King Lear - Act 3 Scene 4

Lear says the chaos in his mind is all that he can think of

This tempest in my mind doth from my senses take all feeling else save what beats there. Filial ingratitude!

Lear shows empathy for the poor and homeless

Poor naked wretches, whereso’er you are, that bide the pelting if this pitiless storm

Lear regrets how little he did in power

i have taken too little care of this!

Lear can only see his own suffering in others

Didst thou give all to thy daughters? And art thou come to this?

Lear ironically calls his suffereing fair. He begins to blame himself

Judicious punishment! ‘Twas this flesh begot those pelican daughters

Lear sees Poor Tom stripped of everything and questions what it means to be human

Is man no more than this?

Lear realises that at the bare bones of society humans are just animals

Unaccommodated man is no more but such a poor, bare, forked animal!

Gloucester says their children have become unnatural

Our flesh and blood is grown so vile, my lord, that it doth hate what gets it

Kents references Lear’s mental decline

His wits begin to unsettle

Gloucester reflects on his own suffering and compares himself to Lear

Thou say’st the king grows mad. I’ll tell thee, friend, I am almost mad myself. I had a son, now outlawed from my blood; he sought my life