King Lear, page 26
259 benefits kindnesses
266 dotage foolish old age
267 at a clap with one blow
272 perforce by force, uncontrollably
273 Blasts violent gusts of winds
274 Th’untented the festering (literally, not probed and cleaned surgically)
275 fond foolish/doting
277 waters … loose i.e. tears
278 temper moisten
278 clay i.e. earth, the ground
280 kind benevolent/possessed of natural familial love
280 comfortable comforting
282 visage face
286 partial biased
288 content content yourself, i.e. be quiet
295 halter hangman’s noose
298 politic prudent, shrewd
299 At point armed and ready
299 that so that
300 buzz rumor
300 fancy whim
301 enguard protect, defend
302 in at (his)
305 still always
306 taken defeated, captured
315 compact confirm, consolidate
318 under pardon if you’ll pardon my saying so
319 at task taken to task, blamed
324 th’event the outcome (will tell)
Act 1 Scene 5
1 before ahead
3 demand out of questions prompted by
8 kibes chilblains
10 wit intellect
10 slip-shod in slippers (worn for chilblains)
13 Shalt i.e. thou shalt
14 crab sour-tasting crab apple
18 on’s of his
20 side’s side of his
22 her i.e. Cordelia (though Goneril is just possible)
31 asses idiots/donkeys (i.e. Lear’s servants)
31 the seven stars the Pleiades
32 pretty ingenious
35 again back again (refers either to an intention to reclaim sovereignty, or to Goneril’s withdrawal of Lear’s privileges)
42 temper my right state of mind
46 maid virgin
47 things penises
Act 2 Scene 1
2.1 Location: the Earl of Gloucester’s residence
2.1 severally separately
1 Save thee God save thee (a common greeting)
7 abroad out there, in circulation
7 ones i.e. the news, regarded as plural
7 ear-kissing arguments rumored, whispered topics, not established truths
10 toward impending
15 perforce of necessity
16 take arrest
17 queasy question dangerous, uncertain nature
20 watches is on guard, on the lookout
21 intelligence information
24 i’th’haste in haste
25 have … Albany i.e. have you spoken in support of Cornwall and against Albany/have you spoken critically about Cornwall’s hostility to Albany
27 Advise yourself consider
30 In cunning to deceive (Gloucester; though playing on the fact that it is Edgar who is being tricked)
31 quit you acquit yourself
34 beget … endeavour give the impression that I fought more fiercely
35 fierce violent/brave/zealous
40 conjuring invoking
40 the moon i.e. Hecate, goddess of the moon and of witchcraft
41 stand auspicious mistress favor him as his patroness
50 bend direct
52 fine conclusion
53 loathly opposite deeply opposed, horrified
54 fell savage, ruthless
55 preparèd unsheathed
55 charges home makes a direct attack on
56 unprovided unprotected
56 latched caught
57 alarumed stirred, roused
58 quarrel’s right rightfulness of my cause
58 th’encounter the fight
59 ghasted frightened
60 Full very
63 found — dispatch once found, he shall be killed
64 arch and patron chief patron
67 stake i.e. place of execution
70 pight determined
70 curst angry
71 discover reveal his plans
72 unpossessing unable to take possession of land and property (illegitimate children could not legally inherit)
73 would stand against stood against, contradicted
73 reposal placing
75 faithed believed
77 character handwriting
78 suggestion incitement to evil
78 practice scheme
79 make … world think the world very stupid
80 not thought did not think
80 profits i.e. benefits to Edmund
81 pregnant … spirits fertile and powerful temptations (literally, evil spirits)
2.1 Tucket personal trumpet call, here signaling the arrival of Cornwall
83 strange unnatural
83 fastened confirmed, determined
85 where why
86 ports seaports/gates of walled towns
87 picture could also mean “description”
90 natural naturally loyal and loving to one’s family (plays on the sense of “illegitimate”)
90 work the means find a way
91 capable able to inherit
101 tended upon attended, waited on
103 consort company (often pejorative)
104 though … affected if he is ill-disposed
105 put him on incited him to
106 th’expense the spending
113 child-like i.e. obedient, loving
113 office duty/service
115 bewray inform on, expose
115 his practice Edgar’s plot
120 make … please to achieve your ends, use my means and authority in any way you wish
121 For as for
123 be ours i.e. work for us, join our household
125 seize on take possession of (legal term)
129 out of season inconveniently, unconventionally
129 threading finding a way through (sewing image)
129 dark-eyed quibbling on the idea of a needle’s eye
130 occasions events/circumstances
130 prize importance
133 differences disputes
134 from away from
135 attend dispatch wait to be dispatched
138 craves … use requires immediate action.
