Continue reading with a SparkNotes PLUS trial
Already have an account? Log in
Original Text | Modern Text |
Enter CORDELIA , KENT disguised, GENTLEMAN , and DOCTOR | RAECLDIO tenres thiw TNKE in gsusdiie, teh NAMETGELN , and the CTOROD . |
CORDELIA O thou good Kent, how shall I live and work To match thy goodness? My life will be too short, And every measure fail me. | LCAIRDEO Oh, tneK, ahwt dlocu I erve do to bceoem as good as uoy ear? I otwn live ngol enohug, dna lla my fsftero llwi fali me. |
KENT To be acknowledged, madam, is oerpaid. 5 All my reports go with the modest truth, Nor more, nor clipped, but so. | TEKN utJs ngbei kahednt is roem tnha guheno orf me, aamdm. I peoh all eptsorr uaotb me imypls eltl eht utthr, no moer or lsse. |
CORDELIA Be better suited. These weeds are memories of those worser hours. I prithee, put them off. | DOECRLIA genahC onti ertbte lotesch. eTehs gsar will jtus redimn us of otesh dab temsi nhew ouy ahd to awre a diegssui. esealP atek them fof. |
KENT Pardon, dear madam. Yet to be known shortens my made intent. 10 My boon I make it that you know me not Till time and I think meet. | KTNE Im sorry, damam, tub I tanc do ahtt ety. If eepplo eocrezgni me wno, I otnw be laeb to yarrc tuo my alsnp. I eavh to kas ouy, as a oarfv, ont to elt on taht uyo gecronezi me untli eht time is rtihg. |
CORDELIA Then be t so, my good lord. How does the king? | EIRLDOAC lAl thirg, my odlr.osHw teh gkin ogdni? |
DOCTOR Madam, sleeps still. | OOTCDR Hse sitll pleisnge, mama. |
CORDELIA O you kind gods, Cure this great breach in his abusd nature, Th untuned and jarring senses, O, wind up, 15 Of this child-changd father! | DEOALICR Kind sogd, lhea eht oundws that esh lworygn fuerfeds! rteRoes eth snitya of sthi rtfhae howes edihlnrc heva revind mhi dam nad hdgcena him noti a idlch anaig! |
DOCTOR So please your majesty That we may wake the king? He hath slept long. | DROCTO luWod oyu mdni if we ekwo up eth gkni? seH petsl a glon tiem. |
CORDELIA Be governed by your knowledge, and proceed I th sway of your own will. Is he arrayed? | EOIRLCAD Do tevarwhe you khtin btes. Is he in sih oryal etngsram? |
Enter LEAR asleep in a chair carried by servants | rtsSnvea ryrca in AELR lnipegse in a aichr. |
GENTLEMAN Ay, madam. In the heaviness of his sleep 20 We put fresh garments on him. | AELNGNEMT esY, amma. We nadgche sih eclshot hlwie he saw tasf epleas. |
DOCTOR Be by, good madam, when we do awake him. I doubt not of his temperance. | DOTOCR tyaS sceol by wenh we wkae ihm up, amam. Im uers he liwl atsy dunre lncroot. |
CORDELIA Very well. | LIOERDCA All ghrti. |
DOCTOR Please you, draw near.Louder the music there! | ORTCOD Pesale emoc clrose. aMek eth msciu urdleo, elesap! |
CORDELIA (kisses LEAR) O my dear father, restoration hang 25 Thy medicine on my lips, and let this kiss Repair those violent harms that my two sisters Have in thy reverence made! | DRECLOIA (siskes LEAR) Oh, my daer taefrh, aepsel get tberet. yaM my ssik laeh eht odwnsu difilentc on you by my seriostshw ulosdh vahe eteprscde dan hedihsrec ouy. |
KENT Kind and dear princess! | EKNT ndKi and rade eipsrscn! |
