First folio
| Modern text
| Definitions
| Key line
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Enter Gonerill, Bastard, and Steward. | Enter Gonerill and Edmund | | KL IV.ii.1.1 | |
Gon. | GONERILL | | | |
Welcome my Lord. I meruell our mild husband | Welcome, my lord. I marvel our mild husband | marvel (v.)wonder, be curious | KL IV.ii.1 | |
Not met vs on the way. | Not met us on the way. | | KL IV.ii.2.1 | |
| Enter Oswald | | KL IV.ii.2 | |
Now, where's your Master? | Now, where's your master'? | | KL IV.ii.2.2 | |
Stew. | OSWALD | | | |
Madam within, but neuer man so chang'd: | Madam, within; but never man so changed. | | KL IV.ii.3 | |
I told him of the Army that was Landed: | I told him of the army that was landed. | | KL IV.ii.4 | |
He smil'd at it. I told him you were comming, | He smiled at it. I told him you were coming. | | KL IV.ii.5 | |
His answer was, the worse. Of Glosters Treachery, | His answer was ‘The worse.' Of Gloucester's treachery | | KL IV.ii.6 | |
And of the loyall Seruice of his Sonne | And of the loyal service of his son | | KL IV.ii.7 | |
When I inform'd him, then he call'd me Sot, | When I informed him, then he called me sot | sot (n.)blockhead, idiot, dolt | KL IV.ii.8 | |
And told me I had turn'd the wrong side out: | And told me I had turned the wrong side out. | | KL IV.ii.9 | |
What most he should dislike, seemes pleasant to him; | What most he should dislike seems pleasant to him; | | KL IV.ii.10 | |
What like, offensiue. | What like, offensive. | | KL IV.ii.11.1 | |
Gon. | GONERILL | | | |
| (to Edmund) | | KL IV.ii.11 | |
Then shall you go no further. | Then shall you go no further. | | KL IV.ii.11.2 | |
It is the Cowish terror of his spirit | It is the cowish terror of his spirit | cowish (adj.)cowardly, irresolute, timorous | KL IV.ii.12 | |
That dares not vndertake: Hee'l not feele wrongs | That dares not undertake. He'll not feel wrongs | wrong (n.)insult, offence, slight | KL IV.ii.13 | |
| | feel (v.)react to, be affected by | | |
| | undertake (v.)take responsibility, commit oneself to an enterprise | | |
Which tye him to an answer: our wishes on the way | Which tie him to an answer. Our wishes on the way | answer (n.)retaliation, armed response | KL IV.ii.14 | |
May proue effects. Backe Edmond to my Brother, | May prove effects. Back, Edmund, to my brother! | effect (n.)result, end, outcome, fulfilment | KL IV.ii.15 | |
Hasten his Musters, and conduct his powres. | Hasten his musters and conduct his powers: | muster (n.)(plural) enlistment of soldiers, mobilizing of troops | KL IV.ii.16 | |
| | power (n.)armed force, troops, host, army | | |
I must change names at home, and giue the Distaffe | I must change arms at home and give the distaff | distaff (n.)device for weaving, spindle | KL IV.ii.17 | |
| | arms (n.)weapons, armaments | | |
Into my Husbands hands. This trustie Seruant | Into my husband's hands. This trusty servant | | KL IV.ii.18 | |
Shall passe betweene vs: ere long you are like to heare | Shall pass between us; ere long you are like to hear, | | KL IV.ii.19 | |
(If you dare venture in your owne behalfe) | If you dare venture in your own behalf, | venture, venter (v.)run a risk, take a chance, dare to act | KL IV.ii.20 | |
A Mistresses command. Weare this; spare speech, | A mistress's command. Wear this; (giving a favour) spare speech. | spare (v.)omit, avoid, refrain [from] | KL IV.ii.21 | |
