Vocabulary in King Lear

When coupled with the numbers twelve and fourteen, we understand that this is an archaic term for months, the length of which were originally derived by cycles of the moons.

To “unstate” means to give up one’s rank or wealth. Here, Gloucester is essentially saying that he would give anything to be free of doubts about the letter’s veracity.

The word “fop” has negative connotations and is the equivalent to calling someone a weak-minded fool. This word choice provides insight into how Edmund views those around him.

“Tom o’ Bedlam” is not a specific person, but rather the name given to any person that is a wandering beggar. When Edmund says he must, “sigh like Tom o’ Bedlam,” he means that he must feign sadness and regret, and sigh like a beggar.

The word “fain,” no longer in common use, means “willingly” or “obligingly.” In this context, Edmund says that if the letter had good news, he would swear the handwriting to be his brothers. Since it contains bad news, he says he’s inclined to believe to not be Edgar’s.

“Surfeits” are excesses. Edmund suggests that humans attempt to blame the heavens or nature for their misfortunes, but it is often human desire for excess that is actually to blame when things go awry.

The verb “compound” means to put together parts so as to form a whole. Based on the context here, we see that Edmund is using it as a term to mean that his parents had sexual intercourse.

A “casement” is a window, and a “closet,” in this context, is a private room. Edmund is saying that the letter had been thrown into his room through the window.

A "cue" is a signal for an actor's entrance or speech; Edmund is sarcastically saying that Edgar has entered right on schedule.

In this context, “base” is an adjective used to describe someone who is lowborn. In Shakespeare’s time, Edmund would be considered base because he was born out of wedlock.

Today we recognize comedy as a particular genre involving humorous events and storylines. However, here Edmund uses its more traditional meaning—simply, a play or a drama.

The phrase “auricular assurance” means to hear for oneself. Edmund is offering to speak to Edgar to secure his confession, while Gloucester secretly listens in.

In medieval science, emotions were believed to be derived from bodily fluids, or humors, and the balance of them. In this case, choler refers to yellow bile, a humor associated with the liver and believed to cause anger. So, Gloucester is saying that the King of France left Lear’s court in anger.

“Anon” is an archaic adjective meaning “soon” or “quickly.” Edgar’s haste indicates that he trusts that Edmund’s warning is true, and awaits further advising.

By “character,” Gloucester means the handwriting in the letter. Note here how he trusts Edmund to answer this question, suggesting that Gloucester either doesn’t know his son Edgar’s handwriting or that he blindly trusts Edmund to tell the truth.

“Abominable” means detestable and loathsome. Gloucester believes that Edgar has written the letter, and he immediately views his son as a villain without seeking any explanation from Edgar.

In addition to Edmund revealing his ambitious desires, we also learn here of how he will begin to realize them. The mention of a letter in conjunction with the phrase “invention thrive” (which means that a fabrication or a lie does what it is intended to do) tells us that Edmund has created a letter meant to accomplish a certain goal. We shall shortly see what the goal is and the contents of the letter.

“Chiding” means “rebuking.” Goneril knows that scolding or punishing her father’s fool will anger him.

“Visage” means “face.” Lear curses Goneril by comparing her to an animal; in this case, her face to a wolf. In doing this, Lear states that Goneril is no better than an animal in her disposition and behavior—she does not have the respect for family ties that a human should.

A “whoreson” is a bastard son, and a “cur” is a low-bred dog. Lear uses references to various animals to insult and degrade others. Throughout the play, Shakespeare will use animals to symbolize the lowest status to which humans can descend.

“Deboshed” is an early variant of the term “debauched,” which means depraved. King Lear’s attendants are again described as being an unruly and rowdy bunch.

A “retinue” is a group of attendants accompanying a high-ranking person. Goneril considers King Lear’s retinue extremely obnoxious, and he finds this offensive and disrespectful.

A “lubber” is a clumsy, stupid fellow, and to “measure one’s length” means to fall flat on the ground. The disguised Earl of Kent is taunting Oswald here, suggesting that Oswald can “tarry,” meaning stay put, but he will only be further made a fool of when Kent trips him again.

A “knave” is a servant or a tricky and deceitful fellow. King Lear uses the term to refer to his Fool, who is both his servant, and a bit of a wise trickster. The Fool can be honest in his clever insights, but any criticism of King Lear is lightened with humor.

Goneril is outraged by the behavior of her father’s servants. Among many things, she accuses the servants of “epicurism,” which is the philosophy of pleasure-seeking.

