But are my brother’s powers set forth?
But are my brother’s powers set forth?
But are my brother’s powers set forth?
But are my brother’s powers set forth?
Ay, madam.
Ay, madam.
Ay, madam.
Ay, madam.
Himself in person there?
Himself in person there?
Himself in person there?
Himself in person there?
Madam, with much ado.
Your sister is the better soldier.
Madam, with much ado. Your sister is the better soldier.
Madam, with much ado. Your sister is the better soldier.
Madam, with much ado. Your sister is the
Lord Edmund spake not with your lord at home?
Lord Edmund spake not with your lord at home?
Lord Edmund spake not with your lord at home?
Lord Edmund spake not with your lord at
No, madam.
No, madam.
No, madam.
No, madam.
What might import my sister’s letter to him?
What might import my sister’s letter to him?
What might import my sister’s letter to him?
What might import my sister’s letter to
I know not, lady.
I know not, lady.
I know not, lady.
I know not, lady.
Faith, he is posted hence on serious matter.
It was great ignorance, Gloucester’s eyes being out,
To let him live. Where he arrives he moves
All hearts against us. Edmund, I think, is gone
In pity of his misery, to dispatch
His nighted life; moreover to descry
The strength o’ th’enemy.
Faith, he is posted hence on serious matter. It was great ignorance, Gloucester’s eyes being out, To let him live. Where he arrives he moves All hearts against us. Edmund, I think, is gone In pity of his misery, to dispatch His nighted life; moreover to descry The strength o’ th’enemy.
Faith, he is posted hence on serious matter. It was great ignorance, Gloucester’s eyes being out, To let him live. Where he arrives he moves All hearts against us. Edmund, I think, is gone In pity of his misery, to dispatch His nighted life; moreover to descry The strength o’ th’enemy.
Faith, he is posted hence on serious mat
Oswald appears in multiple scenes as an agent of other people's purposes — Goneril's steward, Regan's messenger, now Regan's potential assassin. He is an interesting minor figure because his loyalty is to whoever holds power over him in any given moment. He was present when Goneril stripped Lear of his retinue; he carries her letters; now he carries Regan's. He is not malicious — he is simply a servant without independent moral judgment, which in this play makes him dangerous. His death in 4-6, trying to execute Regan's order on Gloucester, is the consequence of that kind of servitude: he is not a monster, just someone doing what he is told by people who are.
I must needs after him, madam, with my letter.
I must needs after him, madam, with my letter.
I must needs after him, madam, with my letter.
I must needs after him, madam, with my l
Our troops set forth tomorrow; stay with us;
The ways are dangerous.
Our troops set forth tomorrow; stay with us; The ways are dangerous.
Our troops set forth tomorrow; stay with us; The ways are dangerous.
Our troops set forth tomorrow; stay with
I may not, madam:
My lady charg’d my duty in this business.
I may not, madam: My lady charg’d my duty in this business.
I may not, madam: My lady charg’d my duty in this business.
I may not, madam: My lady charg’d my dut
Why should she write to Edmund? Might not you
Transport her purposes by word? Belike,
Somethings, I know not what, I’ll love thee much.
Let me unseal the letter.
Why should she write to Edmund? Might not you Transport her purposes by word? Belike, Somethings, I know not what, I’ll love thee much. Let me unseal the letter.
Why should she write to Edmund? Might not you Transport her purposes by word? Belike, Somethings, I know not what, I’ll love thee much. Let me unseal the letter.
Why should she write to Edmund? Might no
Madam, I had rather—
Madam, I had rather—
Madam, I had rather—
Madam, I had rather—
I know your lady does not love her husband;
I am sure of that; and at her late being here
She gave strange oeillades and most speaking looks
To noble Edmund. I know you are of her bosom.
I know your lady does not love her husband; I am sure of that; and at her late being here She gave strange oeillades and most speaking looks To noble Edmund. I know you are of her bosom.
I know your lady does not love her husband; I am sure of that; and at her late being here She gave strange oeillades and most speaking looks To noble Edmund. I know you are of her bosom.
I know your lady does not love her husba
I, madam?
I, madam?
I, madam?
I, madam?
I speak in understanding; y’are, I know’t:
Therefore I do advise you take this note:
My lord is dead; Edmund and I have talk’d,
And more convenient is he for my hand
Than for your lady’s. You may gather more.
If you do find him, pray you give him this;
And when your mistress hears thus much from you,
I pray desire her call her wisdom to her.
So, fare you well.
If you do chance to hear of that blind traitor,
Preferment falls on him that cuts him off.
I speak in understanding; y’are, I know’t: Therefore I do advise you take this note: My lord is dead; Edmund and I have talk’d, And more convenient is he for my hand Than for your lady’s. You may gather more. If you do find him, pray you give him this; And when your mistress hears thus much from you
I speak in understanding; y’are, I know’t: Therefore I do advise you take this note: My lord is dead; Edmund and I have talk’d, And more convenient is he for my hand Than for your lady’s. You may gather more. If you do find him, pray you give him this; And when your mistress hears thus much from you
I speak in understanding; y’are, I know’
Would I could meet him, madam! I should show
What party I do follow.
Would I could meet him, madam! I should show What party I do follow.
Would I could meet him, madam! I should show What party I do follow.
Would I could meet him, madam! I should
Fare thee well.
Fare thee well.
Fare thee well.
Fare thee well.
The Reckoning
A short, functional scene that advances the subplot of Regan's pursuit of Edmund and Oswald's mission to find him. Regan has heard about Gloucester being led around by the old man, and thinks killing him was a mistake (he might stir up pity). She tells Oswald to kill him if he finds him. More importantly, she intercepts or attempts to intercept Goneril's letter to Edmund — she has her own letter — and makes plain her intention to have Edmund for herself. The political and erotic competition between the sisters is fully in the open now. The scene functions as a mechanism to send Oswald toward Edgar and toward 4-6.
If this happened today…
A powerful woman intercepts communications between her sister and a man she wants for herself. She tells the messenger: if you find the old man being led around out there, deal with him. And give Edmund this from me. The messenger is being sent on two errands, one of them sinister.