| | favour (n.)mark of favour, gift, token [often a love-token] | | |
Decline your head. This kisse, if it durst speake | Decline your head; this kiss, if it durst speak, | decline (v.)incline, lean, bend | KL IV.ii.22 | |
Would stretch thy Spirits vp into the ayre: | Would stretch thy spirits up into the air. | | KL IV.ii.23 | |
Conceiue, and fare thee well. | Conceive; and fare thee well. | fare ... well (int.)goodbye [to an individual] | KL IV.ii.24 | |
| | conceive (v.)understand, comprehend, follow | | |
Bast. | EDMUND | | | |
Yours in the rankes of death. | Yours in the ranks of death. | | KL IV.ii.25.1 | |
Gon. | GONERILL | | | |
My most deere Gloster. | My most dear Gloucester! | | KL IV.ii.25.2 | |
Exit. | Exit Edmund | | KL IV.ii.25 | |
Oh, the difference of man, and man, | O, the difference of man and man! | | KL IV.ii.26 | |
To thee a Womans seruices are due, | To thee a woman's services are due; | | KL IV.ii.27 | |
My Foole vsurpes my body. | A fool usurps my bed. | usurp (v.)take wrongful possession of, misappropriate | KL IV.ii.28.1 | |
Stew. | OSWALD | | | |
Madam, here come's my Lord. | Madam, here comes my lord. | | KL IV.ii.28.2 | |
| Exit | | KL IV.ii.28 | |
Enter Albany. | Enter Albany | | KL IV.ii.29 | |
Gon. | GONERILL | | | |
I haue beene worth the whistle. | I have been worth the whistling. | whistling (n.)calling, watching out for | KL IV.ii.29.1 | |
Alb. | ALBANY | | | |
Oh Gonerill, | O Gonerill, | | KL IV.ii.29.2 | |
You are not worth the dust which the rude winde | You are not worth the dust which the rude wind | rude (adj.)[of wind or water] stormy, turbulent, harsh | KL IV.ii.30 | |
Blowes in your face. | Blows in your face. I fear your disposition: | disposition (n.)inclination, mood, frame of mind | KL IV.ii.31 | |
| That nature which contemns its origin | nature (n.)human nature | KL IV.ii.32 | |
| | contemn (v.)despise, scorn, treat with contempt | | |
| Cannot be bordered certain in itself. | border (v.)keep within bounds, contain, confine | KL IV.ii.33 | |
| She that herself will sliver and disbranch | sliver (v.)cut off [a piece], split off, tear away | KL IV.ii.34 | |
| | disbranch (v.)remove a branch, cut off, sever | | |
| From her material sap perforce must wither | perforce (adv.)of necessity, with no choice in the matter | KL IV.ii.35 | |
| | material (adj.)full of matter, containing substance | | |
| And come to deadly use. | use (n.)end, outcome, resolution | KL IV.ii.36 | |
| | deadly (adj.)deathly, death-like | | |
| GONERILL | | | |
| No more; the text is foolish. | text (n.)theme, subject, topic | KL IV.ii.37 | |
| ALBANY | | | |
| Wisdom and goodness to the vile seem vile; | | KL IV.ii.38 | |
| Filths savour but themselves. What have you done, | savour (v.)relish, enjoy, delight [in] | KL IV.ii.39 | |
| | filth (n.)vile creature, foul animal | | |
| Tigers not daughters, what have you performed? | | KL IV.ii.40 | |
| A father, and a gracious aged man, | | KL IV.ii.41 | |
| Whose reverence even the head-lugged bear would lick, | reverence (n.)respected state, venerable condition | KL IV.ii.42 | |
| | head-lugged (adj.)pulled along by the ears; or: baited, tormented | | |
| Most barbarous, most degenerate, have you madded. | mad (v.)madden, exasperate, infuriate | KL IV.ii.43 | |
| Could my good brother suffer you to do it? | suffer (v.)allow, permit, let | KL IV.ii.44 | |
| A man, a prince, by him so benefited? | | KL IV.ii.45 | |
| If that the heavens do not their visible spirits | | KL IV.ii.46 | |
| Send quickly down to tame these vile offences, | | KL IV.ii.47 | |
| It will come – | | KL IV.ii.48 | |
| Humanity must perforce prey on itself | perforce (adv.)of necessity, with no choice in the matter | KL IV.ii.49 | |
| Like monsters of the deep. | | KL IV.ii.50.1 | |
Gon. | GONERILL | | | |
Milke-Liuer'd man, | Milk-livered man! | milk-livered (adj.)chicken-hearted, cowardly | KL IV.ii.50.2 | |
That bear'st a cheeke for blowes, a head for wrongs, | That bear'st a cheek for blows, a head for wrongs! | wrong (n.)insult, offence, slight | KL IV.ii.51 | |
Who hast not in thy browes an eye-discerning | Who hast not in thy brows an eye discerning | discern (v.)distinguish, make a difference between | KL IV.ii.52 | |
| | brow (n.)forehead [often plural, referring to the two prominences of the forehead] | | |
Thine Honor, from thy suffering. | Thine honour from thy suffering, that not knowest | | KL IV.ii.53 | |
| Fools do those villains pity who are punished | | KL IV.ii.54 | |
| Ere they have done their mischief. Where's thy drum? | | KL IV.ii.55 | |
| France spreads his banners in our noiseless land, | noiseless (adj.)peaceful, tranquil, quiet | KL IV.ii.56 | |
| With plumed helm thy state begins to threat, | threat (v.)threaten | KL IV.ii.57 | |
| | helm (n.)helmet | | |
| Whilst thou, a moral fool, sits still and cries | moral (adj.)full of moral sentiments, arguing the pros and cons | KL IV.ii.58 | |
| ‘ Alack, why does he so?’ | | KL IV.ii.59.1 | |
Alb. | ALBANY | | | |
See thy selfe diuell: | See thyself, devil! | | KL IV.ii.59.2 | |
Proper deformitie seemes not in the Fiend | Proper deformity shows not in the fiend | proper (adj.)characteristic, typical, normal | KL IV.ii.60 | |
So horrid as in woman. | So horrid as in woman. | | KL IV.ii.61.1 | |
Gon. | GONERILL | | | |
Oh vaine Foole. | O vain fool! | vain (adj.)foolish, silly, stupid | KL IV.ii.61.2 | |
| ALBANY | | | |
| Thou changed and self-covered thing, for shame, | self-covered (adj.)self-concealing, with the self covered over | KL IV.ii.62 | |
| Be-monster not thy feature. Were't my fitness | fitness (n.)proper behaviour, appropriate conduct | KL IV.ii.63 | |
| | bemonster, be-monster (v.)make monstrous, deform, pervert | | |
| To let these hands obey my blood, | blood (n.)passion, feeling, strong emotion [especially sexual] | KL IV.ii.64 | |
| They are apt enough to dislocate and tear | apt (adj.)fit, ready, prepared | KL IV.ii.65 | |
| Thy flesh and bones. Howe'er thou art a fiend, | | KL IV.ii.66 | |
| A woman's shape doth shield thee. | | KL IV.ii.67 | |
| GONERILL | | | |
| Marry, your manhood! Mew! | marry (int.)[exclamation] by Mary | KL IV.ii.68 | |
Enter a Messenger. | Enter a Messenger | | KL IV.ii.69 | |
| ALBANY | | | |
| What news? | | KL IV.ii.69 | |
Mes. | MESSENGER | | | |
Oh my good Lord,the Duke of Cornwals dead, | O, my good lord, the Duke of Cornwall's dead, | | KL IV.ii.70 | |
Slaine by his Seruant, going to put out | Slain by his servant, going to put out | | KL IV.ii.71 | |
The other eye of Glouster. | The other eye of Gloucester. | | KL IV.ii.72.1 | |
Alb. | ALBANY | | | |
Glousters eyes. | Gloucester's eyes? | | KL IV.ii.72.2 | |
Mes. | MESSENGER | | | |
A Seruant that he bred, thrill'd with remorse, | A servant that he bred, thrilled with remorse, | thrilled (adj.)pierced, deeply affected | KL IV.ii.73 | |
| | breed (v.), past form bredraise, bring up, support | | |
