Notes on Act I, scene iv

defuse: disguise; Kent speaks in a different accent as part of his disguise.

full issue: intended outcome

razed my likeness: shaved off his beard to change his appearance

come: come to pass that ...

stay a jot: wait a second

eat no fish: he's not a Catholic, who ate fish instead of meat on Fridays, an anachronism in the play, since the action is apparently set before Christian times (notice the references to Roman gods, certainly before the Reformation when such a distinction would have been made).

countenance: face and bearing (the way you present yourself)

fain: want to

keep honest council: keep secrets

mar a curious tale: spoil an elaborate story, that is, he's not a good storyteller, but he sees this as a positive quality, as he speaks plainly.

dote: show excessive fondness

knave: boy (often used in a derogatory sense but not here)

clotpoll: blockhead

asleep: since no one seems to be responding to his requests quickly enough

roundest: rudest

entertained: treated

wont: accustomed to

abatement: reduction

dependants: servants

rememberest: remind, confirm my own observations

jealous curiosity: overly suspicious concern over minor matters

very pretence: true intention

young lady: Cordelia

pined: grieved, longing for Cordelia

No more of that: Lear has noted the Fool's sadness, but doesn't want to be reminded of his sending Cordelia away.

father: Lear is enraged since he doesn't acknowledge him as "My king." 

whoreson: son of a whore, bastard

bandy: volley, exchange (as in tennis)

base football player: a lowly game played in the streets by idle boys

differences: in rank (to know your betters)

if you will measure your lubber's length again: if you want to be flattened out on the floor again (to measure your length), you clumsy oaf (lubber = an inexperienced sailor; a landlubber)

earnest: payment (Lear gives him a coin)

coxcomb: the fool's traditional hat

out of favour: Kent is a fool to side with Lear, since he's no longer in power

an: if

smile ... cold shortly: if you can't flatter and side with those in power, you'll be out in the cold soon enough.

banished: ironically, by giving them his kingdom, he has lost his daughters' affection (pretended though it was).

on's: of his

blessing: by sending her away from this poor situation

follow him: if you follow such a man, you are indeed a fool.

nuncle: contraction of "mine uncle" as the fool calls the king

Brach: bitch, the text probably should read "the Lady's brach" instead of a proper name (JD Wilson). The fool says that he (Truth) is whipped and sent outside like a dog, whereas Goneril's pet servant, Oswald (whom Lear has just called a dog), gets to stay inside by the fire.

gall: irritating sore (the fact that Oswald is favored in this house rather than being punished for his insolence to the king)

Mark it: pay attention

showest: that is, don't show all your cards, don't reveal all your worth.

owest: own, that is, don't lend someone everything you have (as the king has done).

goest: ride more than you walk

trowest: believe; listen to others' opinions, not just those who agree with you.

throwest: stake less at dice than you throw for, get the odds on your opponent

two tens to a score: you'll do better than break even (two tens = twenty, a score)

breath of an unfee'd lawyer: advice of an unpaid lawyer

nothing: echoes what Lear said to Cordelia in the first scene

Prithee: pray thee

rent: his lands are now worth nothing to him, since he gave them away.

stand: you, Lear, stand in for him (this fool that told you to give away your kingdom, who of course is Lear himself)

motley: the costume of a jester

found out there: discovered to be a fool, as he points to Lear

fool: foolish, that is, the "fool" speaks wisely

monopoly: the lords and great men will not let me keep all the folly to myself

meat: the contents of the egg

crowns: half shells

clovest: split

borest thy ass: carried your donkey on your back, foolishly overturning normal behavior 

bald crown: his head

like myself: like a fool

Fools ... apish: fools are less in favor these days, because "wise" men now play the fools, mimicking (aping) the professionals.

mothers: you reversed roles with your daughters, as now they spank you

play bo-peep: act like a child

kin: are you and your daughters truly related?

pared: as in paring an apple, cut off the sides

frontlet: a band worn across the forehead, used here to refer to a frown

O without a figure: a zero without a digit to give it numeric value; he is nothing.

shealed peascod: empty (shelled) pea pod

all-licensed: allowed to take liberties, to insult his betters, which was part of his function in court, as only he could tell the king to his face that he is a fool (note the contrast with Kent who was banished for saying so).

retinue: the 100 knights he keeps with him

carp: complain

rank: excessive

redress: solution

too late: lately

sleep: correction would not wait

tender of a wholesome weal: care for the peace of the state

might ... proceeding: correcting your faults might humiliate you but under the circumstances would be wise and justified action

you trow: believe you

cuckoo: bird that lays its eggs in another's nest, in this case a sparrow, who feeds the young cuckoos anyway until they are old enough to kill it (metaphor of ungrateful children).

darkling: in the dark

fraught: endowed

dispositions: moods

Whoop, Jug: meaning is uncertain, scholars speculate that it is a quote from a popular song

notion: understanding

discernings are lethargied: mental faculties are asleep

shadow: Lear is only a mere shadow of his former self

marks of sovereignty: evidence that he is a king and has daughters for princesses, but this must be false, as surely no daughter would speak so harshly to her father the king.

name: Lear asks sarcastically, "Who are you? You can't be my daughter and treat me so rudely."

admiration: pretended wonder

savour: smells like, resembles

debosh'd: debauched

epicurism: living for pleasure 

desired: requested

disquantity your train: reduce in number your followers

besort: befit

Degenerate: unnatural

will: Lear asks Albany, "Is this your will, too? Are you a part of this insult against me?"

kite: bird of prey

parts: qualities

worships: honors, reputation

engine: machine that tore apart the natural affection I had for Cordelia from my heart.

gall: bitterness

gate: his head

nature: Lear prays to Nature as a deity whom his unnatural daughter has offended.

derogate: degraded

teem: increase, conceive

spleen: spiteful, ill-humoured

cadent: falling

fret: wear

dotage: senility

clap: at one stroke (like a thunderclap)

fortnight: month

perforce: by force, against my will

untented: deep

fond: foolish

Beweep: if you cry again ...

temper: soften

comfortable: comforting

flay: tear the skin off

visage: face

shape: his kingly role

partial: even though I love you (I must protest)

politic: good policy (said ironically)

at point: armed

buzz: rumor

enguard: protect (his senile whims)

compact: substantiate

course: nature, disposition

attask'd: at fault

mar: spoil

event: let's see what the result is

 


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