Act 2 Scene 2
2.2 Location: outside the Earl of Gloucester’s residence
2.2 severally separately
1 dawning it is actually before dawn; we later learn that the moon shines
2 Ay in fact, Kent is not a servant at this house; perhaps Kent opens up an opportunity to abuse Oswald
3 set put, lodge (Kent plays on the sense of “fix, make stuck”)
4 mire mud
5 if … me i.e. if you would be so kind (Kent pretends to take the expression literally)
8 Lipsbury pinfold the pound for stray animals in Lips-town (i.e. “between my teeth”)
10 use treat
12 for as
13 knave rogue (two lines later the sense shifts to “servant”)
13 broken meats scraps of food
14 three-suited servingmen were permitted to have three outfits a year
14 hundred-pound far more than a servingman’s income; possibly a contemptuous reference to those who bought knighthoods from James I for £100
15 worsted-stocking i.e. servant/unable to afford silk stockings (worsted is a woollen fabric)
15 lily-livered cowardly, with a bloodless liver (the organ thought to be the seat of strong emotions)
15 action-taking litigious
16 whoreson bastard
16 glass mirror
16 glass-gazing vain
16 super-serviceable ready to do any kind of service
16 finical fussy
17 one-trunk-inheriting owner (or heir to) no more than would fit in a single trunk
17 bawd pimp
18 service plays on the sense of “sex”
18 composition combination
19 pander go-between/pimp
21 addition attributes/title/mark of honor added to a coat of arms (ironic)
22 rail rant, heap abuse
24 varlet rogue
26 Draw draw your sword
27 sop o’th’moonshine i.e. beat you to a pulp (so that you resemble either a soggy piece of bread lying under the moon’s light, or the blancmange pudding called moonshine)
28 cullionly rascally
28 barber-monger frequenter of barbers (i.e. vain fop)
31 vanity the puppet i.e. Goneril, imagined as a puppet (or dressed-up woman) who is the personification of vanity
32 carbonado slash diagonally, like meat prepared for broiling or grilling
33 come your ways come on then
35 neat trim, foppish
39 With you i.e. I’ll fight with you
39 Goodman a man below the rank of gentleman
39 Goodman boy a contemptuous and belittling form of address (used to Edmund)
40 flesh ye initiate you (into fighting; from the practice of feeding dogs bits of freshly killed meat in order to excite them for prey)
45 difference argument
47 bestirred your valour worked up your courage (ironic)
48 disclaims in disowns
48 tailor made thee i.e. his only worth lies in his fancy clothes
51 ill badly
55 suit … beard his own request, because his old age required it
56 zed … letter “z” was regarded as unnecessary because “s” could be used instead and there was no “z” in the Latin alphabet
57 unbolted unsifted (plays on the sense of “unmanly/impotent”—a “bolt” was a term for the penis)
58 jakes privy, toilet
59 wagtail tail-wagger, obsequious person/womanizer
61 beastly brutish
62 a privilege license to express itself
65 honesty honor, integrity
66 holy cords sacred bonds (family or matrimonial ties)
66 a-twain in two
67 too intrinse t’unloose too intertwined to be disentangled
67 smooth flatter, indulge
68 rebel i.e. against reason
69 Being … fire i.e. feed the fire of their masters’ passions
70 halcyon beaks the kingfisher (halcyon) was thought to act as a weather vane if dried and hung up
71 gall irritation
71 vary change
73 epileptic visage seeing Oswald smiling away his insults, Kent compares his expression to that of an epileptic, grimacing involuntarily
74 my at my
74 as as if
75 Goose proverbially stupid bird; cackling suggests that Oswald may be laughing
75 if … Camelot i.e. if I had you at my mercy, I’d send you running home in fright; the exact nature of this reference is unclear, though, as Camelot was sometimes identified with Winchester, some suspect a jibe about a “Winchester goose” (i.e. a prostitute/venereal disease)
75 Sarum Salisbury, in Wiltshire
76 Camelot legendary city that was home to King Arthur
82 likes pleases
84 occupation habit, business
90 saucy insolent
90 constrains … nature forces the style (of speaking) away from its true purpose
93 An if
93 so so be it
93 plain honest (his excuse for his rudeness)
95 craft cunning
95 corrupter corrupt
96 ducking observants bowing attendants
97 stretch … nicely strain to perform their duties to the last detail
98 verity truth
99 th’allowance the approval
99 aspect face/planetary position (in comparing Cornwall to a powerful planet, Kent mocks a courtier’s flattery)
100 influence astrological influence
101 Phoebus the Greek and Roman sun god
101 front forehead
103 dialect usual manner of speaking
104 beguiled deceived
106 though … to’t even if I should incur your displeasure by refusing (to be a knave) when asked
110 misconstruction misinterpretation
111 compact colluding (with the king)
112 being and I being
113 deal of man great show of manliness
114 worthied him earned him honor/made him a hero
115 attempting … self-subdued attacking one who offered no resistance
116 fleshment excitement of a first success
