Authors: William Shakespeare
Act 4 Scene 3
4.3
Colours
military banners
2
vexed
angry, turbulent
3
rank fumiter
abundant fumitory (a vigorously growing weed)
3
furrow weeds
weeds that grow in the furrows of plowed fields
4
burdocks
weeds with prickly flower heads or burs
4
hemlock
plant producing a potentially lethal sedative
4
cuckoo-flowers
name given to various wildflowers growing when the cuckoo calls (i.e. May/June)
5
Darnel
type of grass that grows as a weed among corn
5
idle
useless
8
What … wisdom
what can human knowledge do
9
bereavèd
stolen, lost
10
outward worth
worldly goods
12
repose
rest, sleep
13
that … operative
there are many effective medicinal herbs that can induce that in him
17
unpublished virtues
secret powers (of herbs)
18
aidant
helpful
18
remediate
remedial, healing
20
rage
frenzy
21
wants the means
i.e. lacks the sanity
24
preparation
equipped military force
27
France
i.e. the King of France
28
importuned
importunate, pressing
29
blown
swollen with pride/corrupt
Act 4 Scene 4
4.4
Location: the Earl of Gloucester’s residence
4
ado
fuss
8
import
mean, contain
10
posted
hurried
11
ignorance
folly
15
nighted
darkened (literally, and in terms of his fortunes)
15
descry
discover
17
after
go after
19
ways
roads
21
charged my duty
swore me to obedience
23
Belike
perhaps/probably
24
I’ll love thee
Regan switches to the familiar thee to cajole him—love implies the promise of favors, sexual or otherwise
29
oeillades
amorous glances
29
speaking
eloquent
30
of her bosom
in her confidence/sexually intimate
32
Y’are
ye (you) are
33
take this note
note this well
35
convenient
fitting
36
gather more
infer the rest
39
call … her
have more sense
43
meet
i.e. meet him
Act 4 Scene 5
4.5
Location: somewhere out in the open, near Dover
1
that same hill
the hill I mentioned (i.e. the cliff Gloucester described at the end of Act 4 Scene 1)
11
phrase and matter
style and sense
17
choughs
jackdaws or other birds of the crow family
17
wing
fly across
17
midway
i.e. middle regions of
18
gross
large
19
samphire
aromatic plant used in pickling; it was picked from cliffs by men suspended on ropes
22
yond
yonder, that
22
bark
small ship
23
her cock
(the size of) her cock boat, a small boat towed behind a ship
25
th’unnumbered idle pebble
countless insignificant pebbles
27
the deficient
my defective
28
Topple
topple me
32
leap upright
jump up in the air
34
Here, friend’s
here, friend, is
36
Prosper it
cause it to prosper
40
trifle
play
46
opposeless
irresistible
47
My … nature
the smoldering wick and hated remains of my life
51
conceit
imagination
53
Yields
submits willingly
54
this
this time, now
56
pass
die
57
What
who (Edgar adopts another persona)
59
aught
anything
60
precipitating
falling headlong
61
shivered
shattered
63
at each
end to end
67
bourn
boundary (between land and sea)
68
a-height
on high
68
shrill-gorged
shrill-throated
73
beguile
cheat
84
whelked
twisted
85
fiend
i.e. tempting him to the sin of suicide
85
happy father
fortunate old man (
father
was a form of address for an elderly man, though Edgar plays with the literal sense)
86
clearest
brightest, purest
86
make … impossibilities
acquire honor for themselves by performing things that are impossible in the human world
93
free
untroubled
94
The … thus
were he (Lear) in his right mind, he would never permit himself to dress like this (or possibly “Gloucester’s senses will not be able to withstand seeing his master like this”)
96
touch
accuse, blame/lay hands on
100
press-money
money paid to military recruits when they were conscripted (Lear seems to imagine he is recruiting an army)
100
crow-keeper
scarecrow/person employed to scare crows from the crops
101
Draw … yard
draw your bow to its fullest extent (the length of a longbow’s arrow, which, at about thirty-six inches, was the same as the length of a cloth-seller’s measuring rod)
102
gauntlet
armored glove thrown down as a challenge to a duel
103
prove it on
make good my cause against
103
brown bills
long-handled weapons, painted or varnished brown and topped with axe-like blades; or soldiers carrying such weapons
103
well flown, bird
the language of falconry, here used to describe an arrow’s flight
104
I’th’clout
cloth at the center of an archer’s target
104
hewgh
perhaps Lear imitates the sound of the arrow as it flies through the air or hits the target
104
word
password (continues Lear’s military fantasy)
