King Lear: Annotated version of King Lear with in-depth literary analysis

by William Shakespeare

To be acknowledged, madam, is o'erpaid. All my reports go with the modest truth; Nor more nor clipp'd, but so.

KENT To be acknowledged, madam, is o'erpaid. All my reports go with the modest truth; Nor more nor clipp'd, but so.

but I am bound Upon a wheel of fire, that mine own tears Do scald like moulten lead.

Fortune love you.

Men must endure Their going hence, even as their coming hither; Ripeness is all:

EDGAR What, in ill thoughts again? Men must endure Their going hence, even as their coming hither; Ripeness is all: come on.

We are not the first Who, with best meaning, have incurr'd the worst. For thee, oppressed king, am I cast down; Myself could else out-frown false fortune's frown.

CORDELIA We are not the first Who, with best meaning, have incurr'd the worst. For thee, oppressed king, am I cast down; Myself could else out-frown false fortune's frown. Shall we not see these daughters and these sisters?

We two alone will sing like birds i' the cage: When thou dost ask me blessing, I'll kneel down, And ask of thee forgiveness: so we'll live, And pray, and sing, and tell old tales, and laugh At gilded butterflies, and hear poor rogues Talk of court news; and we'll talk with them too, Who loses and who wins; who's in, who's out; And take upon's the mystery of things, As if we were God's spies:

KING LEAR No, no, no, no! Come, let's away to prison: We two alone will sing like birds i' the cage: When thou dost ask me blessing, I'll kneel down, And ask of thee forgiveness: so we'll live, And pray, and sing, and tell old tales, and laugh At gilded butterflies, and hear poor rogues Talk of court news; and we'll talk with them too, Who loses and who wins; who's in, who's out; And take upon's the mystery of things, As if we were God's spies: and we'll wear out, In a wall'd prison, packs and sects of great ones, That ebb and flow by the moon.

Upon such sacrifices, my Cordelia, The gods themselves throw incense.

Jesters do oft prove prophets.

The let-alone lies not in your good will.

The wheel is come full circle: I am here.

Howl, howl, howl, howl! O, you are men of stones:

This feather stirs; she lives! if it be so, It is a chance which does redeem all sorrows That ever I have felt.

KING LEAR This feather stirs; she lives! if it be so, It is a chance which does redeem all sorrows That ever I have felt.

Cordelia! stay a little. Ha! What is't thou say'st? Her voice was ever soft,

And my poor fool is hang'd! No, no, no life! Why should a dog, a horse, a rat, have life, And thou no breath at all? Thou'lt come no more, Never, never, never, never, never!

KING LEAR And my poor fool is hang'd! No, no, no life! Why should a dog, a horse, a rat, have life, And thou no breath at all? Thou'lt come no more, Never, never, never, never, never!

I have a journey, sir, shortly to go; My master calls me, I must not say no.

The weight of this sad time we must obey; Speak what we feel, not what we ought to say. The oldest hath borne most: we that are young Shall never see so much, nor live so long.

ALBANY The weight of this sad time we must obey; Speak what we feel, not what we ought to say. The oldest hath borne most: we that are young Shall never see so much, nor live so long. Exeunt, with a dead march THE END