King Lear

^5.3Location: the British camp, near Dover

¹good guard guard them carefully

²greater pleasures the wishes of more important people (i.e. Goneril, Regan, Albany)

³censure judge, sentence

⁵meaning intentions

⁶cast down humbled by fortune/defeated in battle/dejected

¹⁴gilded butterflies actual butterflies/lavishly dressed courtiers

¹⁴poor rogues wretched fellows

¹⁷take … things understand the secret inner workings of the world

¹⁸God’s spies spying on the world on God’s behalf/looking at the world from a lofty vantage point, like God

¹⁸wear out outlive

¹⁹packs and sects cliques and factions

²⁰That … th’moon i.e. whose fortunes ebb and flow like the tides

²²sacrifices refers to either Cordelia’s sacrifice for Lear or their joint loss of freedom

²³throw incense i.e. like priests performing the sacrifice

²⁴brand … foxes alludes to the practice of smoking foxes out of their holes

²⁶flesh and fell flesh and skin (i.e. entirely)

²⁷starved dead

³³tender-minded sensitive, soft-hearted

³⁴become befit, suit

³⁵bear question permit discussion

³⁸write happy count yourself fortunate

³⁹carry manage

⁴¹strain lineage

⁴³opposites opponents

⁴⁴use treat

⁴⁸retention detention, confinement

⁴⁹Whose refers to the king

⁴⁹charms bewitching spells

⁴⁹title name of king/legal entitlement (to land and power)

⁵⁰pluck … bosom draw the sympathies of the common people

⁵¹turn … them i.e. turn our conscripted soldiers’ weapons against ourselves

⁵²queen i.e. Cordelia

⁵⁵session hearing in a court of justice

⁵⁶by your patience if you’ll excuse me

⁵⁷subject of subordinate in

⁵⁹list please

⁶⁰pleasure … demanded wishes might have been asked

⁶²commission authority

⁶³immediacy closeness, connection

⁶⁶grace merit

⁶⁷your addition the honors or titles you bestow on him

⁶⁹compeers equals

⁷⁰That … most i.e. he would be most fully invested with your rights

⁷²Holla whoa, stop

⁷³asquint crookedly, distortedly

⁷⁵full-flowing stomach a stomach full of anger (where stomach is used like “heart” for the seat of the passions)

⁷⁶patrimony inheritance

⁷⁷Dispose of use, deal with

⁷⁷walls Regan images herself as a fortress surrendering

⁷⁸Witness the world let the world witness

⁸⁰enjoy i.e. have sex with him as your husband

⁸¹let-alone permission or refusal to give it

⁸³Half-blooded illegitimate (fellow is contemptuous)

⁸⁶in i.e. along with

⁸⁷gilded serpent i.e. Goneril

⁸⁷For as for

⁸⁸bar it prevent its advancement (legal term)

⁸⁹subcontracted engaged for a second time, entered into a contract that is subsidiary to her marriage contract with Albany

⁹⁰banns proclamation of marriage (spelled “banes” in Folio, perhaps playing on “evil-doings”)

⁹¹make … to woo, make advances to

⁹²bespoke spoken for

⁹³interlude brief comic play (i.e. “What a farce!”)

⁹⁷pledge challenge/pledge to fight

⁹⁷make it i.e. make it good

⁹⁸nothing no way

¹⁰¹medicine drugs (i.e. poison)

¹⁰²what whoever

¹⁰⁸single virtue unaided courage or strength

¹¹⁵quality or degree noble birth or high rank

¹¹⁶lists catalog of soldiers

¹²⁷canker-bit eaten away by canker-worms (grubs that feed on plants)

¹²⁹cope encounter, fight with

¹³⁷honours … profession i.e. as a knight

¹³⁸protest declare

¹³⁹Maugre despite

¹³⁹place position, rank

¹⁴⁰fire-new i.e. brand new, freshly minted

¹⁴³Conspirant a conspirator

¹⁴⁴upward top, crown

¹⁴⁵descent lowest part, sole

¹⁴⁶toad-spotted toads’ spots were believed to contain venom

¹⁴⁷bent resolved/tensed for action

¹⁵²say assay, evidence

¹⁵³nicely in strict keeping with the rules

¹⁵⁶hell-hated lie the lie I hate as much as hell

¹⁵⁷for they since they (the treasons)

¹⁵⁷by off

¹⁵⁸instant way an immediate passage (to your heart)

¹⁶⁰him probably a call to Edgar to spare Edmund’s life so that a confession can be obtained from him

¹⁶¹practice trickery

¹⁶⁴cozened and beguiled cheated and deceived

¹⁶⁵dame woman

¹⁶⁸know recognize

¹⁷⁰arraign indict, bring to trial

¹⁷³govern restrain

¹⁷⁷fortune on good fortune to defeat

¹⁷⁹charity forgiveness

¹⁸¹th’hast thou hast (i.e. you have)

¹⁸³pleasant pleasurable (sexually so in this case)