登陆注册
7167600000049

第49章 KING LEAR

Many people, well able to judge, have ranked Shake- speare"s King Lear as one of the finest dramas ever written. It tells the story of Lear, a headstrong monarch of ancient Britain, who resolves to divide his realm into three parts, and bestow it upon his three daughters in accordance with the amount of love that each professes for him.

Goneril, the eldest daughter, says she loves him more than words can tell, no less than life itself, as much as child ever loved. She receives a rich portion.

Regan, the second daughter, says she loves him even better than does Goneril, and the only joy in life she finds is to think her father loves her. She, too, receives a generous share of Lear"s dominions.

Cordelia, the youngest of the daughters and her father"s favourite ( " her voice was ever soft, gentle, and low-an excellent thing in woman ") cannot bring herself to talk like hersisters. She says she loves him neither more nor less than sheought. This offends the proud and testy old man. He casts her off penniless, and she would have been poor indeed if the King of France, who divined her true nature, had not straightwayclaimed her as his bride and queen.

Having parted with most of his possessions, Lear imagines that the two daughters on whom he has bestowed them will still show him the respect and affection that they had vauntedFrom a drawing by Sir John Gilbert, R.A

Lear casts off Cordelia

so highly. Alas!he is mistaken. They and their husbands treat him so badly that, one stormy night, he rushes out with bursting brain to a lonely heath. In the pauses of the tempest, we hear him rave about his daughters, while, now and then, the faithful fool who is with him utters pointed chatter which in its own way is not less bitter.

Old and broken, the poor king at length is reunited with Cordelia, who with French forces has come to his aid. But the French are defeated, and Lear is next seen bearing the body of Cordelia from prison, where her sisters had caused her to be put to death.

The guilty sisters perish, and their party is overthrown; but Lear dies of a broken heart- " a man more sinned against than sinning, " and " every inch a king. "Author.-William Shakespeare, the plot of whose tragedy of King Lear is here outlined, was born at Stratford-on-Avon in 1564, and died there in 1616. He is regarded as the world"s greatest dramatist and poet. Among his early plays are Love"s Labour"s Lost, Two Gentlemen of Verona, and The Comedy of Errors; to the second period belong-A Midsummer Night"s Dream,As You Like It, etc.; to the third period the great tragedies of Hamlet, Othello, King Lear, Macbeth, Antony and Cleopatra; to the last period Cymbeline, A Winter"s Tale, The Tempest, and the Sonnets.

General.-What was the character of Goneril? Of Regan? Of Cordelia? Did Lear deserve his hard fate? Did Cordelia deserve hers? Why didn"t Shakespeare give them a happier lot?

同类推荐
  • 用英语介绍中国:这里是上海

    用英语介绍中国:这里是上海

    阅读可以提升人格情操,增长知识,提高语言文化的综合素质,其更本质、更核心的意义在于培养学习者的兴趣,而兴趣才是一切学习者的学习动力、成功源泉。本书为读者奉上原汁原味的人文阅读精华,详细介绍了人们最感兴趣的上海历史文化、城市风景、上海生活、名人逸事等,带您全方位地了解上海。读者在学习英语的同时,又能品味这座东方文化名城的独特魅力。
  • 商务英语900句“袋”着走

    商务英语900句“袋”着走

    本书提炼出外企员工日常交流中使用最高频的话题情景,力求生活化,真实化。全书点面结合,通过句型替换,举一反三,以一句顶万句,方便记忆。 本书采用口袋书设计,方便携带,可谓挤地铁乘公交的上选佳品。便于随时随地学习,为自己充电。上班前看一眼,一天都能用得到。
  • 万用英语表达宝典

    万用英语表达宝典

    无论是去英美国家旅游、工作、学习深造,还是感受英美文化的魅力,掌握最基本的英语口语都是第一需要。这里有英语万用会话黄金句,一定会碰上的近300个高频使用情境,及典型的生活口语!全面的编写内容+丰富的表达方式+易查的会话宝典,既可以满足英语初学者的入门需要,又可以满足那些具有一定基础、需要在较短时间内迅速提高口语水平的学习者的学习要求。让你一书在手,口语无忧。
  • 大学英语六级听力训练

    大学英语六级听力训练

    本书针对听力的每种题型进行了详细的分析,让考生透彻地了解听力考试的测试方向、命题规律。同时,还提供了相应的应试技巧,帮助考生正确理解和解答听力题。本书将练习和测试相结合,一步一个台阶地提高听力水平。
  • 火合牛供养仪轨

