READ STUDY GUIDE: Act IV, scenes vi–vii |
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Act IV, Scene vii:
A Tent in the French Camp. Lear on a bed, asleep, soft
A Tent in the French Camp. Lear on a bed, asleep, soft
| music playing; Physician, Gentleman, and others attending. |
| [Enter Cordelia, and Kent.] |
| Cor.: |
| O thou good Kent, how shall I live and work |
| To match thy goodness? My life will be too short |
| And every measure fail me. |
| Kent.: |
| To be acknowledg'd, madam, is o'erpaid. |
| All my reports go with the modest truth; |
| Nor more nor clipp'd, but so. |
| Cor.: |
| Be better suited: |
| These weeds are memories of those worser hours: |
| I pr'ythee, put them off. |
| Kent.: |
| Pardon, dear madam; |
| Yet to be known shortens my made intent: |
| My boon I make it that you know me not |
| Till time and I think meet. |
| Cor.: |
| Then be't so, my good lord.[To the Physician.]How, does the |
| king? |
| Phys.: |
| Madam, sleeps still. |
| Cor.: |
| O you kind gods, |
| Cure this great breach in his abused nature! |
| The untun'd and jarring senses, O, wind up |
| Of this child-changed father! |
| Phys.: |
| So please your majesty |
| That we may wake the king: he hath slept long. |
| Cor.: |
| Be govern'd by your knowledge, and proceed |
| I' the sway of your own will. Is he array'd? |
| Gent.: |
| Ay, madam. In the heaviness of sleep |
| We put fresh garments on him. |
| Phys.: |
| Be by, good madam, when we do awake him; |
| I doubt not of his temperance. |
| Cor.: |
| Very well. |
| Phys.: |
| Please you draw near.—Louder the music there! |
| Cor.: |
| O my dear father! Restoration hang |
| Thy medicine on my lips; and let this kiss |
| Repair those violent harms that my two sisters |
| Have in thy reverence made! |
| Kent.: |
| Kind and dear princess! |
| Cor.: |
| Had you not been their father, these white flakes |
| Had challeng'd pity of them. Was this a face |
| To be oppos'd against the warring winds? |
| To stand against the deep dread-bolted thunder? |
| In the most terrible and nimble stroke |
| Of quick cross lightning? to watch—,poor perdu!— |
| With this thin helm? Mine enemy's dog, |
| Though he had bit me, should have stood that night |
| Against my fire; and wast thou fain, poor father, |
| To hovel thee with swine and rogues forlorn, |
| In short and musty straw? Alack, alack! |
| 'Tis wonder that thy life and wits at once |
| Had not concluded all.—He wakes; speak to him. |
| Doct.: |
| Madam, do you; 'tis fittest. |
| Cor.: |
| How does my royal lord? How fares your majesty? |
| Lear.: |
| You do me wrong to take me out o' the grave:— |
| Thou art a soul in bliss; but I am bound |
| Upon a wheel of fire, that mine own tears |
| Do scald like molten lead. |
| Cor.: |
| Sir, do you know me? |
| Lear.: |
| You are a spirit, I know: when did you die? |
| Cor.: |
| Still, still, far wide! |
| Phys.: |
| He's scarce awake: let him alone awhile. |
| Lear.: |
| Where have I been? Where am I?—Fair daylight,— |
| I am mightily abus'd.—I should e'en die with pity, |
| To see another thus.—I know not what to say.— |
| I will not swear these are my hands:—let's see; |
| I feel this pin prick. Would I were assur'd |
| Of my condition! |
| Cor.: |
| O, look upon me, sir, |
| And hold your hands in benediction o'er me.— |
| No, sir, you must not kneel. |
| Lear.: |
| Pray, do not mock me: |
| I am a very foolish fond old man, |
| Fourscore and upward, not an hour more nor less; |
| And, to deal plainly, |
| I fear I am not in my perfect mind. |
| Methinks I should know you, and know this man; |
| Yet I am doubtful: for I am mainly ignorant |
| What place this is; and all the skill I have |
| Remembers not these garments; nor I know not |
| Where I did lodge last night. Do not laugh at me; |
| For, as I am a man, I think this lady |
| To be my child Cordelia. |
| Cor.: |
| And so I am. I am. |
| Lear.: |
| Be your tears wet? yes, faith. I pray, weep not: |
| If you have poison for me, I will drink it. |
| I know you do not love me; for your sisters |
| Have, as I do remember, done me wrong: |
| You have some cause, they have not. |
| Cor.: |
| No cause, no cause. |
| Lear.: |
| Am I in France? |
| Kent.: |
| In your own kingdom, sir. |
| Lear.: |
| Do not abuse me. |
| Phys.: |
| Be comforted, good madam: the great rage, |
| You see, is kill'd in him: and yet it is danger |
| To make him even o'er the time he has lost. |
| Desire him to go in; trouble him no more |
| Till further settling. |
| Cor.: |
| Will't please your highness walk? |
| Lear.: |
| You must bear with me: |
| Pray you now, forget and forgive: I am old and foolish. |
| [Exeunt Lear, Cordelia, Physician, and Attendants.] |
| Gent.: |
| Holds it true, sir, that the Duke of Cornwall was so slain? |
| Kent.: |
| Most certain, sir. |
| Gent.: |
| Who is conductor of his people? |
| Kent.: |
| As 'tis said, the bastard son of Gloster. |
| Gent.: |
| They say Edgar, his banished son, is with the Earl of Kent |
| in Germany. |
| Kent.: |
| Report is changeable. 'Tis time to look about; the powers of |
| the kingdom approach apace. |
| Gent.: |
| The arbitrement is like to be bloody. |
| Fare you well, sir. |
| [Exit.] |
| Kent.: |
| My point and period will be throughly wrought, |
| Or well or ill, as this day's battle's fought. |
| [Exit.] |
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