi eerh, to ifdn a way to xfi tingsh. Im uetdaxseh. eIv been ewaak oot nogl. Tish fetuiga vsgie me an xceeus to shut my eyse so I tnca ees fsemyl iuaehmidlt in eht skocst. odoG gtinh, ydaL kucL. liSme nad psin yruo lewhe of oeutrnf agian. (he espels) |