KING LEAR Act 1 scene 1           

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DRAMATIS PERSONAE

LEAR king of Britain (KING LEAR:)

KING OF FRANCE:

DUKE OF BURGUNDY (BURGUNDY:)

EARL OF KENT (KENT:)

GONERIL |

REGAN | daughters to Lear.

CORDELIA |

SCENE Britain.

ACT I SCENE I King Lear's palace.

[Enter KENT, GLOUCESTER, and EDMUND]

KENT I thought the king had more affected the Duke of

Albany than Cornwall.

GLOUCESTER It did always seem so to us: but now, in the

division of the kingdom, it appears not which of

the dukes he values most; ……..

……………..The king is coming.

simpatezzato

[Sennet. Enter KING LEAR, CORNWALL, ALBANY,

GONERIL, REGAN, CORDELIA, and Attendants]

KING LEAR Attend the lords of France and Burgundy, Gloucester.

KING LEAR Meantime we shall express our darker purpose.

Give me the map there. Know that we have divided

In three our kingdom: and 'tis our fast intent

To shake all cares and business from our age;

Conferring them on younger strengths, while we

Unburthen'd crawl toward death.

The princes, France and Burgundy,

Great rivals in our youngest daughter's love,

Long in our court have made their amorous sojourn,

And here are to be answer'd. Tell me, my daughters,--

Since now we will divest us both of rule,

Interest of territory, cares of state,--

Which of you shall we say doth love us most?

Goneril, Our eldest-born, speak first. L.14

GONERIL Sir, I love you more than words can wield the matter;

=accogliere  loro che attendono

Piu’ scuro*

=fixed

scuotere, preoccupazione

dare, 

senza carica, strisciarsi, verso

dimora

svestirci

preoccupazione

armeggiare

Dearer than eye-sight, space, and liberty;

Beyond what can be valued, rich or rare;

No less than life, with grace, health, beauty, honour;

As much as child e'er loved, or father found;

A love that makes breath poor, and speech unable;

Beyond all manner of so much I love you. G.7

CORDELIA [Aside] What shall Cordelia do?

Love, and be silent. C.2

LEAR Of all these bounds, even from this line to this,

With shadowy forests and with champains rich'd,

With plenteous rivers and wide-skirted meads,

We make thee lady: What says our second daughter,

Our dearest Regan, wife to Cornwall? Speak. L.5

REGAN Sir, I am made

Of the self-same metal that my sister is,

And prize me at her worth. In my true heart

I find she names my very deed of love;

oltre

=ever

incapace

di tale quantita’

frontiere

ombroso, =champs

abbondante, =ampi, campi fluviali

=della stessa pasta

mi valuto

Only she comes too short: that I profess

Myself an enemy to all other joys,

Which the most precious square of sense possesses;

And find I am alone felicitate

In your dear highness' love. R.9

CORDELIA [Aside] Then poor Cordelia!

And yet not so; since, I am sure, my love's

More richer than my tongue. C.3

KING LEAR To thee and thine hereditary ever

Remain this ample third of our fair kingdom;

No less in space, validity, and pleasure,

Than that conferr'd on Goneril. Now, our joy,

Although the last, not least; to whose young love

The vines of France and milk of Burgundy

Strive to be interess'd; what can you say to draw

A third more opulent than your sisters? Speak. L.8

dichiaro

squadra

unicamente

altezza

sicuro

Consegnato

Vigne

Lottare, intrecciarsi, attirare, un terzo

CORDELIA Nothing, my lord.

KING LEAR Nothing!

CORDELIA Nothing.

KING LEAR Nothing will come of nothing: speak again.

CORDELIA Unhappy that I am, I cannot heave

My heart into my mouth: I love your majesty

According to my bond; nor more nor less. C.3

KING LEAR How, how, Cordelia! mend your speech a little,

Lest it may mar your fortunes. L.2

CORDELIA Good my lord,

You have begot me, bred me, loved me: I

Return those duties back as are right fit,

Obey you, love you, and most honour you.