105
Sweet marjoram
Edgar invents a password that relates to Lear’s headgear and to the plant’s alleged medicinal properties in treating brain disorders
109
like a dog
i.e. as if they were fawning dogs
109
had … there
i.e. was wise even while I was still a child
111
divinity
theology
112
me
i.e. my teeth
113
peace
be still
116
ague-proof
immune to fever and shivering
117
trick
characteristic, individual quality
121
cause
charge, offense
124
goes to’t
does it, has sex
125
lecher
fornicate
127
got
begot, conceived
128
luxury
lechery, lust
128
for … soldiers
i.e. more sex means more children to man his army
130
between … snow
forecasts frigidity between her legs
131
minces virtue
affects chastity
131
shake the head
i.e. in disapproval
133
fitchew
polecat/prostitute
133
soilèd
fed with green fodder, so lively, skittish
134
riotous
unrestrained, lustful
135
centaurs
mythical creatures that were human above the waist and horse below; reputed to be lustful
136
But … girdle
only as far as the waist
136
inherit
possess, have power over
138
hell
slang term for the vagina
138
sulphurous
suggests both hell and syphilis
139
burning … consumption
alludes to painful syphilitic burning, odor and decay (consumption)
140
civet
perfume
140
apothecary
person who prepared and sold drugs, spices, perfumes etc.
143
mortality
being human/death
145
so
similarly
147
squinny
squint
147
Cupid
Roman god of love, traditionally depicted as blind or blindfolded
148
challenge
written challenge to a duel
148
penning
style/handwriting
150
take … report
believe it if I heard it reported
153
case
sockets
155
heavy case
sorrowful predicament
157
feelingly
literally, through touch/with great emotion
159
justice
judge
160
simple
humble
161
handy-dandy
take your pick (from the child’s game of guessing which clenched hand contains something)
165
a … office
given authority, even a dog will be obeyed
167
beadle
parish officer, responsible for punishing thieves, prostitutes, and vagabonds
169
use
employ sexually
169
kind
manner
170
usurer
moneylender, notorious for charging excessively high interest
170
cozener
cheat
172
Place … gold
i.e. when sins are committed by the rich
173
hurtless
harmlessly
174
it
i.e. sin
175
able ’em
authorize them
178
scurvy politician
despicable schemer
179
Now … now
perhaps comforting Gloucester, perhaps distracted by his boots
181
matter and impertinency
sense and nonsense
184
hither
i.e. into this world
189
block
style of hat or mold for hats (perhaps Lear removes his headgear)/block from which to mount a horse/tree stump (stage may even give rise to a sense of “scaffold and executioner’s block”)
190
delicate
ingenious
191
put’t in proof
try it out
4.3
Gentleman
perhaps the same man that Kent gave instructions to in Act 3 Scene 1
197
natural fool
born fool (as opposed to a professional jester)
201
seconds
supporters (as for a duel)
202
salt
i.e. tears
204
die
plays on the sense of “orgasm”
204
bravely
handsomely
205
jovial
cheerful/majestic (like Jove, king of the gods)
206
Masters
sirs
209
Sa … sa
hunting cry, from French
ça
(“that’s it,” “it’s there”)
212
nature
i.e. human nature
212
general curse
curse of original sin
213
twain
Adam and Eve (but also suggests Goneril and Regan)
214
gentle
noble
215
speed you
(may God) prosper you
216
toward
impending
217
vulgar
widely known
219
by your favour
if you would be so good
221
main … thought
sight of the main army is expected hourly
224
Though that
though
224
on special cause
for a special reason (i.e. to find Lear)
229
worser spirit
evil angel/bad side of my nature
234
known … sorrows
deeply felt sorrows I have experienced
235
pregnant … pity
disposed to compassion
236
biding
dwelling
238
benison
blessing
239
To … boot
in addition, and may it benefit you
240
proclaimed prize
i.e. a man with a price on his head
240
happy
fortunate
241
framed flesh
conceived and born
243
thyself remember
recall your sins (i.e. prepare to die)
248
published
proclaimed
251
’Chill
I shall
251
’chill … ’casion
I shall not let go, sir, without further occasion (cause); for his new persona, Edgar adopts a West Country accent in which he substitutes “v” for “f” and “z” for “s”
253
your gait
on your way
254
An … vortnight
if I could have been killed by boasting, I would not have lasted a fortnight (or “it would have been shorter by a fortnight”)
256
che vor ye
I warrant you, I promise you
256
i’se
I shall