Key Quotations (Edexcel A-Level English Literature): Revision Notes

Key Quotations

Act 1

"Nothing will come of nothing."

• Lear denies Cordelia any portion of his kingdom after she refuses to flatter him.
• This quote underscores Lear's shallow understanding of love and value, as he equates Cordelia's refusal to speak with a lack of affection. The repetition of "nothing" throughout the play highlights themes of emptiness and nihilism.
• Key themes: Appearance vs. reality, family, authority.

"Thou, Nature, art my goddess; to thy law / My services are bound."

• Edmund rejects societal norms and vows to follow the natural law.
• The invocation of nature over societal law emphasises Edmund's desire to subvert traditional values. It also foreshadows his betrayal and scheming.
• Key themes: Nature, legitimacy, ambition.

"Why bastard? wherefore base?"

• Edmund questions the stigma of illegitimacy.
• This rhetorical question challenges societal norms and prejudices against illegitimate children, highlighting themes of identity and social injustice.
• Key themes: Legitimacy, identity, social injustice.

"I am made of that self mettle as my sister, / And prize me at her worth."

• Regan asserts her equality to her sister Goneril in terms of loyalty to Lear.
• The metaphor of "mettle" indicates strength and character, while "prize me at her worth" suggests rivalry and foreshadows the sisters' later conflict.
• Key themes: Sibling rivalry, loyalty, deception.

"How sharper than a serpent's tooth it is / To have a thankless child!"

• Lear laments Goneril's ingratitude.
• The simile "sharper than a serpent's tooth" vividly conveys the pain of betrayal by one's child, highlighting the theme of familial ingratitude.
• Key themes: Betrayal, family, ingratitude.

Act 2

"I will do such things,— / What they are, yet I know not: but they shall be / The terrors of the earth."

• Lear threatens unspecified but severe actions in his madness.
• The quote reflects Lear's escalating rage and descent into madness, using hyperbole to emphasise his loss of control.
• Key themes: Madness, power, impotence.

"This cold night will turn us all to fools and madmen."

• The Fool predicts the impact of the harsh storm on Lear and his followers.
• This statement foreshadows the chaos and madness that will ensue, symbolising the disruption of natural and social order.
• Key themes: Madness, nature, disorder.

"Thou shouldst not have been old till thou hadst been wise."

• The Fool criticises Lear for his foolish decisions.
• This line juxtaposes age with wisdom, implying that Lear's lack of wisdom negates the respect typically accorded to his age.
• Key themes: Wisdom, folly, age.

"I am a man / More sinned against than sinning."

• Lear believes he is more wronged by others than he has wronged them.
• This quote reflects Lear's self-pity and inability to see his faults, emphasising his tragic blindness.
• Key themes: Justice, self-awareness, tragedy.

"The younger rises when the old doth fall."

• Edmund contemplates the shift in power dynamics.
• This statement captures the play's central theme of generational conflict and the inevitable decline of the old order.
• Key themes: Power, generational conflict, ambition.

Act 3

"I am a very foolish fond old man, / Fourscore and upward, not an hour more nor less; / And, to deal plainly, / I fear I am not in my perfect mind."

• Lear admits his folly and madness.
• This confession marks a moment of self-awareness and humility, contrasting with his earlier arrogance.
• Key themes: Madness, humility, self-awareness.

"As flies to wanton boys are we to the gods; / They kill us for their sport."

• Gloucester laments human suffering under the whims of the gods.
• The simile emphasises the theme of existential despair and the cruel, arbitrary nature of fate.
• Key themes: Suffering, fate, despair.

"The wheel is come full circle; I am here."

• Edmund acknowledges the consequences of his actions.
• This line reflects the theme of poetic justice, where Edmund's betrayal and ambition ultimately lead to his downfall.
• Key themes: Justice, fate, retribution.

"Speak what we feel, not what we ought to say."

• Edgar calls for honesty and emotional truth.
• This plea for sincerity contrasts with the deceit and flattery that have caused so much tragedy, emphasising the theme of truth versus deception.
• Key themes: Honesty, deception, integrity.

"The gods are just, and of our pleasant vices / Make instruments to plague us."

• Edgar reflects on divine justice and retribution.
• This quote underscores the theme of moral justice and the idea that one's sins ultimately lead to their punishment.
• Key themes: Justice, morality, retribution.

Act 4

"The king is mad: how stiff is my vile sense, / That I stand up and have an ingenious feeling / Of my huge sorrows!"

• Gloucester reflects on Lear's madness and his suffering.
• The juxtaposition of physical blindness and emotional insight highlights the irony of Gloucester's situation.
• Key themes: Insight, blindness, suffering.

"The weight of this sad time we must obey; / Speak what we feel, not what we ought to say."

• Edgar urges honesty in the aftermath of tragedy.
• This call for truth and emotional expression contrasts sharply with the earlier deception and flattery.
• Key themes: Honesty, truth, grief.

"We two alone will sing like birds in the cage: / When thou dost ask me a blessing, I'll kneel down, / And ask of thee forgiveness: so we'll live, / And pray, and sing, and tell old tales, and laugh."

• Lear envisions a peaceful, secluded life with Cordelia.
• The imagery of birds singing in a cage reflects a bittersweet acceptance of their fate, emphasising themes of reconciliation and love.
• Key themes: Love, reconciliation, captivity.

"The wonder is, he hath endured so long: / He but usurped his life."

• Kent reflects on Lear's endurance despite his suffering.
• This comment underscores Lear's tragic endurance and the physical and emotional toll of his journey.
• Key themes: Endurance, suffering, tragedy.

"Know thou this, that men / Are as the time is: to be tender-minded / Does not become a sword."

• Edmund advises against showing tenderness or compassion.
• This quote highlights Edmund's ruthless pragmatism and contrasts with the play's calls for honesty and compassion.
• Key themes: Ruthlessness, pragmatism, compassion.