Notes on Act I, scene i

more affected: preferred, had more affection for

qualities ... weighed: their portions of land are so equal

curiosity: close scrutiny

moiety: portion; that is, they each will receive equal amounts so neither one will benefit more than the other.

breeding: upbringing

brazed: brazened, hardened (no longer embarrassed to acknowledge his illegitimate son)

conceive: understand, with Gloucester jokingly taking it in the second sense of sexual conception

ere: before

issue: result

proper: handsome

order of law: legitimate

account: estimation

knave: "rascal", in this case said affectionately, but usually an insult, an unprincipled, crafty villain (which turns out to be true)

saucily: bawdily, by means of an extramarital affair

sent for: planned for

whoreson: bastard (how often has Edmund endured his father calling him this?)

sue: petition, desire

study deserving: work to deserve your praise

out: away from home, another country?

Attend: escort them in

darker purpose: secret intention for this meeting

fast: firm (if "first", primary)

Unburden'd: Lear intends to give over the responsibilities of ruling to his three daughters, so that he will no longer bear the burden of leadership in his few remaining years

son: son-in-law

publish: announce

several dowers: individual dowries, inheritance given at marriage

strife: he wants to divide up the kingdom peacefully to avoid future wars over territory

amorous sojourn: visit of courtship

answer'd: today we will decide who marries Cordelia

divest: free ourselves of

nature ... challenge: natural affection should be equal among the daughters but one may prove herself more worthy and receive a greater portion of the kingdom if she declares her love more profusely and flatters her father more

wield: carry, convey

valued: estimated

found: found himself to be loved

champains rich'd: enriched plains

wide-skirted meads: widespread meadows

issue: children

perpetual: from now on

mettle: character, temperament, but with second sense of "metal," gold or coins which she trades for his love

prize: estimate the value of my love to be the same as hers

names: describes

felicitate: happy

ponderous: weighty; that is, she believes her loving nature speaks for itself, more decidedly than anything she might say

hereditary: children

validity: value

least: youngest (Q1 uses "least" in a different sense)

interest: interested parties, combining with the wealth of her lands in England their vineyards and pastures (milk)

nothing: you will receive nothing from me if you speak nothing 

bond: duty as a daughter

Haply: perhaps

plight: pledge of marriage

dower: all you will receive for your wedding is your truthfulness

Hecate: goddess of the underworld and of witches

operation of the orbs: astrological influence

propinquity: relationship

from this: from this time forth

Scythian: noted for their savagery 

generation messes: makes meals of his children

sometime: once, former

set my rest: remaining days of leisure; also "stake all" as in a card game 

nursery: care

who stirs?: quickly, someone, call France and Burgundy (Lear is rather impatient)

digest: the other two daughters will absorb the third that was Cordelia's 

effects that troup with majesty: all that goes with being a king

turns: he intends on staying with each of the other daughters every other month, keeping with him a hundred men as well which they must house and feed

addition: Lear wants to keep the title and the privileges of being king, but without the responsibility

coronet: crown

make: get out of the way of the arrow (of my anger) 

fall: strike

fork: point of the arrow

unmannerly: I must be rude if you are going to act like a madman

duty: it's my duty to challenge you like this, when you have so foolishly given in to your other daughters' flattery

plainness: I honor you by speaking the truth plainly, without flattery, if it is to warn you against acting foolishly

reserve thy state: retain your place and authority as king

check: stop

answer my life: upon my life

reverbs no hollowness: reverberates like a hollow drum; that is, Cordelia's lowly (humble) speech does not indicate that her heart is empty of love

blank: the white center of the target; that is, let me help you see clearly and aim straight

Apollo: Roman sun god; Shakespeare sets his tale in pre-Christian Britain

vassal: wretch

miscreant: infidel, unbeliever

forbear: restrain yourself

physician: kill the one who is trying to cure you, and reward those who would do you harm (Goneril, Regan)

vent clamour: breathe out a cry

recreant: traitor

provision: making preparations

trunk: body

sith: since; that is, since you will act thus, I will be better off somewhere else (although Kent later stays in disguise to serve the king)

approve: may your actions match your great words of love

Flourish: trumpet fanfare

tender: offer; that is, "you won't take back your offer, will you?"

dear: meaning precious and valuable, both used here

aught: anything

seeming substance: just what you see standing there, nothing else

pieced: added to it

owes: owns, possesses; with all her faults

stranger'd: made a stranger to us

Election: choice; no one can choose under such conditions

stray: stray so far from loving you, to marry you off to a daughter I hate

avert: turn

argument: theme, what you talked most about

trice: short period of time

dismantle: undo

monsters it: makes monstrous

fore-vouch'd: previously sworn; either she has committed a terrible act, or the love you once vowed you had for her is proven false (fallen into taint)

faith ... plant in me: to believe this of her would take a miracle

want: lack

purpose not: I don't have the talent to say things that I don't intend to do (as my sisters have)

still soliciting: ever-begging, not proud

tardiness in nature: natural hesitation to speak, but would rather show love than speak of it

Love's ... point: love is not love if it is mixed with consideration of things that don't matter (such as her dowry)

love: Burgundy loves possession of land more than her

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