ACT I
SCENE I. King Lear's palace.
Enter KENT, GLOUCESTER, and EDMUND
KENT
I thought the king had more affected the Duke of
Albany than Cornwall.
GLOUCESTER
It did always seem so to us: but now, in the
division of the kingdom, it appears not which of
the dukes he values most; for equalities are so
weighed, that curiosity in neither can make choice
of either's moiety.
KENT
Is not this your son, my lord?
GLOUCESTER
His breeding, sir, hath been at my charge: I have
so often blushed to acknowledge him, that now I am
brazed to it.
KENT
I cannot conceive you.
GLOUCESTER
Sir, this young fellow's mother could: whereupon
she grew round-wombed, and had, indeed, sir, a son
for her cradle ere she had a husband for her bed.
Do you smell a fault?
KENT
I cannot wish the fault undone, the issue of it
being so proper.
GLOUCESTER
But I have, sir, a son by order of law, some year
elder than this, who yet is no dearer in my account:
though this knave came something saucily into the
world before he was sent for, yet was his mother
fair; there was good sport at his making, and the
whoreson must be acknowledged. Do you know this
noble gentleman, Edmund?
EDMUND
No, my lord.
GLOUCESTER
My lord of Kent: remember him hereafter as my
honourable friend.
EDMUND
My services to your lordship.
KENT
I must love you, and sue to know you better.
EDMUND
Sir, I shall study deserving.
GLOUCESTER
He hath been out nine years, and away he shall
again. The king is coming.
NOTES:
John Keats (1795-1821)
John Keats, a leading Romantic poet, is celebrated for his vivid imagery, sensuous language, and profound exploration of beauty and mortality. Despite his brief life, he produced enduring works like "Ode to a Nightingale" and "To Autumn." His poetry reflects a deep connection to nature, art, and the fleeting nature of human experience. The poem mentioned within this episode is
On Sitting Down to Read King Lear Once Again
O Golden-tongued Romance, with serene Lute!
Fair plumed Syren, Queen of far-away!
Leave melodizing on this wintry day
Shut up thine olden Pages, and be mute.
Adieu! for, once again, the fierce dispute,
Betwixt Damnation and impassion'd clay
Must I burn through; once more humbly assay
The bitter-sweet of this Shaksperean fruit.
Chief Poet! and ye Clouds of Albion,
Begetters of our deep eternal theme!
When through the old oak forest I am gone,
Let me not wander in a barren dream:
But, when I am consumed in the fire,
Give me new Phoenix Wings to fly at my desire.
Text
The text of King Lear exists in a few major versions: quarto editions include the 1608 "Pied Bull" Quarto (Q1), likely a corrupt or reported text, and the 1619 Quarto (Q2), a reprint of Q1. We also have the 1623 First Folio (F1). Q1, likely based on shorthand notes, contains extra lines, while F1, possibly revised by Shakespeare, omits some passages. Modern editions and productions, therefore, tend to create their own unique text to work with, often blending elements of all three.
Holinshed
As he had for various other plays - including Macbeth - Shakespeare adapted elements from Holinshed’s Chronicles (1587) for King Lear. He adapted the story of the ancient British king Leir, his division of the kingdom, and his daughter Cordelia’s rebellion - although she’s called Cordeilla in Holinshed. Shakespeare transformed the chronicle’s happy ending into the bleak conclusion of this play, and expanded the story considerably.
Gloucester
The Duchy of Gloucester, historically significant in medieval England, was held by royal figures like Thomas of Woodstock and Richard III (as Duke of Gloucester). In Shakespeare, characters titled Gloucester include:
Earl of Gloucester (King Lear), a major character whose story parallels Lear’s downfall.
Richard, Duke of Gloucester (Henry VI trilogy and Richard III), the scheming future king.
Humphrey, Duke of Gloucester (Henry VI), the ambitious lord protector.
Kent
The Duchy of Kent, an ancient title held by Anglo-Saxon kings and later royals, has a long-standing reputation for loyalty. This comes in no small part from the Earl of Kent in King Lear, who is the only Kent to appear in any of Shakespeare’s plays. Kent is also the location of the Cliffs of Dover, which will play a crucial part later in the play.
Moiety
The word "moiety" comes from the Middle English moite, derived from Old French meitet (meaning "half"), which in turn originates from the Latin medietas ("middle" or "half"). The root is medius ("middle"), shared with words like "medium" and "mediate."
Edmund
The name Edmund has a complex legacy. Derived from Old English Ēadmund (ēad = prosperity, mund = protector), it was immortalized by St. Edmund, the 9th-century King of East Anglia martyred by Vikings for refusing to renounce Christianity. His shrine in Bury St. Edmunds (originally Beodricesworth, renamed St. Edmund's Bury) became a major pilgrimage site, with the town's abbey housing his relics until the Reformation. Shakespeare did the name no favours, bestowing it upon one of his most wicked villains, as we shall see.