Authors: William Shakespeare
Act 3 Scene 2
2
cataracts
floods/waterspouts
2
hurricanoes
waterspouts
3
cocks
weathercocks
4
thought-executing fires
i.e. lightning (as swift as thought/thought-destroying)
5
Vaunt-couriers
forerunners
8
nature’s moulds
the molds in which nature makes living creatures
8
germens
seeds
10
court holy-water
courtly flattery
16
tax … with
accuse … of
18
subscription
allegiance
21
ministers
agents
22
pernicious
destructive/wicked
23
high-engendered battles
battalions created in the heavens
23
head
plays on the sense of “army”
24
foul
wicked/bad (weather)
25
put’s
put his
26
head-piece
helmet/brain
27
codpiece
penis (literally, appendage worn on the front of a man’s breeches to cover and emphasize the genitals)
27
house
find a house for itself, i.e. have sex
28
any
i.e. any shelter
29
louse
get lice (in pubic and head hair)
30
So … many
in this way beggars end up with a string of mistresses (or “end up not only with a woman but a quantity of lice”)
31
makes … make
values most what he should value least/considers his penis (sex) more important than his heart (love/moral integrity)
33
corn
may suggest a syphilitic sore
35
made … glass
practiced smiling or pouting in a mirror
40
grace … codpiece
royalty and a fool (fools sometimes wore exaggerated codpieces and were proverbially well-endowed)
44
Gallow
gally, i.e. frighten
44
wanderers … dark
nocturnal animals
51
pudder
pother, tumult
54
Unwhipped of
unpunished by
55
simular
faker, pretender
56
caitiff
villain, wretch
57
seeming
false appearances, deception
58
practised on
plotted against
59
Rive
split open
59
continents
containers
59
cry … grace
beg for mercy from these terrifying summoners (officers who summoned the accused to court)
65
hard
near
65
hard house
pitiless household (Gloucester’s house, under the authority of Cornwall and Regan)
67
demanding
(when I was) asking urgently
69
scanted
withheld
72
fellow
servant (but with connotations of “companion”)
73
The … strange
necessity has a strange skill
77
He … day
adapted from Feste’s song at the end of
Twelfth Night
77
and a
a very
77
wit
possibly plays on the sense of “penis”
79
make … fit
make his happiness fit his fortunes/be content with the fortune that he deserves
82
brave
fine
82
cool
i.e. cool the lust of
82
courtesan
courtier’s mistress, high-class prostitute
84
in … matter
more concerned with words than substance (i.e. do not practice what they preach)
85
mar
spoil (i.e. water down for their own profit)
86
are … tutors
i.e. teach their tailors about fashion
87
heretics
religious dissenters, conventionally punished with burning at the stake
87
wenches’ suitors
i.e. who are afflicted with the burning effects of syphilis
88
right
just
91
cutpurses
thieves who cut the strings of moneybags hanging at their victims’ waists
91
throngs
crowds
92
usurers
moneylenders, notorious for charging excessively high interest
92
tell … i’th’field
count their money openly
93
bawds
pimps
94
Albion
ancient name for Britain
95
confusion
destruction, overthrow
96
who
whoever
97
going … feet
walking will be done on foot (perhaps simply meaning “things will return to normal”)
98
Merlin
in the legendary history of Britain, the reign of Lear precedes that of Arthur by centuries
Act 3 Scene 3
3.3
Location: the Earl of Gloucester’s residence
2
leave … pity
permission to help, take pity on
7
Go to
expression of impatient dismissal
10
closet
private room/cabinet
11
home
thoroughly
11
power
army
12
footed
ashore
12
incline to
support, side with
12
look
look for
13
privily relieve
secretly help
14
that
so that
14
of
by
17
toward
imminent
18
courtesy forbid thee
forbidden kindness (to Lear)
20
This … deserving
i.e. my action should be worth a good reward
Act 3 Scene 4
3.4
Location: outside a hovel somewhere out in the open, not far from the Earl of Gloucester’s residence
3
nature
human nature
10
greater malady
i.e. mental suffering
13
i’th’mouth
face to face
13
free
free of worry, untroubled
14
delicate
sensitive
17
as
as if
18
home
soundly
22
frank
generous
32
bide
endure
33
sides
bodies (with visible ribs)
34
lopped and windowed
full of holes
36
physic
medicine (often a purgative)
36
pomp
splendor, ostentatious display (i.e. rich and powerful people)
38
superflux
superfluity, excess (
flux
was used for a discharge of excrement from the bowels, the result of a purgative)
40
Fathom
about six feet
40
Fathom and half
Edgar calls as though he is measuring the depth of the water in the hovel, as a sailor might in a leaking ship
41
spirit
evil spirit, demon
45
grumble
mutter, mumble
52
foul
wicked
54
knives … pew
the devil was believed to tempt men to damnation by leaving them the means of committing suicide (even in church)
55
ratsbane
rat poison
56
porridge
vegetable or meat soup
56
bay
reddish-brown
57
four-inched
four inches wide (the devil gives one the arrogance to try and perform extremely difficult feats)
57
for
as
57
course
hunt
58
five wits
five mental faculties (common wit, imagination, fantasy, estimation, and memory)
58
do … de
the sound of chattering teeth?
