KING LEAR QUOTES

Sovereignty and Order

(Fool)

Thou mad’st thy daughters thy mothers; for when thou gav’st them the rod and put’s down thine own breeches

Act 1 Scene 4

Sovereignty and Order

(King Lear)

Poor naked wretches … how shall your houseless heads and unfed sides … defend you from seasons such as these? O I have ta’en too little care of this

Act 3 Scene 4

Sovereignty and Order

(King Lear)

Unaccommodated man is no more but such a poor, bare, forked animal as thou art

Act 3 Scene 4

Age, Wisdom and Foolishness

(Regan)

‘Tis the infirmity of his age; yet he hath ever but slenderly known himself

Act 1 Scene 1

Age, Wisdom and Foolishness

(Fool)

Thou shouldst not have been old till thou hadst been wise

Act 1 Scene 5

Age, Wisdom and Foolishness

(King Lear)

I am a very foolish, fond old man

I am old and foolish

Act 4 Scene 6

Insight and Blindness

(Kent)

See better, Lear

Act 1 Scene 1

Insight and Blindness

(Gloucester)

I have no way, and therefore want no eyes: I stumbled when I saw

Act 4 Scene 1

Insight and Blindness

(King Lear)

A man may see how this world goes with no eyes; look with thine ears

Act 4 Scene 5

Deception and Disguise

(Cordelia)

I cannot heave my heart into my mouth

Act 1 Scene 1

Justice

(King Lear)

Division of kingdom and unfair exile of Cordelia and Kent

Act 1 Scene 1

Justice

(King Lear)

I am a man more sinned against than sinning

Act 3 Scene 2

Justice

(Gloucester)

As flies to wanton boys are we to th’gods; they kill us for their sport

Act 4 Scene 1

Insanity and Madness

(Kent)

And in thy best consideration check this hideous rashness

Act 1 Scene 1

Insanity and Madness

(King Lear)

O let me not be mad, not mad, sweet heaven! Keep me in temper, I would not be mad

Act 1 Scene 5

Insanity and Madness

(King Lear)

O fool, I shall go mad

Act 2 Scene 4

Insanity and Madness

(Gloucester)

Thou says the king grows mad; I’ll tell thee, friend, I am almost mad myself … the grief hath crazed my wits

Act 3 Scene 4

Insanity and Madness

(Gloucester)

The king is mad

Act 4 Scene 6

Family Relationships and Loyalty

(Kent)

Let it fall rather, though the fork invade the region of my heart

Act 1 Scene 1

Family Relationships and Loyalty

The love test

Act 1 Scene 1

Edmond’s plot to frame Edgar and steal his inheritance

Act 1 Scene 2

Family Relationships and Loyalty

(Gonerill)

He always loved our sister most

Act 1 Scene 1