LEAR Thou wert better in a grave than to answer with thy uncovered body this extremity of the skies. Consider him well. Thou art the thing itself; unaccommodated man is no more but such a poor, bare, forked animal as thou art. Off, off, you lendings! Tearing off his clothes. Staring at Poor Tom's nearly naked and shivering body, Lear begins to philosophize.
Having concluded that clothing and social conventions are artificial additions to man's natural state, Lear starts taking off his own clothes. We interrupt this program for a brain snack: When Ian McKellen got naked as King Lear in the Royal Shakespeare Company's production of King Lear , he caused quite a commotion, leading some journalists to joke about the wizard's wand. McKellen played Gandalf in the Lord of the Rings movies. FOOL Prithee, nuncle, be contented. The Fool tries to stop Lear, declaring that while he has a hot heart, the rest of his body is still rather cold, and at risk of exposure He begins at curfew and walks till the first cock.
He gives the web and the pin, squints the eye, and makes the harelip, mildews the white wheat, and hurts the poor creature of earth. Edgar, continuing his crazy-off with Lear, sees Gloucester approaching with a torch and identifies him as a fiend that walks the night giving people harelips and making crops of wheat rot. Beware my follower. Peace, Smulkin! Peace, thou fiend!
When Gloucester enters the scene and asks who's there remember, it's dark , Edgar answers him with a strange speech about being "Poor Tom" who does all sorts of mad things, like eating amphibians and cowpoop.
Gloucester doesn't recognize his son and seems worried about the king hanging out with such a weirdo. Though their injunction be to bar my doors And let this tyrannous night take hold upon you, Yet have I ventured to come seek you out And bring you where both fire and food is ready. Gloucester says that he's come, against instructions and in spite of great threats, to bring Lear in from the storm and provide him with food and fire.
LEAR First let me talk with this philosopher. To Edgar. What is the cause of thunder? Lear cannot be moved, even by the promise of a hot meal. He prefers to talk with "Poor Tom," calling him a philosopher. His daughters seek his death.
Ah, that good Kent! He said it would be thus, poor banished man. I had a son, Now outlawed from my blood. He sought my life But lately, very late. I loved him, friend, No father his son dearer. True to tell thee, The grief hath crazed my wits. Gloucester says Lear has reason to be driven to madness, since his own daughters want him dead. If only they'd listened to Kent!
Remember, Kent is disguised as Caius, so Gloucester doesn't know he's actually talking to his banished buddy. Gloucester says he can relate to the King's pain, as he recently lost his dearly beloved son that would be Edgar, who was framed by the evil-genius Edmund to look like he had plotted against Gloucester's life, and who is now prattling on about how to kill mice while disguised as a madman.
LEAR O, cry you mercy, sir. Noble philosopher, your company. Keep thee warm. I will keep still with my philosopher. Let him take the fellow. How fares your Grace?
What's he? What is't you seek? Earl of Gloucester. What are you there? Your names? Poor Tom, that eats the swimming frog, the toad, the todpole, the wall-newt and the water; that in the fury of his heart, when the foul fiend rages, eats cow-dung for sallets, swallows the old rat and the ditch-dog, drinks the green mantle of the standing pool; who is whipp'd from tithing to tithing, and stock-punish'd and imprison'd; who hath had three suits to his back, six shirts to his body, horse to ride, and weapons to wear; But mice and rats, and such small deer, Have been Tom's food for seven long year.
Beware my follower. Peace, Smulkin! What, hath your Grace no better company? The prince of darkness is a gentleman! Our flesh and blood is grown so vile, my lord, That it doth hate what gets it.
Poor Tom 's acold. Go in with me. My duty cannot suffer T' obey in all your daughters' hard commands. Though their injunction be to bar my doors And let this tyrannous night take hold upon you, Yet have I ventur'd to come seek you out And bring you where both fire and food is ready. First let me talk with this philosopher.
What is the cause of thunder? Good my lord, take his offer; go into th' house. I'll talk a word with this same learned Theban. What is your study? How to prevent the fiend and to kill vermin. Let me ask you one word in private. Importune him once more to go, my lord. His wits begin t' unsettle. Canst thou blame him?
Ah, that good Kent! He said it would be thus- poor banish'd man! Thou say'st the King grows mad: I'll tell thee, friend, I am almost mad myself. I had a son, Now outlaw'd from my blood. He sought my life But lately, very late. I lov'd him, friend- No father his son dearer. True to tell thee, The grief hath craz'd my wits.
What a night 's this! I do beseech your Grace- Lear. O, cry you mercy, sir. Tom's acold. In, fellow, there, into th' hovel; keep thee warm. Come, let's in all. This way, my lord. With him! I will keep still with my philosopher. Good my lord, soothe him; let him take the fellow. Take him you on. Sirrah, come on; go along with us. Come, good Athenian. He can make your eyes squint and film over and give you a harelip. He rots ripened wheat and hurts the poor creatures of the earth.
Test your knowledge Take the Act 3, scenes Quick Quiz. Read the Summary Read the Summary of Act 3, scenes 4—5. Popular pages: King Lear. Take a Study Break. Original Text. Modern Text. LEAR Why, thou wert better in thy grave than to answer with thy uncovered body this extremity of the skies.
FOOL Prithee, nuncle, be contented. FOOL Please calm down, uncle. Swithold footed thrice the 'old. He met the nightmare and her ninefold, Bid her alight, And her troth plight. And aroint thee, witch, aroint thee!
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