READ STUDY GUIDE: Act IV, scenes i–ii |
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Act IV, Scene i:
The heath.
The heath.
| [Enter Edgar.] |
| Edg.: |
| Yet better thus, and known to be contemn'd, |
| Than still contemn'd and flatter'd. To be worst, |
| The lowest and most dejected thing of fortune, |
| Stands still in esperance, lives not in fear: |
| The lamentable change is from the best; |
| The worst returns to laughter. Welcome, then, |
| Thou unsubstantial air that I embrace! |
| The wretch that thou hast blown unto the worst |
| Owes nothing to thy blasts.—But who comes here? |
| [Enter Gloster, led by an Old Man.] |
| My father, poorly led?—World, world, O world! |
| But that thy strange mutations make us hate thee, |
| Life would not yield to age. |
| Old Man. |
| O my good lord, |
| I have been your tenant, and your father's tenant, |
| These fourscore years. |
| Glou.: |
| Away, get thee away; good friend, be gone: |
| Thy comforts can do me no good at all; |
| Thee they may hurt. |
| Old Man. |
| You cannot see your way. |
| Glou.: |
| I have no way, and therefore want no eyes; |
| I stumbled when I saw: full oft 'tis seen |
| Our means secure us, and our mere defects |
| Prove our commodities.—O dear son Edgar, |
| The food of thy abused father's wrath! |
| Might I but live to see thee in my touch, |
| I'd say I had eyes again! |
| Old Man. |
| How now! Who's there? |
| Edg.: |
| [Aside.] O gods! Who is't can say 'I am at the worst'? |
| I am worse than e'er I was. |
| Old Man. |
| 'Tis poor mad Tom. |
| Edg.: |
| [Aside.] And worse I may be yet. The worst is not |
| So long as we can say 'This is the worst.' |
| Old Man. |
| Fellow, where goest? |
| Glou.: |
| Is it a beggar-man? |
| Old Man. |
| Madman and beggar too. |
| Glou.: |
| He has some reason, else he could not beg. |
| I' the last night's storm I such a fellow saw; |
| Which made me think a man a worm: my son |
| Came then into my mind, and yet my mind |
| Was then scarce friends with him: I have heard more since. |
| As flies to wanton boys are we to the gods,— |
| They kill us for their sport. |
| Edg.: |
| [Aside.] How should this be?— |
| Bad is the trade that must play fool to sorrow, |
| Angering itself and others.—Bless thee, master! |
| Glou.: |
| Is that the naked fellow? |
| Old Man. |
| Ay, my lord. |
| Glou.: |
| Then pr'ythee get thee gone: if for my sake |
| Thou wilt o'ertake us, hence a mile or twain, |
| I' the way toward Dover, do it for ancient love; |
| And bring some covering for this naked soul, |
| Which I'll entreat to lead me. |
| Old Man. |
| Alack, sir, he is mad. |
| Glou.: |
| 'Tis the time's plague when madmen lead the blind. |
| Do as I bid thee, or rather do thy pleasure; |
| Above the rest, be gone. |
| Old Man. |
| I'll bring him the best 'parel that I have, |
| Come on't what will. |
| [Exit.] |
| Glou.: |
| Sirrah naked fellow,— |
| Edg.: |
| Poor Tom's a-cold. |
| [Aside.] I cannot daub it further. |
| Glou.: |
| Come hither, fellow. |
| Edg.: |
| [Aside.] And yet I must.—Bless thy sweet eyes, they bleed. |
| Glou.: |
| Know'st thou the way to Dover? |
| Edg.: |
| Both stile and gate, horseway and footpath. Poor Tom hath been |
| scared out of his good wits:—bless thee, good man's son, from |
| the foul fiend! Five fiends have been in poor Tom at once; of |
| lust, as Obidicut; Hobbididence, prince of dumbness; Mahu, of |
| stealing; Modo, of murder; Flibbertigibbet, of mopping and |
| mowing,—who since possesses chambermaids and waiting women. So, |
| bless thee, master! |
| Glou.: |
| Here, take this purse, thou whom the heavens' plagues |
| Have humbled to all strokes: that I am wretched |
| Makes thee the happier;—heavens, deal so still! |
| Let the superfluous and lust-dieted man, |
| That slaves your ordinance, that will not see |
| Because he does not feel, feel your power quickly; |
| So distribution should undo excess, |
| And each man have enough.—Dost thou know Dover? |
| Edg.: |
| Ay, master. |
| Glou.: |
| There is a cliff, whose high and bending head |
| Looks fearfully in the confined deep: |
| Bring me but to the very brim of it, |
| And I'll repair the misery thou dost bear |
| With something rich about me: from that place |
| I shall no leading need. |
| Edg.: |
| Give me thy arm: |
| Poor Tom shall lead thee. |
| [Exeunt.] |
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