First folio
| Modern text
| Definitions
| Key line
| |
| Enter Lear, Kent, Gentleman, and Foole. | Enter Lear, Kent, Knight, and the Fool | | KL I.v.1.1 | |
| Lear. | LEAR | | | |
| (to Kent) | | KL I.v.1.2 | |
| Go you before to Gloster with these | Go you before to Gloucester with these | before (adv.) ahead, in advance | KL I.v.1 | |
| Letters; acquaint my Daughter no further with any thing | letters. Acquaint my daughter no further with anything | | KL I.v.2 | |
| you know, then comes from her demand out of the Letter, | you know than comes from her demand out of the letter. | demand (n.)question, enquiry, request | KL I.v.3 | |
| if your Dilligence be not speedy, I shall be there afore | If your diligence be not speedy, I shall be there afore | afore, 'fore (prep.)before, ahead of | KL I.v.4 | |
| you. | you. | | KL I.v.5 | |
| Kent. | KENT | | | |
| I will not sleepe my Lord, till I haue deliuered your | I will not sleep, my lord, till I have delivered your | | KL I.v.6 | |
| Letter. | letter. | | KL I.v.7 | |
| Exit. | Exit | | KL I.v.7 | |
| Foole. | FOOL | | | |
| If a mans braines were in's heeles, wert not in | If a man's brains were in's heels, were't not in | | KL I.v.8 | |
| danger of kybes? | danger of kibes? | kibe (n.)chilblain, inflamed heel | KL I.v.9 | |
| Lear. | LEAR | | | |
| I Boy. | Ay, boy. | | KL I.v.10 | |
| Foole. | FOOL | | | |
| Then I prythee be merry, thy wit shall not go | Then I prithee be merry. Thy wit shall not go | wit (n.)intelligence, wisdom, good sense, mental ability | KL I.v.11 | |
| slip-shod. | slipshod. | slipshod, slip-shod (adj.)wearing slippers | KL I.v.12 | |
| Lear. | LEAR | | | |
| Ha, ha, ha. | Ha, ha, ha! | | KL I.v.13 | |
| Fool. | FOOL | | | |
| Shalt see thy other Daughter will vse thee kindly, | Shalt see thy other daughter will use thee kindly; | use (v.)treat, deal with, manage | KL I.v.14 | |
| for though she's as like this, as a Crabbe's like an Apple, yet | for though she's as like this as a crab's like an apple, yet | crab (n.)crab-apple, sour apple | KL I.v.15 | |
| I can tell what I can tell. | I can tell what I can tell. | | KL I.v.16 | |
| Lear. | LEAR | | | |
| What can'st tell Boy? | What canst tell, boy? | | KL I.v.17 | |
| Foole. | FOOL | | | |
| She will taste as like this as, a Crabbe do's to a Crab: | She will taste as like this as a crab does to a crab. | | KL I.v.18 | |
| thou canst tell why ones nose stands i'th'middle on's | Thou canst tell why one's nose stands i'the middle on's | | KL I.v.19 | |
| face? | face? | | KL I.v.20 | |
| Lear. | LEAR | | | |
| No. | No. | | KL I.v.21 | |
| Foole. | FOOL | | | |
| Why to keepe ones eyes of either side's nose, that | Why, to keep one's eyes of either side's nose; that | | KL I.v.22 | |
| what a man cannot smell out, he may spy into. | what a man cannot smell out he may spy into. | | KL I.v.23 | |
| Lear. | LEAR | | | |
| I did her wrong. | I did her wrong. | | KL I.v.24 | |
| Foole. | FOOL | | | |
| Can'st tell how an Oyster makes his shell? | Canst tell how an oyster makes his shell? | | KL I.v.25 | |
| Lear. | LEAR | | | |
| No. | No. | | KL I.v.26 | |
| Foole. | FOOL | | | |
| Nor I neither; but I can tell why a Snaile ha's a house. | Nor I neither. But I can tell why a snail has a house. | | KL I.v.27 | |
| Lear. | LEAR | | | |
| Why? | Why? | | KL I.v.28 | |
| Foole. | FOOL | | | |
| Why to put's head in, not to giue it away to his | Why, to put's head in; not to give it away to his | 's (det.)contracted form of ‘his’ | KL I.v.29 | |
| daughters, and leaue his hornes without a case. | daughters, and leave his horns without a case. | | KL I.v.30 | |
| Lear. | LEAR | | | |
| I will forget my Nature, so kind a Father? Be my | I will forget my nature. So kind a father! – Be my | | KL I.v.31 | |
| Horsses ready? | horses ready? | | KL I.v.32 | |
| Foole. | FOOL | | | |
| Thy Asses are gone about 'em; the reason why the | Thy asses are gone about 'em. The reason why the | | KL I.v.33 | |
| seuen Starres are no mo then seuen, is a pretty reason. | seven stars are no more than seven is a pretty reason. | | KL I.v.34 | |
| Lear. | LEAR | | | |
| Because they are not eight. | Because they are not eight? | | KL I.v.35 | |
| Foole. | FOOL | | | |
| Yes indeed, thou would'st make a good Foole. | Yes, indeed. Thou wouldst make a good fool. | | KL I.v.36 | |
| Lear. | LEAR | | | |
| To tak't againe perforce; Monster Ingratitude! | To take't again perforce! Monster ingratitude! | perforce (adv.)forcibly, by force, violently | KL I.v.37 | |
| Foole. | FOOL | | | |
| If thou wert my Foole Nunckle, Il'd haue thee beaten | If thou wert my fool, nuncle, I'd have thee beaten | | KL I.v.38 | |
| for being old before thy time. | for being old before thy time. | | KL I.v.39 | |
| Lear. | LEAR | | | |
| How's that? | How's that? | | KL I.v.40 | |
| Foole. | FOOL | | | |
| Thou shouldst not haue bin old, till thou hadst | Thou shouldst not have been old till thou hadst | | KL I.v.41 | |
| bin wise. | been wise. | | KL I.v.42 | |
| Lear. | LEAR | | | |
| O let me not be mad, not mad sweet Heauen: | O let me not be mad, not mad, sweet heaven! | | KL I.v.43 | |
| keepe me in temper, I would not be mad. | Keep me in temper; I would not be mad! | temper (n.)mental balance, stable mind | KL I.v.44 | |
| How now are the Horses ready? | How now! Are the horses ready? | | KL I.v.45 | |
| Gent. | KNIGHT | | | |
| Ready my Lord. | Ready, my lord. | | KL I.v.46 | |
| Lear. | LEAR | | | |
| Come Boy. | Come, boy. | | KL I.v.47 | |
| Exeunt all except the Fool | | KL I.v.47 | |
| Fool. | FOOL | | | |
| She that's a Maid now,& laughs at my departure, | She that's a maid now, and laughs at my departure, | | KL I.v.48 | |
| Shall not be a Maid long, vnlesse things be cut shorter. | Shall not be a maid long, unless things be cut shorter. | | KL I.v.49 | |
| Exeunt. | Exit | | KL I.v.49 | |