    火合牛供养仪轨

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。
热门推荐
  • 元素之诋

    元素之诋

    这个世界,有战争,有机遇,还充满了危险。你只要进入到这个世界里,你才知道,这里有什么
  • 黑执事之新伯爵

    黑执事之新伯爵

    只要有缘,磨难什么的!我们一起走过!不管我们相聚千里!-------这就是我们的约定
  • 六欲通神

    六欲通神

    体味人生之中五味六欲,知大千世界千奇百怪。我是谁?我怎麽活下去?我为什么活下去?我怎麽样才算是活下去?一切尽在六欲通神。
  • 狐之墨月末乐

    狐之墨月末乐

    本文乃“狐”系列贰篇,讲述了初篇中未交代清楚的一些事情。她是一只狐妖。她已经不记得自己活了多久了。在她漫漫人生中,她唯一在意的便是一位狐仙——玉溪。她以为自己会一直爱着玉溪,却不料,在一场游戏中,她竟意外的爱上了一个像极了玉溪的狐妖——羽昔。游戏结束,她也分辨不出羽昔到底是真实存在的,还是虚构的。再次见到羽昔时,她竟以为,那是她的又一场游戏。墨月,末乐,最后的乐章。
  • 机关干部实用词条读本

    机关干部实用词条读本

    每年开展的市直机关干部读书活动即将开始。过去的岁月里,机关干部集中学习了党建理论、社会管理、经济工作与理论创新等方面的知识,大家读书、思考、笔耕结合,形成了爱读书、多读书、勤读书、善读书、读好书的氛围,学有所获、学有所长。文以载道、书如智友,今年大家要学些什么?这确实给市委市直机关工委的同志们提出了新的课题。
  • 往昔不回

    往昔不回

    回忆当初,仅有的一年半的相识。只为想起一件件对我们记忆犹新的故事。
  • 长生红颜决

    长生红颜决

    哥,钱花完了!妹儿啊,来,摇钱树给你摇两下子!哥,最近没节食,变胖变丑了!妹儿啊,来,红颜树叶子给你来一片,吃完变漂亮了亲哥一下!(哎,吃完再亲,这就上嘴是搞哪样?)哥,我快死了!妹儿啊,这是刚长熟的长生果,你咬一口?
  • 惑爱——丑妾侍君

    惑爱——丑妾侍君

    他将她当成解毒的药引,残忍地夺去她的第一次,却因为厌恶她的相貌而将她推入死亡的殉葬中……再次相见,她不记得他,他亦忘却她。她只是一名小小的婢女:卑微,顺从,讨好,甚至谄媚,他的无数侍妾拥有的所有丑恶嘴脸在她身上都有充分体现——那是他最厌恶的面孔。可是,为什么,她越是丑陋,越是叫他无法自拔?夜夜恩宠,每每销、魂,胤华王朝均道:“魅王爷饥不择食,拿个丑女当宝贝……”其实,他何曾将她当宝贝,他犀利的眸子在她的卑微中看到高雅,她的顺从中看到自尊,她的讨好中看到轻蔑,她的谄媚中看到不屑……所有女人,都只不过是发泄的工具,他怎能允许在他眼皮底下有如她那样嚣张的女子?折磨后继续恩宠,虐待后继续宣召,他以他独有的邪傲开始征服……只为在这举目无亲的王朝生存,只为静静守候在大哥身边,她以她与生俱来的忍受反抗……
  • 他已成神

    他已成神

    御神帝一,湘北的绝对主力全能得分手;青学的神秘队长,副队长手冢国光永远的目标;梁山泊的军体拳高手,被称为梁山泊最强者,杀人技巧独步天下;唯一领悟神之一指的棋神,连佐为、塔矢行洋都不是其对手;日本的大明星毛利兰、赤木晴子、灰原哀全都是他的粉丝;著名的漫画家死神、龙珠、家庭教师、海贼王……和平年代间,工藤新一的降生是日本警察的幸福。而和平年代间御神帝一的降生是整个世界的幸福。御神帝一,世纪的传奇!他已成神!!
  • 穿过银河遇见你

    穿过银河遇见你

    美男王子被赶到地球变成哑巴是一种什么体验?不过还好,穿过银河遇见了你……