Act II, Scene IV

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• King Lear, The Fool (Cordelia), and the Knight (Q)/Gentleman (F) (France in disguise) arrive at Gloucester's castle.

• The Gentleman explains that he had checked up and found that the decision of Cornwall and Regan to go to Gloucester's was a sudden one.

• Lear is confronted and outraged by the spectacle of his messenger in the stocks.

• He is even more upset when he learns who put him there.

• Lear goes off to speak with Cornwall and Regan, leaving France and Cordelia with Kent. France asks Kent for more details about what happened that resulted in his being stocked.

• Cordelia then tells Kent that he could learn from the ant that there's no working in the winter. She recommends what was recommended to her, by Oswald when he chided her for wearing the motley, namely that she also follow the rising power in the land (Goneril), and forsake the one who has lost power (Lear) lest her neck be broken (which is what happens to Cordelia when she is hanged).

• Cordelia's disguise has worked well, but she has not enjoyed it. She has particularly disliked the earlier insinuation that she is "more knave than fool." She then points out to Kent that the real knave is the Fool that packed and ran away from the service of Lear.

  • The original audience would have seen this to be Oswald, Skalliger in Leir. And, the audience has not long before heard Kent repeatedly label Oswald "knave."

  Of course, Cordelia means this as a compliment to Kent whom she dubs a fool.

  Although Lear is very upset with Cornwall and Regan he is dubious about confronting them. But eventually he insists on seeing them and they appear.

  Lear complains of the treatment he has received from Goneril and curses her. Regan defends Goneril insisting that this would be the way he would be treating her soon, and she urges Lear to be reconciled to Goneril.

  Lear mocks this idea by kneeling as if pleading for Goneril's forgiveness (which is what Leir did to Cordella in Leir). Regan appears to be annoyed by Lear's behaviour. He will not go back to the one who has abated him of half his train of knights.

  Lear curses Goneril again. And then puts the question of the stocking of his messenger to Regan and Cornwall just as Goneril arrives.

  Lear protests at the display of affection between Regan and Goneril. He asks again concerning the stocking of his messenger and Cornwall states that he put him there.

  Regan explains that she wants Lear to stay with Goneril for the rest of this first month because she is not yet able to receive him and his entourage.

  In the ensuing moments the two sisters work together to insist that their father doesn't need any attendants. Regan asks, "What need one?" Of course, if the audience has seen Cordelia and France, they can see the need of their involvement!

  Lear leaves the daughters vowing that he will have revenge, and goes into the open countryside as a storm approaches. He is followed by Gloucester, Cordelia and France. Kent had already left.

  The daughters seek to justify their refusal to aid their father, and when Gloucester returns and speaks for allowing Lear into his castle, they insist on his shutting his doors on Lear.

  Next scene

  
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