Why have my sisters husbands, if they say

They love you all? Haply, when I shall wed,

That lord whose hand must take my plight shall carry

Half my love with him, half my care and duty:

Sure, I shall never marry like my sisters,

To love my father all. C.10

sollervare

secondo, dovere

mediare

altrimente, macchiare

generare, allevare

ricambiare, giusto

interamente, c’e da sperare, 

fidanzamento

cura, dovere

sicuro, sposarmi

KING LEAR But goes thy heart with this?

CORDELIA Ay, good my lord.

KING LEAR So young, and so untender?

CORDELIA So young, my lord, and true.

KING LEAR Let it be so; thy truth, then, be thy dower:

Here I disclaim all my paternal care,

Propinquity and property of blood,

And as a stranger to my heart and me

Hold thee, from this, for ever. L.5

KENT Good my liege,--

KING LEAR Peace, Kent!

Come not between the dragon and his wrath.

I loved her most, and thought to set my rest

On her kind nursery. Hence, and avoid my sight!

So be my grave my peace! Call France; who stirs?

Call Burgundy. Cornwall and Albany,

Non tenera

Porzione matrimoniale

Rispingo/ nego

Quality

Ira

Nurse=infermiere +

=giardinaggio,muoversi

muoversi

With my two daughters' dowers digest this third:

Let pride, which she calls plainness, marry her.

I do invest you jointly with my power,

This coronet part betwixt you.L.9

[Giving the crown]

KENT Royal Lear,

Whom I have ever honour'd as my king,

Loved as my father, as my master follow'd,

As my great patron thought on in my prayers,--K.4

KING LEAR The bow is bent and drawn, make from the

shaft.

KENT be Kent unmannerly,

When Lear is mad. What wilt thou do, old man?

Think'st thou that duty shall have dread to speak,

When power to flattery bows? To plainness honour's bound,

When majesty stoops to folly. Reverse thy doom;

Thy youngest daughter does not love thee least;

Nor are those empty-hearted whose low sound

Reverbs no hollowness

porzione, digerire

insieme

corona

Piegato, tirato, parte dal legno (del arco)

Scortese

=will

dovere, paura

lusinghe, inchinarsi,semplicita’, legato,

piega il ginocchio, rigirare, sentenza

riverberare, vuoto di spazio

KING LEAR Kent, on thy life, no more.

KENT My life I never held but as a pawn

To wage against thy enemies; nor fear to lose it,

Thy safety being the motive.

KING LEAR Out of my sight!

KENT See better, Lear; and let me still remain

The true blank of thine eye.

KING LEAR Now, by Apollo,--

KENT Now, by Apollo, king,

Thou swear'st thy gods in vain.

KING LEAR O, vassal! miscreant!

[Laying his hand on his sword]

ALBANY |

| Dear sir, forbear.

KENT Do: Kill thy physician, and the fee bestow

Upon thy foul disease. Revoke thy doom;

Or, whilst I can vent clamour from my throat,

I'll tell thee thou dost evil.

KING LEAR Hear me, recreant!

On thine allegiance, hear me!

Since thou hast sought to make us break our vow,

pedina

ingaggiare

- white

Giurare

Scellerato

Mettendo

Resistere

Pagamento, donare

Orrido malattia, rovesciare, sentenza, esprimere rumore,, gola, male, 

Scellerato, 

Fedeltà, 

cercare, giuramento

Which we durst never yet, …….

Five days we do allot thee, for provision

To shield thee from diseases of the world;

And on the sixth to turn thy hated back

Upon our kingdom:

KENT Fare thee well, king: sith thus thou wilt appear,

Freedom lives hence, and banishment is here.

[To CORDELIA]

The gods to their dear shelter take thee, maid,

That justly think'st, and hast most rightly said!

[To REGAN and GONERIL]

And your large speeches may your deeds approve,

Thus Kent, O princes, bids you all adieu;

He'll shape his old course in a country new.

[Exit] [Flourish. Re-enter GLOUCESTER, with KING OF FRANCE, BURGUNDY, and Attendants]

GLOUCESTER Here's France and Burgundy, my noble lord.

KING LEAR My lord of Burgundy.

