King Lear quotations Act 3

‘[Lear] strives in his little world of man to out-storm

The to-and-fro conflicting wind and rain.’

said by Gentleman about Lear in A3 S1 L10-11

Context

Geocentric to Heliocentric theory

‘Singe my white head!’

said by Lear in A3 S2 L6

Presents Lear as self-pitying/self-loathing/shameful

‘Strike flat the thick rotundity o’the world,

Crack Nature’s moulds, all germens spill at once

That makes ingrateful man!’

said by Lear to the storm/elements in A3 S2 L7-9

Lear is presented as hubristic

‘Here I stand, your slave,

A poor, infirm, weak, and despised old man.’

said by Lear to the storm/elements in A3 S2 L20-21

Context

The Chain of Being - Lear reduces himself on it

‘I am a man

More sinned against, than sinning.’

said by Lear in A3 S2 L59-60

Lear is presented as hubristic

‘My wits begin to turn.’

said by Lear in A3 S2 L67

‘Turn’ connotes insight

Context

The challenging of old absolutes

‘Come on, my boy. How dost my boy? Art cold?

said by Lear in A3 S2 L68

Context

New Man

‘The younger rises when the old doth fall.’

said by Edmund in A3 S3 L23

Motif of ascent and descent

‘Fall’ connotes the fall of the tragic hero

Context

Nascent Meritocracy