King Lear Act II and IIINotes

Act II, Scene I Curan (random player) meets Edmund REVEALS that Duke of Cornwall and Regan are

coming to Gloucester’s castle. REVEALS that Dukes of Albany and Cornwall will

probably start fighting over land. Edmund asks Edgar if Edgar has talked smack about

Albany or Cornwall.

Act II, Scene I (Cont.) Tricks Edgar into drawing his sword to

pretend to defend himself. (Edgar leaves) Stabs his own arm to look like Edgar cut him. Gloucester reacts by proclaiming that Edgar is

banished. Says that Edgar stabbed him because Edmund

was about to tell father that Edgar is traitor.

Act II, Scene 1 (cont.) Cornwall and Regan enter. Regan mistakes Edgar as one of the 100

knights that are riotous and tended Lear. Edmund lets her believe it. Cornwall aligns himself with Edmund. Regan says the reason they are at

Gloucester’s castle is because her father is coming to her house and she doesn’t want to be there.

Act II, Scene 2 Kent and Oswald enter –severally. “Severally”

means opposite ends of the stage. Oswald does not recognize Kent. Kent calls him terrible names and draws a sword on

him. Everyone comes running (Edmund, Cornwall,

Regan, Gloucester) to break up the fight. Oswald says that he would have hurt Kent, but Kent

is old. This makes Kent even MORE angry.

Scene 2 (cont.) Cornwall and Regan decide to punish Kent by

putting him in the stocks. Gloucester says they better not do it because Kent is

a servant of the king. Regan and Cornwall do it anyway. Kent reads a letter from Cordelia that says she is

coming back from France to help. (This is a secret letter because she knows Kent is in disguise and serving Lear.)

Act II, Scene 3 Edgar alone near Gloucester’s castle. Says he will disguise himself like a crazy

person. Tom O’Bedlam (after Bethlehem Hospital for the insane.

Knows everyone is looking for him. “Edgar, I nothing am.”

Act II, Scene 4 Lear discovers Kent and is outraged. Kent explains he was just doing his job, and

he was put in the stocks. Fool says some silly stuff. Lear asks for Regan and Cornwall, but they

won’t come to him. Says they are sick. Sends Gloucester to get them.

Act II, Scene 4 (Cont.) Lear tells Regan that Goneril was mean to

him. Regan says maybe Lear deserved it because

his knights were so unruly. Lear says that Goneril is mean and horrible,

but Regan would never be a bad daughter. Goneril arrives on the scene.

Act II, Scene 4 (Cont.) Lear says he will go with Regan. She says he

can only bring 25 knights instead of 50. Lear says he will go with Goneril because at

least he can have 50 knights. She says why can’t he have no knights and let their servants take care of him?

Regan agrees. No knights.

Act II, Scene 4 (cont.) Lear gets very mad and says he will not stay

with anyone. Runs out into the storm. The storm is a physical representation of the

storm in his mind. What is the term for this? Cornwall, Regan, and Goneril tell Gloucester

to shut his gate and not let anyone back in. The knights might counsel Lear to fight with them. It is better to let him stay outside.

Act III, Scene 1 Out on the heath. It is a barren place. Windy,

no trees. There’s a storm. Setting is symbolic of Lear having nothing left.

Kent tells Gentleman that Albany and Cornwall are going to fight. France has spies everywhere, and Cordelia is coming to Lear’s defense.

Act III, Scene 1 Kent gives gentleman his ring (with seal of

identity) to give to Cordelia. Wants gentleman to tell Cordelia how crappy everything is. Heads to DOVER.

Kent and Gentleman both leave.

Act III, Scene 2 Another part of the heath. Lear invites the storm to kill him. He does not

blame the weather. “I am a man more sinned against than sinning.”

Kent says “Let’s go get some shelter in that hovel.” Lear feels sorry for the fool because the fool looks

cold. Says OK.

Act III, Scene 3 Edmund and Gloucester talk. Gloucester reveals that he has a letter from

Cordelia –it’s really dangerous to talk about this letter.

Gloucester is going to go tell the king that Cordelia is coming. Tells Edmund to distract Cornwall so that nobody knows he’s gone to the king.

Act III, Scene 3 (cont.) As soon as Gloucester leaves, Edmund says

“HA! I’m going to tell on my father right away.” Basically condemning his father to DEATH.

Act III, SCENE 4 (VERY IMPORTANT) On heath in front of hovel. Lear is screaming at the storm. Talks about

his daughters who are horrible. Lear takes pity on the Fool who is cold. Tells

Fool to go in hovel. REALIZES THAT BEFORE THIS

MOMENT HE NEVER CONSIDERED ALL THE POOR PEOPLE IN HIS KINGDOM.

ACT III, Scene 4 (Cont.) Fool comes running OUT of the hovel

because something creepy is in there. (Edgar) Edgar comes out and pretends to see fiends all

around him. Lear thinks that Edgar must have mean

daughters, too. Why else would anyone act so crazy?

Act III, Scene 4 (Cont.) Lear takes off clothes to be just like Edgar. At his lowest point—a naked man. (Worse than an

animal because animals have fur to protect them.) Gloucester arrives! Ta Da! Edgar pretends

Gloucester is a fiend. Gloucester offers to take care of Lear, but Lear

wants to stay with Edgar. They all go into the hovel. Gloucester says really

dumb stuff: I wish loyal Kent and my son were here.

Act III, Scene 5 Edmund reveals the letter to Cornwall.

Cornwall is really mad and says Gloucester must be captured (and die probably).

Edmund PRETENDS he is really sad about that. Edmund also warns Cornwall that if France is coming, Cornwall has a lot of work to do.

Finally, Cornwall says that Edmund is now his loyal SON. Edmund will be Duke of Gloucester.

Act III, Scene 6 Outside of the hovel, in a dryer place. Lear holds a mock trial for his two daughters.

Uses Edgar, Fool and Kent like they are the judges.

Staring into nothing but seeing his daughters. (Visions like he is crazy)

Collapses at the end. Gloucester brings a stretcher and carries him away to safety.

Act III, Scene 7 Cornwall sends Goneril to tell her husband

that France is coming. Sends Edmund WITH Goneril because he

doesn’t want Edmund to see what they will do to Gloucester

BTW, Goneril wants Edmund. Like, really wants him.

Act III, Scene 7 They capture Gloucester and tie him to a

chair. Regan plucks his beard. OUCH! Very

insulting. Cornwall pokes out his eye. Servant steps in and fights Cornwall. Regan stabs servant IN THE BACK! Cornwall digs out other eye: “Out! Vile

jelly!”

Act III, Scene 7 (Cont.) Gloucester yells “Oh, I wish my good son

Edmund was here to help me!” Regan reveals that Edmund turned him in. GLOUCESTER BLIND BUT NOW HE

SEES THE TRUTH! Cornwall reveals that he has been hurt (will

probably die.) Servants go to help Gloucester—they will get

Poor Tom to take Gloucester to Dover.