A “coxcomb” is a fool’s hat, which has a red crest resembling a cock’s comb. As the Fool attempts to place his coxcomb on the Earl of Kent’s head, the coxcomb becomes a symbol of Kent’s foolishness for following King Lear despite Lear’s irrational political choices.

A “clotpoll,” also spelled “clodpoll,” is a blockhead or dolt. King Lear is using this word as an insult to Oswald.

To be “attasked” for something is to be blamed for it. Goneril is essentially saying that Albany’s concern for King Lear shows his ignorance, rather than his kindness.

An “abatement” is a reduction. The knight has noticed that King Lear is being treated unkindly by his servants, the duke, and his own daughter.

The Fool does not make a direct point here, preferring to convey it through an image. The verb “to pare” means to slice or cut, and so the Fool says that Lear has cut off his intelligence on both sides, which could symbolically refer to Goneril and Regan since Lear gave each of them half of his estate. Having done this, Lear has “left nothing in the middle.” Therefore, the Fool suggests that Lear’s having no power or land of his own is the result of not having any “wit,” or power of reason.

The word “slip-shod” refers to walking in footwear that loosely fits one’s foot. The joke here is that since Lear’s wit is not in his heels, his brain won’t need slippers to protect it. The jokes in this passage are not meant to be funny, and as keen readers will notice, Lear is barely listening to the Fool, who continues to tease him.

These are small, open sores that can form on the heel when walking and not providing one’s feet with proper protection, such as either wearing poorly fitting shoes or none at all. Additionally, they can form from frostbite, or exposure to cold temperatures.

The moon in this context refers to Hecate, the Greek goddess of the moon and witchcraft. By telling Gloucester that Edgar was invoking Hecate and mumbling “wicked” incantations, Edmund associates Edgar with dark magic. This slick trickery helps Edmund to further deceive Gloucester, and others, into being convinced of Edgar’s guilt and villainy.

In this context “capable” means “able to inherit.” When Gloucester states that he will “make Edmund” capable,” he means that he will find some way to make Edmund his heir. During this time, Gloucester would face difficulty doing so since Edmund is an “illegitimate” son—the legal system would recognize Edgar as the rightful heir.

“Bewray” means to expose or divulge someone’s secrets. Gloucester is telling Cornwall that Edmund has exposed Edgar’s murderous plans.

“Alarumed” is an archaic word meaning “stirred.” What Edmund describes here is something similar to an adrenaline rush. Edmund means that Edgar was scared off by Edmund’s emboldened and energized response in the face of a budding quarrel.

The presence of the apostrophe at the beginning of a word, like here, signals an omission of letters. While “‘twixt” and “twixt” are found in the dictionary, they are a shortening of the word “betwixt,” which means “between.” Curan is therefore asking Edmund if he has heard the rumors of war occurring between Albany and Cornwall.

An ear being kissed is easy to picture: someone’s mouth is close to another’s ear. Such an image is often associated with whispers, rumors, or confessions. In this case, “ear-kissing arguments,” in conjunction with the word “whispers” earlier, means “rumors.”

When Edgar says that he will “blanket [his] loins” and “elf all [his] hair in knots,” this means that he will wear a loincloth and make his hair matted and tangled. This will help Edgar disguise himself as a beggar, which will certainly differ from his appearance as a nobleman. However, consider Edgar’s disguise in comparison to Kent’s. Neither disguise should really fool those who know them well, and yet they seem to—again showing how much certain characters lack insight.

“Dolor” means grief or suffering, but “dollar” is the English name for the German coin “thaler” of varying value. The Fool may be using the term for its double meaning, suggesting that Lear’s daughters will give him more pain than money in the coming year.

Upon seeing Kent, the Fool immediately starts to ridicule him. He calls the stocks Kent’s “cruel garters” (garters being a band worn to keep socks or stockings up one’s leg) and his “wooden nether-socks.” Since clothes often represent station in Shakespeare’s plays, the Fool uses such language to portray Kent’s pitiful position.

Pronounced “figh,” “fie” is an interjection means to express distaste, anger, or outrage at someone or something that has occurred. When something is the target of the interjection, it is followed by the preposition “on.” In this context, Kent is expressing his anger at the physical storm happening in the area; however, we can also examine the storm as a metaphor for the disorder happening in the kingdom and the disintegration of the lawful order.

By “out-wall” Kent is referring to his outward disguise. Kent does not want his identity to be revealed, and thus sends identifying items that only Cordelia would know to be his.