116 dread exploit fearsome military enterprise (sarcastic)
118 None … fool there is not one of these rogues and cowards who cannot make a fool of a man like Ajax (the great Greek warrior was famously stupid; Cornwall is the subject of this dig)
120 stocks instrument of public punishment in which the offender sat with his ankles and sometimes wrists confined
121 reverent old and revered (sarcastic)
121 braggart boaster
126 bold malice impudent hostility
127 grace sovereignty
133 use treat
135 colour type
136 sister sister-in-law, i.e. Goneril
136 away here/there (Cornwall directs where the stocks are to be placed)
141 answer be responsible for
145 pleasure will
147 rubbed deflected (from bowling where the “rub” is the obstacle that disrupts the path of the ball)
148 watched gone without sleep
150 out at heels worn out (literally, coming through one’s stockings or shoes; an appropriate phrase for one whose feet are poking out of the stocks)
151 Give … morrow Good-bye
153 approve prove
153 saw saying
154 out … sun proverbial for going from good to bad; Kent means that Regan will prove worse than Goneril
156 beacon i.e. the sun
156 this under globe i.e. the earth
157 comfortable comforting, encouraging
158 Nothing … misery the miserable are almost the only people to see miracles
161 obscurèd course secret (and “disguised”) course of action/dimmed fortunes
162 From away from (i.e. in France)
162 enormous state disordered situation (or country)
163 o’erwatched worn out by lack of sleep
164 vantage advantage
166 Fortune … wheel! Fortune was traditionally depicted as a woman turning a wheel that raised humans up and cast them down
167 proclaimed publicly declared an outlaw
168 happy opportune, fortunate
171 attend my taking wait to catch me
172 am bethought have decided
174 in … man despising mankind (in particular, man’s claim to be superior to beasts)
176 elf tangle (into “elflocks” or messy knots of hair)
177 presented openly displayed
180 Bedlam the Saint Mary of Bethlehem hospital in London; a number of those who were released became beggars
181 mortifièd deadened
182 pricks spikes
183 object sight
183 low humble, lowly
184 pelting paltry, insignificant
185 bans curses
186 Turlygod unexplained; perhaps a deliberately nonsensical name
186 Poor … Tom! the sorts of cries the beggars would utter; several sixteenth-century accounts refer to beggars calling themselves “Poor Tom”
187 That’s something yet i.e. at least as Poor Tom I have some form of existence
187 Edgar … am as Edgar I do not exist/I renounce my identity as Edgar
2.2 Gentleman presumably one of Lear’s reduced retinue of knights
188 they i.e. Regan and Cornwall
196 cruel puns on “crewel” (i.e. wool used for stockings)
198 over-lusty at legs as a servant, too ready to run away (perhaps plays on the sense of “too eager for sex”)
199 nether-stocks stockings
200 place position (as Lear’s messenger)
201 To as to
203 son son-in-law
209 Juno wife of Jupiter, the supreme Roman god
212 upon respect upon consideration/against the respect due to a king and his representatives
213 Resolve make clear to, inform
213 modest moderate, reasonable
213 which way why, how
214 usage treatment
215 coming from us when you were sent by me
217 commend deliver
219 reeking steaming (with sweat)
219 post messenger
220 Stewed hot and drenched in sweat
222 spite of intermission in spite of interrupting me/in spite of his halting breath
223 presently immediately
224 meiny retinue
224 straight straight away
225 attend … answer wait until they had time to answer
230 Displayed … against openly behaved so impudently toward
231 man than wit courage than sense
231 drew drew my sword
235 Winter’s … way i.e. there is more stormy weather (trouble) on the way
237 blind i.e. to their father’s needs
238 bags moneybags
240 arrant downright/notorious
241 turns the key opens the door/provides sexual favors
242 dolours griefs (puns on “dollar,” a silver coin)
243 tell relate/count
244 mother i.e. hysteria (frequently a female affliction thought to arise from the womb or, in men, the abdomen; characterized by breathlessness and agitation)
245 Hysterica passio the Latin term for hysteria
246 element rightful environment
246 below i.e. in the womb
255 to school to i.e. to learn from
255 ant … i’th’winter i.e. the ant gathers food only in the summer when it is abundant; similarly, men work only when there is profit to be gained from a patron who is at the height of his fortunes
258 stinking i.e. with the stench of decaying fortunes
262 again back again
264 sir man
265 form appearances, outward show
266 pack pack up, be off
271 perdy by God (from the French par dieu)
274 Deny refuse
275 fetches tricks, stratagems (Lear goes on to employ the sense of “bring”)
276 flying off desertion
282 confusion destruction, overthrow
289 tends attends, awaits
293 Infirmity … bound illness always makes us neglect the duties which, when healthy, we are bound to carry out
295 oppressed overwhelmed/afflicted