Oppos'd against the act: bending his Sword | Opposed against the act, bending his sword | bend (v.)aim, direct, level, turn | KL IV.ii.74 | |
To his great Master, who, threat-enrag'd | To his great master; who, thereat enraged, | | KL IV.ii.75 | |
Flew on him, and among'st them fell'd him dead, | Flew on him and amongst them felled him dead, | | KL IV.ii.76 | |
But not without that harmefull stroke, which since | But not without that harmful stroke which since | | KL IV.ii.77 | |
Hath pluckt him after. | Hath plucked him after. | | KL IV.ii.78.1 | |
Alb. | ALBANY | | | |
This shewes you are aboue | This shows you are above, | | KL IV.ii.78.2 | |
You Iustices, that these our neather crimes | You justicers, that these our nether crimes | nether (adj.)belonging to the earth, earthly, worldly | KL IV.ii.79 | |
| | justicer (n.)judge | | |
So speedily can venge. But (O poore Glouster) | So speedily can venge! But, O, poor Gloucester! | venge (v.)avenge, revenge | KL IV.ii.80 | |
Lost he his other eye? | Lost he his other eye? | | KL IV.ii.81.1 | |
Mes. | MESSENGER | | | |
Both, both, my Lord. | Both, both, my lord. | | KL IV.ii.81.2 | |
This Leter Madam, craues a speedy answer: | This letter, madam, craves a speedy answer. | crave (v.)need, demand, require | KL IV.ii.82 | |
'Tis from your Sister. | 'Tis from your sister. | | KL IV.ii.83.1 | |
Gon. | GONERILL | | | |
| (aside) | | KL IV.ii.83 | |
One way I like this well, | One way I like this well. | | KL IV.ii.83.2 | |
But being widdow, and my Glouster with her, | But being widow, and my Gloucester with her, | | KL IV.ii.84 | |
May all the building in my fancie plucke | May all the building in my fancy pluck | pluck upon (v.)bring to ruin, demolish | KL IV.ii.85 | |
| | fancy (n.)love, amorousness, infatuation | | |
Vpon my hatefull life. Another way | Upon my hateful life. Another way | | KL IV.ii.86 | |
The Newes is not so tart. Ile read, and answer. | The news is not so tart. – (Aloud) I'll read and answer. | tart (adj.)sour, severe, grim | KL IV.ii.87 | |
| Exit | | KL IV.ii.87.1 | |
Alb. | ALBANY | | | |
Where was his Sonne, / When they did take his eyes? | Where was his son when they did take his eyes? | | KL IV.ii.88 | |
Mes. | MESSENGER | | | |
Come with my Lady hither. | Come with my lady hither. | | KL IV.ii.89.1 | |
Alb. | ALBANY | | | |
He is not heere. | He is not here. | | KL IV.ii.89.2 | |
Mes. | MESSENGER | | | |
No my good Lord, I met him backe againe. | No, my good lord; I met him back again. | | KL IV.ii.90 | |
Alb. | ALBANY | | | |
Knowes he the wickednesse? | Knows he the wickedness? | | KL IV.ii.91 | |
Mes. | MESSENGER | | | |
I my good Lord: 'twas he inform'd against him | Ay, my good lord. 'Twas he informed against him, | | KL IV.ii.92 | |
And quit the house on purpose, that their punishment | And quit the house on purpose that their punishment | | KL IV.ii.93 | |
Might haue the freer course. | Might have the freer course. | course (n.)course of action, way of proceeding | KL IV.ii.94.1 | |
Alb. | ALBANY | | | |
Glouster, I liue | Gloucester, I live | | KL IV.ii.94.2 | |
To thanke thee for the loue thou shew'dst the King, | To thank thee for the love thou show'dst the King | | KL IV.ii.95 | |
And to reuenge thine eyes. Come hither Friend, | And to revenge thine eyes. Come hither, friend; | | KL IV.ii.96 | |
Tell me what more thou know'st. | Tell me what more thou knowest. | | KL IV.ii.97 | |
Exeunt. | Exeunt | | KL IV.ii.97 | |