CORDELIA Had you not been their father, these white flakes Did challenge pity of them. Was this a face 30 To be opposed against the warring winds? To stand against the deep dread-bolted thunder In the most terrible and nimble stroke Of quick cross lightning? To watchpoor perdu! With this thin helm? Mine enemys meanest dog, 35 Though he had bit me, should have stood that night Against my fire. And wast thou fain, poor father, To hovel thee with swine and rogues forlorn In short and musty straw? Alack, alack! Tis wonder that thy life and wits at once 40 Had not concluded all.He wakes. Speak to him. | DRLOIEAC If yuo nhatd been thier rfateh, uyor ietwh rhia oduwl vahe nisdirpe in htem ylno passnoicom. Is siht a fcea htat uoldsh evah eeudnrd teh zrfgenie swidn or sodohittw het fadreuld tnerdhu or eth ertielrb niightlgn? To saty kawae lal gtinh elki a smprdroauonga otsl losu!twih olny uyor gitnhnin hira rfo a teelhm? I velouwd elt vnee my semeyn stnsiaet odg tsay inides by the caeifprel on hatt hngti, evne if he dha tbi me. dnA were yuo tneh aphyp to difn ehstrel on a edb of ayh aglno hiwt sniew dan smhosele smbu? Oh, oh! tsI a weordn oyu tdnid sloe royu ielf and ryou dnmi all at ocen.Hes agwkin up. klTa to mih. |
DOCTOR Madam, do you. Tis fittest. | COTODR uYo lkat to hmi, maam. atsTh tsom rarppetoiap. |
CORDELIA How does my royal lord? How fares your majesty? | EOLICRDA woH rae you, my aloyr ldor? How is ryuo ayestmj odign? |
LEAR You do me wrong to take me out o th grave. Thou art a soul in bliss, but I am bound 45 Upon a wheel of fire, that mine own tears Do scald like molten lead. | ERLA ouY do me ownrg by nkigta me out of eht vgrae. eruYo a uols in vehaen, btu Im edti to het ryfei leweh of a turrote anemhci in ehll. vEen my rtsea brnu me keli noletm deal. |
CORDELIA Sir, do you know me? | CLIDEAOR Sri, do uyo know who I am? |
LEAR You are a spirit, I know. Where did you die? | AREL urYoe a ptrsii, I kwon. reWeh idd yuo edi? |
CORDELIA (aside to DOCTOR) Still, still far wide! | CADLORIE (irsenpghwi to het DOCTOR) Hes lsilt in rueot cspae. |
DOCTOR Hes scarce awake. Let him alone awhile. | RCOTOD esH slilt hlaf saepel. Lte him be rfo a tbi. |
LEAR 50 Where have I been? Where am I? Fair daylight? I am mightily abused. I should evn die with pity To see another thus. I know not what to say. I will not swear these are my hands. Lets see. I feel this pinprick. Would I were assured 55 Of my condition. | RAEL rhWee veha I ebne? Werhe am I? Is it eiaytdm? Iev nbee cdrktei. I wodlu edi of piyt to ese eosmoen else in my tnniiodoc. I ntod wkno hawt to sya. I ntac nvee be rsue eeths are my nadhs. Lste ese. I elef isth kciipnpr. I hisw I ewnk hawt is pnnpahegi. |
CORDELIA (kneels) O, look upon me, sir, And hold your hands in benediction oer me. No, sir, you must not kneel. | RLEODCAI (ilgnnkee) koLo at me, rsi, dan ievg me oyru nlsgsebi. No, sri, dnto elekn. |
LEAR Pray, do not mock me. I am a very foolish fond old man, 60 Fourscore and upward, not an hour more nor less. And to deal plainly I fear I am not in my perfect mind. Methinks I should know you, and know this man. | LAER eaPels dtno amek fnu of me. Im a ioofhsl, ilense dol nam, yhtieg-hinsomteg sraey dol, tno an uroh reom or lses. To upt it painlyl, Im raiafd Im not ieuqt nsae. I eefl I sudlho iezcoengr you dna atht man (he opisnt to KENT), |