59
star-blasting
being afflicted by the malign influence of the stars
59
taking
being infected with disease/malign influence of the stars
60
vexes
torments
60
there … there
perhaps Edgar snatches at parts of his body as he tries to catch lice or the devil; or he may grab or point at the air around him
63
pass
state, predicament
65
reserved a blanket
kept a blanket (to cover himself)
67
pendulous
overhanging
68
fated … faults
destined to punish men’s faults
70
subdued nature
reduced human nature
73
thus … flesh
refers to Edgar’s self-mutilation
75
pelican
young pelicans supposedly fed on their mother’s blood; they were proverbial for filial cruelty
76
Pillicock … Pillicock-hill
possibly part of an old nursery rhyme, but
Pillicock
is slang for penis and
Pillycock-hill
the female genitals
76
alow … loo
possibly from “halloo” (cry to incite dogs in a hunt), perhaps an imitation of a cock’s crow, or simply a nonsensical sound
78
obey
Edgar begins a paraphrased version of five of the Ten Commandments
79
commit not
i.e. do not commit adultery
80
on proud array
in overly fine clothes
83
gloves
i.e. a mistress’ gift, displayed by being worn in one’s cap
86
slept in
i.e. dreamed of
87
dice
i.e. gambling
88
out-paramoured the Turk
had more lovers than the Turkish Sultan, famous for his harem
88
light of ear
eager to listen to gossip
90
creaking … silks
i.e. the sounds of a fashionable woman walking
92
plackets
openings in skirts/vaginas
92
pen … books
i.e. do not sign a loan agreement
94
suum, mun
presumably Edgar imitates the sounds of the wind
94
nonny
often used as part of a refrain in popular songs
95
Dolphin … by
perhaps Edgar addresses an imaginary horse; sessa is a cry of encouragement used in hunting or may derive from the French
cessez
(“stop”)
96
answer
face, encounter
99
cat no perfume
the secretions of the anal glands of the civet cat are used to make perfume
100
on’s
of us
100
sophisticated
not simple or natural
101
unaccommodated
unprovided for (i.e. not wearing clothes)
102
lendings
clothes that are “lent” only, not part of him
104
naughty
nasty, wicked
107
walking fire
i.e. Gloucester and his torch
108
Flibbertigibbet
the name of a devil (all of the devils Edgar mentions are to be found in Samuel Harsnett’s 1603
Declaration of Egregious Popish Impostures
)
108
curfew
i.e. nightfall
109
cock
cockcrow
109
web … pin
cataract of the eye
110
squints
causes to squint
112
old
wold, downs
112
swithold
probably Saint Withold, apparently a protector from harm
112
footed thrice
walked three times
113
nightmare
evil female spirit supposed to settle upon a sleeper’s chest, inducing bad dreams and feelings of suffocation
113
nine-fold
perhaps the imps who attend her
115
her troth plight
give a solemn promise (to do no more harm)
116
aroint
begone (used to witches and demons)
118
What’s
who’s
122
wall-newt
i.e. lizard on the wall
122
water
i.e. water newt
124
ditch-dog
i.e. dead dog in a ditch
125
mantle
scum
125
standing
stagnant
125
whipped
the standard punishment for vagabonds
126
tithing
parish
127
three … shirts
the clothing allowance of a servant
129
deer
animals
131
Smulkin
the name of a devil (that, according to Harsnett, took the form of a mouse)
133
The … darkness
the devil
133
Modo … Mahu
the names of two devils
135
flesh and blood
i.e. children (Gloucester is thinking of Edgar, Goneril, and Regan)
135
vile
debased, corrupted
136
gets
begets, conceives
147
Theban
i.e. Greek philosopher (from Thebes)
149
prevent
forestall, thwart
151
Importune
urge
152
t’unsettle
to be disturbed
158
blood
lineage, family
163
cry you mercy
excuse me
170
keep still
remain
171
soothe
indulge, humor
172
him you on
him along with you
174
Athenian
i.e. Greek philosopher (from Athens)
176
Child … came
perhaps a line from a lost ballad about the legendary French hero Roland (
Child
was the title for a young man seeking knighthood)
177
word
password/customary saying
177
still
always
177
fie … man
the cry of the giant in the children’s tale of Jack the giant-killer