King Lear Notes

Act III, Scene II

The scene shifts to Lear and Cordelia (disguised as Fool) on the heath in the midst of a terrible storm. Cordelia is wanting Lear to go back and enter Gloucester's castle even if he has to ask his daughters' blessing.

Here he again denounces his "two pernicious daughters." and Cordelia breaks into a little song about Lear's folly in giving away his land.

As she checks her Fool's makeup, Cordelia adds, in an aside to the audience, "For there was never yet fair woman but she made mouths in a glass."

Lear insists that he will be the pattern of all patience and say nothing. This is, of course, what Cordelia did at the outset - said nothing. But Lear has already blown his pattern of patience!

Kent finds them and asks the identity of Fool and Lear. The Fool, Cordelia, is also non-commital - "here's grace and a cod-piece, that's a wise man and a Fool." But there is ambiguity here since Fool has already referred to Lear as the cod-piece, leaving the audience to wonder about the grace of the Fool!

Lear then utters the oft quoted words, "I am a man more sinned against than sinning."

Kent wants to lead Lear to a hovel where he will find shelter while Kent goes back to the Gloucester's to try and get Lear accommodated.

Though Kent has said nothing of straw in the hovel, Lear says "Where is this straw, my fellow?" Those in the audience who were familiar with Higgin's "Tragedy of Cordila" would remember the straw which Cordila had to sleep on in prison, and about which she complained bitterly.

Lear's attitude towards Fool has changed. He had originally called "Where's my knave, my Fool?" Now it is "Poor Fool and knave, I have one part in my heart That's sorry yet for thee." And of course, we've seen him soften in his attitude towards Cordelia. He had come to realize that he had done her wrong.

Next scene

Back to Index to Notes
Back to Home page
Take the King Lear Quiz
Let us have your questions and comments
E-mail us - cordelias11@yahoo.com
Links to other sites
Click here to go to top of page.

Let us have your questions and comments

My Name is:
I live in:

Your comment or question

I am at:
school.
college.
university.
other.

These pages have:
given me something to think about.
helped me understand King Lear.
confused me even more.
entertained me.

More about me.
My age:
My email address:

My homepage address:

I got here: