King Lear themes and quotes:

Themes:

Power:

“Come not between a dragon and his wrath” Lear act 1 scene 1 (Kent trying to reason after the love test)

“thou art an O without a figure … thou art nothing” Fool act 1 scene 4, to Lear (Lear lost power)

“To take the basest and most poorest shape” Edgar act 2 scene 3, reducing himself to the lowest position (Poor Tom), losing his power to his bastard brother Edmund despite having higher power (Edmund power hungry)

greed:

Betrayal:

“how sharper than a serpent’s tooth it is/To have a thankless child!” Lear act 1 scene 4, speaking to Goneril after she kicks him out

“Nothing will come of nothing” Lear act 1 scene 1, to Cordelia in the love test

Madness:

“Blow, winds, and crack your cheeks! rage! blow!” Lear act 3 scene 2, going mad on the heath 

“O! let me not be mad, not mad, sweet heaven” Lear act 1 scene 5, Fool’s warnings about his shortsightedness sink in.
Justice/injustice:

“So young and so untender?” - King Lear “So young, my lord, and true.” - Cordelia, act 1 scene 1 during the love test

Fate vs free will:

“Fortune, good night; smile once more; turn thy wheel!” Kent act 2 scene 2, going to sleep after being put in the stocks

“the bow is bent and drawn” Lear act 1 scene 1

“My wits begin to turn.” Lear act 3 scene 2

“the sun, the moon, and stars”… “his goatish disposition to the charge of a star” Edmund act 1 scene 2, mimicking Gloucesters speech on fate as Edmund is a modern man believing in free will and getting things done

love and loyalty:

gender roles:

“you unnatural hags, I will have such revenge on you both” Lear act 2 scene 4, to Goneril and Regan

“Like a vulture… most serpent-like” Lear act 2 scene 4, about Goneril

“Most barbarous, most degenerate!” Albany act 4 scene 2, insulting Goneril’s womanhood

“threading dark-eyed night” Regan act 2 scene 1, suggesting her devious duplicitousness

“Oh! the difference of man and man.” Goneril act 4 scene 2, speaking to Albany and referring to Edmund

“Milk-livered man!” Goneril act 4 scene 2, insulting Albany’s masculinity

family:

“how sharper than a serpent’s tooth it is/To have a thankless child!” Lear act 1 scene 4, speaking to Goneril after she kicks him out

“ingratitude, thou marble-hearted fiend, more hideous, when thou show’st, thee in a child, than the sea-monster" Lear act 1 scene 4, to Goneril

wisdom and foolishness:

“O strange and fast’ned villain!” Gloucester act 2 scene 1, referring to Edgar after Edmund has tricked them both

“See better Lear” Kent act 1 scene 1, suggesting Lear’s lack of insight

“I have no way, and therefore want no eyes; I stumbled when I saw” Gloucester act 4 scene 1, suggesting he was gullible and foolish when he could actually see

“As flies to wanton boys, are we to th’ Gods; They kill us for their sport” Gloucester act 4 scene 1, suggesting powerful people acting foolishly

elderly vs young:

“Conferring them on younger strengths, while we unburthened crawl toward death” Lear act 1 scene 1, speaking about his old age and giving his duties to his daughters by dividing the kingdom