Act 1 scene 1 key quotes

Question 1

” the whoreson” Gloucester (1,1)

Answer 1

‘whores son’ in regard to Edmund, disrespect to Edmund’s mother in calling her a whore, he doesn’t refer to Edmund as his ‘son’ or even his name ‘Edmund’

Question 2

“we have divided in three our kingdom” -Lear (1,1)

Answer 2

“we have divided in three our kingdom” -Lear past tense, he has already divided the kingdom, he’s contradicting his reasons for asking his daughters to make a speech - he acts as though he will reward one more based on their speeches, really he just wanted to hear their love for him -insecurities?

Question 3

dearer than eyesight, space and liberty” - Goneril (1,1)

Answer 3

hyperbolic and foreshadows/links to Lear’s loss of sight

Question 4

“unburdened crawl toward death” Lear (1,1)

Answer 4

the verb is associated with babies/children and it was childish to give away his kingdom and also shows how vulnerable he is due to his age and ultimately adds to why we pity him. ‘Unburdened’ illustrates his selfishness and how he wants to rid himself of responsibility.

Question 5

“Love, and be silent” - Cordelia

Answer 5

highlights how exaggerated G+Rs speeches are and her silence in comparison proves her love.

Question 6

“come not between the dragon and his wrath” - Lear (1,1)

Answer 6

talking about himself in third person, shows his feelings of superiority + his anger is shown. Idea of Lear as a dragon and what it suggests. Foreshadows his tragic isolation as he pushed everyone away from him.

Question 7

“this coronet part between you” Lear (1,1)

Answer 7

shows how meaningless dividing the kingdom is, what’s half a crown worth? Patriarchal society highlighted as he’s speaking to Albany and Cornwall here. Self destruction and Lear metaphorically dismembering himself as father king and patron.

Question 8

“see better Lear” -Kent (1,1)

Answer 8

Kent is the voice of reason throughout, loyal, intelligent etc. Kent is clear sighted whilst Lear is blind.

Question 9

“your best object” - France (1,1)

Answer 9

in regards to cordelia, shows marriage as transactional, cordelia as an object etc but lear banished her due to a ‘lack of love’ ???

Question 10

“if for i want that glib and oily art to speak and purpose not” - Cordelia (1,1)

Answer 10

want=lack, she lacks the traits of her sisters who are able to speak not what they mean. Cordelia who has not spoken many words previously, says she is a woman of actions not words, she can speak when she wants to. This is stereotypically not a feminine trait, contextually a woman’s only weapon is their voice - is Cordelia the opposite - transgressing gender norms??

Question 11

“you see how full of changes his age is” - Goneril (1,1)

Answer 11

they understand Lear’s vulnerability with age, scheming against him as they can see his actions are senile as he’s banished two people whom he loved dearly.

Question 12

“nothing will come of nothing” Lear (1,1)

Answer 12

ironic because in the same scene, the idea of lear being metaphorically blind can formulate over nothing and shows that he doesn’t know as much as he thinks he does - can link to edmund. Shows his strong belief in love as transactional - Lear will not give anything unless he gets something in return. A general motif in the play. Arrogant tone in lears voice, dramatic irony as he is then proven wrong as the play goes on.

Question 13

“I love your majesty according to my bond, no more no less’ -Cordelia

Answer 13

‘your majesty’ and ‘bond’=duty - shows her respect for the social hierarchy she is articulating an adherence to the old world, patriarchal hierarchy which lear belongs to. Shows her honesty ‘no more no less’

Question 14

Dynamic/ type of speech from start to end of scene

Answer 14

Opens with Kent, Gloucester and Edmund discussing Lear’s decisions immediately presenting lear as fickle and changeable (prose, so clearly informal)
- As a more formal group enters the stage (1.1.55) Lear commands for Gloucester to exit and his commands are immediately carried out, this contrasts (1.1.118) when his orders are ignored showing his fall in rank.

Question 15

“you have begot me, bred me, loved me … obey you honour you and most love you” - Cordelia

Answer 15

Balance is shown in Cordelia as a character when she speaks to lear. this balance is shown through structure 3:3 highlights how she will love her father as a dutiful daughter of a king should in this patriarchal society but will not lie and say she loves him endlessly.

Question 16

Goneril vs Regans speech

Answer 16

Competition between G+R shown through their speeches, perhaps also showing meaninglessness in the words they say: G goes first and says 7 lines in iambic pentameter, R follows up and has to one-up G by saying 7.6 lines in iambic pentameter.