King Lear Quotes Act 2

After being tricked by Edmund into believing Edgar has betrayed him and attacked Edmund, Gloucester tells Edmund that he will find a way to make him heir to his lands.

“Loyal and natural boy, I’ll work the means

To make thee capable.”

Edmund tricks his brother into pretending to fight because everyone suspects him of plotting against Cornwall

“In cunning I must draw my sword upon you”

Gloucester begs Cornwall not to put Kent in the stocks, saying that Lear will be displeased to see his messenger in the stocks

“The King must take it ill,

That he, so slightly valued in his messenger, Should have him thus restrained.”

Edgar, who has disguised himself as Tom o’Bedlam, says that he is no longer the man he once was.

“Edgar I nothing am.”

Lear can not believe that Regan and Goneril could be responsible for this insulting treatment of his servant.

“They durst not do it:

They could not, would not do it. ‘Tis worse than murder.”

After Lear curses Goneril, Regan, hoping to persuade him, tells him to return to Goneril as he is old and incapable of making decisions for himself.

“O sir, you are old.

Nature in you stands on the very verge of her confine.”

Lears mercurial temperament leads to him railing against Regans Idea to return to his other daughter and have half his troupe disbanded.

“I can stay with Regan,

I and my hundred knights.”

After having his retinue of knights whittled down by Goneril and Regan. Lear is furious and shocked and questions this behaviour as he believed he has given them everything a father could.

“I gave you all - “

In response to Lears proclamation that he has given them everything Regan shows complete filial ingratitude and essentially says it was about time he did.

“And in good time you gave it.”

Lear says he has good reason to weep but that he would prefer his heart broken into a thousand fragments before he allows himself to do so.

“I have full cause of weeping,

But this heart shall break into a hundred thousand flaws or ere I’ll weep”