We first address towards you, who with this king

Hath rivall'd for our daughter: what, in the least,

Will you require in present dower with her,

(dare)Osare

permettere, 

scudarti, malatie

regno

since

= from here, esilio,

riparo

atti. Validare

=says to you all

formare, percorso

Indirizzarci

Gareggiare

Richiedere,

BURGUNDY Most royal majesty,

I crave no more than what your highness offer'd,

Nor will you tender less.

KING LEAR Right noble Burgundy,

When she was dear to us, we did hold her so;

But now her price is fall'n. Sir, there she stands:

If aught within that little seeming substance,

Or all of it, may fitly like your grace,

She's there, and she is yours.

BURGUNDY I know no answer.

KING LEAR Will you, with those infirmities she owes,

Unfriended, new-adopted to our hate,

Dower'd with our curse, and stranger'd with our oath,

Take her, or leave her?

BURGUNDY Pardon me, royal sir;

Election makes not up on such conditions.

KING LEAR Then leave her, sir; for, by the power that made me,

I tell you all her wealth. [To KING OF FRANCE]

For you, great king,

I would not from your love make such a stray,

To match you where I hate;

KING OF FRANCE This is most strange,

That she, that even but now was your best object,

The argument of your praise, balm of your age,

Most best, most dearest, should in this trice of time

=desire to have

=offer

= anything, sostanza

essere adeguato

possiede

maledizione, estraniato, giuramento

Richezza

Errare

Medecina

Battito

Commit a thing so monstrous, to dismantle

So many folds of favour.

CORDELIA I yet beseech your majesty,--

If for I want that glib and oily art,

To speak and purpose not; since what I well intend,

I'll do't before I speak,--that you make known

It is no vicious blot, murder, or foulness,

No unchaste action, or dishonour'd step,

That hath deprived me of your grace and favour;

But even for want of that for which I am richer,

A still-soliciting eye, and such a tongue

As I am glad I have not, though not to have it

Hath lost me in your liking.

KING LEAR Better thou

Hadst not been born than not to have pleased me better.

KING OF FRANCE Is it but this,--a tardiness in nature

Which often leaves the history unspoke

That it intends to do? ………My lord of Burgundy,

She is herself a dowry.

BURGUNDY Royal Lear,

Give but that portion which yourself proposed,

And here I take Cordelia by the hand,

Duchess of Burgundy.

Togliere

Pieghe

Pregare

Facili parole

Intendere, Macchia,

Per mancanza di

Sempre =ingratiate

=slowness

dota

KING LEAR Nothing: I have sworn; I am firm.

KING OF FRANCE Fairest Cordelia, that art most rich, being poor;

Most choice, forsaken; and most loved, despised!

Thee and thy virtues here I seize upon:

Be it lawful I take up what's cast away.

Gods, gods! 'tis strange that from their cold'st neglect

My love should kindle to inflamed respect.

Thy dowerless daughter, king, thrown to my chance,

Is queen of us, of ours, and our fair France:

Not all the dukes of waterish Burgundy

Can buy this unprized precious maid of me.

Bid them farewell, Cordelia, though unkind:

Thou losest here, a better where to find.

KING LEAR Thou hast her, France: let her be thine; for we

Have no such daughter, nor shall ever see

That face of hers again. Therefore be gone

Without our grace, our love, our benison.

Come, noble Burgundy.

[Flourish. Exeunt all but KING OF FRANCE, GONERIL,

REGAN, and CORDELIA]

KING OF FRANCE Bid farewell to your sisters.

Fermo, schernito

afferrare

buttato via

indifferenza

infiammarsi

gettato, fortuna

disprezzato, fanciulla,              non gentile

benedizione

CORDELIA The jewels of our father, with wash'd eyes

Cordelia leaves you: I know you what you are;

And like a sister am most loath to call

Your faults as they are named. Use well our father:

To your professed bosoms I commit him

But yet, alas, stood I within his grace,

I would prefer him to a better place.

So, farewell to you both.

REGAN Prescribe not us our duties.

GONERIL Let your study

Be to content your lord, who hath received you

At fortune's alms.

CORDELIA Time shall unfold what plaited cunning hides:

Well may you prosper!

KING OF FRANCE Come, my fair Cordelia.

non volente

colpe,

petto

ahime’, nelle sue grazie

doveri

elemosina                             furbizie intrecciate