A “pother” is a disturbance or an uproar. The “dreadful” disturbance that Lear is referring to is the storm. Lear again invokes the gods, associating them with divine order and justice. He suggests that they will move the storm “o’er the heads” of those who truly deserve it—the murderers and “incestuous” villains.

Shakespeare uses the term “cataracts” to mean the figurative floodgates of heaven, which are thought to hold back the rain. Notice that Lear speaks directly to these floodgates, stating: “You cataracts and hurricanoes.” This is an example of personification, or attributing human qualities to non-human things.

As Lear calls on the storm to throw the world into chaos, this line provides support for how his anger is targeted at his daughters. The word “germains” means something akin to “seeds,” and so Lear is asking the storm to destroy all the seeds from which ungrateful people grow. Lear considers his daughters monstrously ungrateful for everything he has done for them, and his anger reveals itself further here.

Moments earlier, Lear told Kent that he will go but will take the disguised Edgar with him, claiming Edgar to be his “philosopher.” Calling Edgar a “good Athenian” serves to also call him a Greek philosopher, because the people of Athens were associated with the field of philosophy and the pursuit of knowledge. In doing this, Lear shows that he values the disguised Edgar as a person of wisdom and knowledge, and since Edgar is appearing to be mad, Lear's preferring his company speaks to Lear's mindset.

During Shakespeare's time it was commonly believed that pelican young fed off of their mother’s own blood. Lear is suggesting that he has been a good father, charitable and kind, and Goneril and Regan have been incredibly ungrateful. Notice again, the use of animals to symbolize Goneril and Regan’s lack of basic compassion and humanity.

A “fathom” is a unit of length comprised of about six feet. When Edgar exclaims that the water in the hovel is a “fathom and half,” this means nine feet in depth. Note that Edgar is merely pretending to be mad here, as opposed to Lear who is actually becoming mad.

By “Take physic, pomp” King Lear means something like, "pompous men, take a taste of your own medicine." The medicine (“physic”) that Lear is thinking of is exposure to the elements. Lear has been thrown out by his ungrateful daughters, and for the first time, is exposed to the elements of nature as a poor man rather than a “pomp.” His current situation helps him to recognize that he has not helped those in need as much as he could. Lear suggests that the rich be exposed to this level of poverty to come to the same humble realization.

Gloucester has prepared a “litter” (a carriage or cart) to help get Lear to safety. Gloucester’s willingness to protect Lear, potentially at the expense of his own safety, shows that Gloucester is loyal to Lear. Gloucester is willing to sacrifice himself for Lear, and for what he considers the rightful social and familial order.

“Hoppedance” refers to “Hoberdidance,” which is the name of a malevolent sprite or fiend that is mentioned in the morris dance. The morris dance is a lively English traditional folk dance, usually accompanied by music.

In the context of Edgar’s phrase, “Frateretto” likely refers to the name of a devil that is sharing secrets about Nero spending time in the “lake of darkness”—likely a reference to hell or the underworld. Nero, the last in the Julio-Claudian dynasty, was the Roman Emperor from 54–68 CE, and his rule is associated with tyranny and extravagance.

“Jelly” here refers to the necessary liquids of the eye that aid in its function. In this case, Shakespeare’s use of the term “vile” has a double meaning. Cornwall suggests that Gloucester’s eye is vile in that it belonged to someone who has committed “treason,” but the line itself is vile in referring to the eye in such a grotesque manner.

The verb “to festinate” has similar meaning to the verb “to hasten” although here it is used as an adjective to modify the noun “preparation.” So, Cornwall is telling Edmund to inform the Duke of Albany to make fast preparations regarding the reports of the French army’s landing on English soil.

A “questrist” is a seeker, or a person who goes in search of another person.

“Sirrah” was an address form in Elizabethan England used to address boys or men over whom the speaker assumed authority. Glocester calls Edgar “sirrah” because he does not realize that this is his son and a noble man.

The verb “to daub” has an archaic meaning that refers to someone or something putting on a false exterior. In this case, the disguised Edgar’s grief at seeing his father is so strong that he worries that he cannot maintain his ruse as Poor Tom for much longer.

“Fourscore” is four times twenty, or eighty. If the old man has been Gloucester’s tenant for fourscore years, this means that Gloucester is at least eighty years old.

The word “esperance,” as well as the French esperance, the Spanish esperanza, and the Italian speranza all derive from the late Latin *spērantia, which means “hope” or “expectation.”

“Pluck” draws the reader’s mind back to Goneril’s command to “pluck out his [Gloucester’s] eyes,” rather than killing him instantly as Regan suggests. Here, Goneril subconsciously invokes the idea of divine justice: just as she had Gloucester’s eyes “plucked” out so will her objectives be “plucked” from her. “Pluck” and “hateful life” seem to be Goneril foreshadowing her own downfall.

“Distaff” refers to a spindle for weaving that was symbolic of womanhood. In claiming that she will “give the distaff” to her husband, Goneril emasculates him. She symbolically trades places with the master of her house by claiming the “arms” of the army and giving the spindle to her husband.

“Filths” here refers to the “vile,” or evil, people, and “savor” means “to enjoy” or “to delight in.” Albany continues to berate Goneril for her actions, claiming that evil people will see true good as evil and their own evil actions as good. By expressing this, Albany accuses Goneril (and Regan) of being blind to her own misdeeds against her father because of her desire for power.

The word “mad” can be used as a verb, as it is used here, to mean “to make someone lose their mind.” By using the verb form of the word, Albany puts all of the blame on his wife and sister-in-law, accusing Goneril (and Regan) of making Lear go mad and lose his mind. Lear’s daughters have attributed his madness to his age, blind to their own role in bringing it on because of their selfishness. Albany has begun to see through his wife’s greed to get a better understanding of events.

Kent has revealed that while Lear is experiencing moments of clarity, he refuses to see Cordelia because he is so ashamed of how he treated her. Note the language here and how it represents Lear’s view of his children: Cordelia has “dear rights,” with “dear” not only meaning cherished or beloved, like a father might feel for his daughter, but also “treasured” or “valuable,” like the value of the estate she was owed. In contrast, the other daughters are described with animal imagery, emphasizing their base desires and lack of filial commitment.

This statement is meant to be ironic. Edmund is not going to put an end to his father’s life out of pity but rather to protect his evil ambitions. “Dispatch” in this context means to put an end to.

This is a French that comes from the French for “eye,” or oeil. Regan uses this word to claim that Goneril gave Edmund significant and flirtatious looks.

Edgar refers to his ability to see as “deficient sight” that will cause his literal fall off the cliff. Metaphorically “deficient sight” caused his father’s downfall too, as Gloucester’s despair comes from his loss of sight and social position. Within this speech Edgar recasts “sight” as a negative quality. This is one of the ways in which Edgar tries to reverse his father’s despair.

The adjective “poor” here is actually a little redundant; the nature of work that a “perdu” performs is already dangerous and not enviable. Perdus are soldiers who are assigned to extremely hazardous duties, often standing guard in dangerous, exposed positions.

As an illegitimate child, Edmund would not have received any of his father’s estate or social status. “State” in this context means social position. Edmund has fought for his place in the nobility and concludes this monologue by reaffirming his aims: despite his romantic entanglements with both women, he will “defend” or maintain his “state” or social position. This soliloquy offers the audience a motive behind Edmund’s actions and generates a small amount of empathy for the character.

“Vex” means to trouble or disturb. After having prayed for Lear’s heart to break so that his suffering could be put to an end, Kent says that Lear’s soul must be left alone to pass peacefully from this world. Kent reveals himself once again as one of the most sympathetic characters of the play, understanding the depth of Lear’s suffering.

“Canker-bit” means eaten away by canker grubs, which are insects that feed on the teak tree and shrubs. When Albany asks for Edgar’s name and rank, Edgar (in disguise) says that he has lost his name and title to treason. The term “canker-bit” reminds us of Edmund’s parasitic treachery. Edmund has taken the title of the Earl of Gloucester by any means necessary, even though by traditional political order, Edgar should have been the rightful heir. Edgar once again disguises his identity here, as he feels that it has been stolen from him.

Here, Edmund identifies the danger in Lear’s popularity: his old age, and his former title as king endear him to the common people. To prevent the people from turning against Albany, Edmund claims that he has sent Lear and Cordelia to prison. Notice that Edmund uses “pluck” when he describes Lear’s charismatic power over the common people. This “pluck” echoes the “plucking” of Gloucester’s beard, and Goneril’s command to “pluck out his eyes.” In this way, “pluck” seems to suggest violence or signal nefarious action within this play.

"Full circle" means that the wheel of fortune has completed its circuit and Edmund's horrendous deeds have returned to haunt him. "Full circle" is not karma, however; it is Fate.