Essential King Lear Quotes

• There was good sport at his making, and the whoreson must be acknowledged
• We have divided in three our Kingdom while we unburdened crawl towards death
• Tell me my daughters…which of you shall we say doth love us most, that we our largest bounty may extend
• Sir, I love you more than words can wield the matter/dearer than eyesight, space and liberty
• Sir, I am made of that self mettle as my sister…I profess myself an enemy to all other joys.
• I cannot heave my heart into my mouth
• Nothing will come of Nothing
• I disclaim all my paternal care, propinquity and property of blood.
• I loved her most, and thought to set my rest on her kind nursery
• My life I never held but as a pawn to wage against thine enemies
• Thy master whom thou lov'st, shall find thee full of labours
• Old fools are babes again
• Your all-licensed fool
• Who am I sir?
• Nuncle, give me an egg and I’ll give thee two crowns
• Hear, Nature, hear, dear goddess, hear…make this creature fruitful/into her womb convey sterility
• Detested Kite!
• How sharper than a serpent’s tooth it is to have a thankless child
• A knave, a rascal, a beggar…the son and heir of a mongrel bitch’ is a Kent insulting Oswald.
• ‘O madam, my old heart, it’s cracked it’s cracked!’ is Gloucester talking about Edgar betraying him in Act 2, Scene 1.
• Edgar delivers a soliloquy about his transformation to Poor Tom in Act 2, Scene 1.
• Regan talks to Lear in Act 2, Scene 4, suggesting that he should be ruled and led.
• Lear suggests to Gonerill that she should be more sympathetic to him due to his old age in Act 2, Scene 4.
• Regan tells Lear in Act 2, Scene 4 that only one person can be in charge at her house.
• Lear says in Act 2, Scene 4, “I gave you all.”
• Regan replies in Act 2, Scene 4, “And in good time you gave it.”
• Gonerill and Regan suggest in Act 2, Scene 4 that Lear should dispense with his knights altogether.
• Lear reacts angrily in Act 2, Scene 4 to Regan and Gonerill suggesting he should abandon his knights altogether.
• Regan and Cornwall both instruct Gloucester to lock Lear out of Gloucester’s castle at the end of Act 2, Scene 4.
• Lear shouts at the storm, expressing his frustration and rage.
• Lear describes himself as a poor, infirm, weak, and despised old man.
• Lear says, “I am a man more sinned against than sinning,” reflecting on his treatment by his daughters.
• Edmund says, “That which my father loses; no less than all, the younger rises when the old doth fall,” reflecting on the way the younger generation often rises to power when the older generation loses power.
• Lear talks to the homeless, expressing his concern for their well-being and offering advice on how to defend themselves against harsh weather conditions.
• Lear regrets his previous neglect of the poor and offers advice on how to take care of oneself in harsh conditions.
• Lear tells the homeless to “Take physic, pomp,” meaning to expose oneself to the hardships of the poor, and to “Expose thyself to feel what wretches feel,” reflecting on his own experience of homelessness.
• Lear refers to Gonerill and Regan as “The foul fiend follows me!” reflecting on their treatment of him.
• Lear describes himself as a poor, bare-forked animal, offending Lear’s sense of dignity.
• Lear strips off his clothes before taking off, symbolizing his willingness to embrace his new state of poverty and homelessness.
• Gloucester describes himself as tied to the stake and must stand the course, reflecting on his impending blindness.