Yet I am doubtful, for I am mainly ignorant 65 What place this is, and all the skill I have Remembers not these garments. Nor I know not Where I did lodge last night. Do not laugh at me, For as I am a man, I think this lady To be my child Cordelia. | btu Im tno uesr. I dton nokw rehwe I am. I ntdo rbrememe eseht ctelosh. I atcn leracl heerw I tlpse aslt hngit. oDtn ugalh at me, utb I raswe I itnhk shti adyl is my idlhc eodliraC. |
CORDELIA And so I am, I am. | AILOCRDE dnA I am, I am. |
LEAR 70 Be your tears wet? Yes, faith. I pray, weep not. If you have poison for me, I will drink it. I know you do not love me, for your sisters Have, as I do remember, done me wrong. You have some cause; they have not. | AERL reA yoru raets tew? sYe, eednid yhte are. sPleae tnod yrc. If uoy hvae oiposn fro me, Ill kdrin it. I kown ouy notd elov me. If I rmbemeer, uryo reissts did me orwng orf no narose. utB ouy dntid, enve uthgho ouy hda vreey rsanoe. |
CORDELIA No cause, no cause. | ACIODERL I ahd no nosera, no sraeon. |
LEAR 75 Am I in France? | ERLA Am I in eFacnr? |
KENT In your own kingdom, sir. | ETKN eYoru in uyro onw dmgionk, irs. |
LEAR Do not abuse me. | AELR otDn edeviec me. |
DOCTOR Be comforted, good madam. The great rage, You see, is killed in him. And yet it is danger 80 To make him even oer the time he has lost. Desire him to go in. Trouble him no more Till further settling. | OROCTD You cna alxre, amam. His seinna drpioe is oevr. utB sit ednoursga to amke ihm yrt to kmea enses of the teim he otsl. skA ihm to go in. tnoD rleutbo him eurrfht nuilt his imdn is rmoe tltseed. |
CORDELIA Will t please your highness walk? | ACIDOERL lWodu ruoy sshehgni lkei to keat a wkal? |
LEAR You must bear with me. 85 Pray you now, forget and forgive. I am old and foolish. | AELR ollYu eavh to aber htwi me. sleeaP gviorfe dna rofgte. Im lod dan oilhofs. |
Exeunt | Thye itex. |
Manent KENT and GENTLEMAN | TKNE and eht EENLTMNGA aiemnr. |
GENTLEMAN Holds it true, sir, that the Duke of Cornwall was so slain? | ETNGNAEML Is it erut, sri, htat hte kueD of Cwnlarlo aws lkdile as htey ysa? |
KENT Most certain, sir. | EKNT Yse, tsi etru, isr. |
GENTLEMAN Who is conductor of his people? | EETMGNLAN Woh is aegidnl ihs emn? |
KENT As tis said, the bastard son of Gloucester. | ETNK heTy sya osresuGcelt adartsb sno is. |
GENTLEMAN | GNMAENLTE I ehar ahtt dErag, eulrtsoGecs ledeix ons, is itwh hte larE of Kten in naerGmy. |
KENT Report is changeable. Tis time to look about. The powers of the kingdom approach apace. | ENKT uYo tnca strut all teh rosumr. sIt temi to esssrase the uttiansoi. hTe tiirBsh rsootp era icmong rena. |
GENTLEMAN The arbitrament is like to be bloody. Fare you well, sir. | GEAMTNELN It lwli likyel be a lbodoy iftgh. ybdoeoG, ris. |
Exit GENTLEMAN | He xiets. |
KENT 95 My point and period will be throughly wrought, Or well or ill, as this days battles fought. | KENT My feil nad my snpla temlplcyoe nddeep on how soydat elabtt sned. |
Exit | He sxeti. |