King Lear Act 1

• "There was good sport at his making, and the whoreson must be acknowledged."


  Gloucester talking about Edmund
• "We had divided in three our kingdoms... while we unburdened crawl towards death"


  Lear talking to his three daughters at the start of the play
• "Sir, I love you more than words can wield the matter. Dearer than eyesight, space and liberty


  Goneril flattering Lear during the 'love test
• "I am made of that self mettle as my sister... I profess an enemy to all other joys"


  Regan saying that, like Goneril, she worships their father above all else
• "I cannot heave my heart into my mouth"


  Cordelia explaining to Lear that she cannot say what she does not feel
• "Nothing will come of nothing"


  Lear talking to Cordelia after she has refused to say how much she loves him
• "I disclaim all my paternal care, propinquity and property of blood"


  Lear disowning Cordelia
• "I loved her most, and thought to set my rest on her kind nursery"


  Lear talking to Kent about Cordelia
• "My life I never held but as a pawn to wage against thine enemies'"


  Kent is saying that he has always acted in Lear's best interest
• "See better, Lear"


  Kent advising Lear not to judge Cordelia so hastily
• "Why bastard? Wherefore base/Edmund the base Shall top th'legitmate. I grow; I prosper/ Now gods, stand up for bastards!"


  Edmund's soliloquy
• "Let me, if not by birth, have lands with wit"


  Edmund at the end of Act 1, Scene 2
• "Old fools are babes again"


  Goneril talking about Lear to Oswald
• "Put on what weary negligence you please"


  Goneril telling Oswald to be unfriendly to Lear
• "My master whom thou lovest, shall find thee full of labours"


  Kent talking about Lear after he has returned in disguise
• "My lady's father"


  Oswald addressing Lear at Goneril's home
• "Nuncle, give me and egg and I'll give three two crowns"


  The Fool mocking Lear for dividing his kingdoms
• "Lear's shadow"


  The Fool describing Lear now that he has lost all his power to his daughters
• "Riotous"


  The behaviour of the knights
• "Your all-licensed fool"


  Goneril describing the way that the Fool is able to get away with anything
• "Into her womb convey sterility"


  Lear cursing Goneril
• "How sharper than a serpent's tooth it is to have a thankless child"


  Lear describing how hurt he is by Goneril's actions
• "Milky gentleness"


  Goneril describing her husband, Albany's, personality
• "I did her wrong"


  Lear talking about Cordelia - the first sign of regret from him
• "O let me not be mad, not mad sweet heaven!"


  Lear talking to the Fool, although really talking to himself
• Gloucester talks about Edmund: 'there was good sport at his making, and the whoreson must be acknowledged'
• Lear, at the start of the play, divides his kingdom among his daughters and says: ‘we have divided in three our Kingdom while we unburdened crawl towards death’
• Lear asks his daughters to praise him: ‘Tell me my daughters…which of you shall we say doth love us most, that we our largest bounty may extend’
• Gonerill flatters Lear during the 'love test': ‘Sir, I love you more than words can wield the matter/dearer than eyesight, space and liberty’
• Regan flatters Lear: ‘Sir, I am made of that self mettle as my sister…I profess myself an enemy to all other joys’
• Cordelia explains to Lear that she cannot say what she does not feel: ‘I cannot heave my heart into my mouth’
• Lear disowns Cordelia: ‘I disclaim all my paternal care, propinquity and property of blood’
• Lear talks to Kent about Cordelia: ‘I loved her most, and thought to set my rest on her kind nursery’
• Lear tells Cordelia: ‘Nothing will come of Nothing’ after she refuses to say how much she loves him
• Kent tries to persuade Lear not to disown Cordelia: ‘My life I never held but as a pawn to wage against thine enemies’
• Kent talks to Lear, trying to convince him not to disown Cordelia: ‘See better Lear’
• Edmund's soliloquy at the start of Act 1, Scene 2: ‘Why bastard? Wherefore base?/ Edmond the base Shall top the legitimate. I grow; I prosper/ Now gods, stand up for bastards!’
• Edmund reads from a letter he pretends was written by Edgar: ‘I begin to find an idle and fond bondage in the oppression of aged tyranny’
• Gloucester talking about Edmund: "There was good sport at his making, and the whoreson must be acknowledged"
• Kent, disguised as Caius, talks to himself: ‘thy master whom thou lov’st, shall find thee full of labours’