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In this second workshop on King Lear John Russell-Brown looks in detail at the language used by the mad Lear and asks how it relates to the themes of the whole play.
Subtitle Number Time In Time Out Subtitle Text
100:00:01,00000:00:04,000(Graham Martin) Then, finally, to the later part of Act IV, Scene VI,
200:00:04,00000:00:08,000the meeting between the mad Lear, Edgar, and the blinded Gloucester.
300:00:09,00000:00:12,000John Russell-Brown: It's got nothing to do with "Ay, every inch a King",
400:00:12,00000:00:16,000it's just bearing out the world until the world comes to nought.
500:00:16,00000:00:20,000(John Russell-Brown) And for the moment, you are in fact seduced by Gloucester.
600:00:20,00000:00:23,000Lear: Thou hast seen a farmer's dog bark at a beggar?
700:00:26,00000:00:30,000Gloucester: Ay, sir. -Lear: And the beggar run from the cur?
800:00:32,00000:00:41,000There thou mightst behold the great image of authority; a dog's obeyed in office.
900:00:45,00000:00:52,000Thou rascal beadle, hold thy bloody hand. Why dost thou lash that whore?
1000:00:53,00000:00:59,000Strip thy own back. Thou hotly lusts to use her in that kind for which thou whipp'st her.
1100:01:02,00000:01:11,000The usurer hangs the cozener. Thorough tattered clothes great vices do appear;
1200:01:12,00000:01:19,000robes and furred gowns hide all. Plate sins with gold,
1300:01:20,00000:01:26,000and the strong lance of justice hurtless, breaks.
1400:01:27,00000:01:40,000Arm it in rags, a pygmy's straw may pierce it. None does offend, none, I say, none;
1500:01:41,00000:01:54,000I'll able 'em. Take that of me, my friend, who have the power to seal the accursed lips,
1600:01:55,00000:02:04,000the accuser's lips. Get thee glass eyes, and like a scurvy politician…
1700:02:04,00000:02:12,000..seem to see the things thou dost not. Now, now, now, now!
1800:02:13,00000:02:21,000Pull off my boots. Harder, harder – so.
1900:02:22,00000:02:28,000Edgar: O matter and impertinency mixed, reason in madness.
2000:02:32,00000:02:38,000Lear: If thou wilt weep my fortunes, take my eyes.
2100:02:41,00000:02:45,000I know thee well enough; thy name is Gloucester.
2200:02:46,00000:02:54,000Thou must be patient; we came crying hither. Thou knowest the first time…
2300:02:55,00000:03:03,000..that we smell the air we waul and cry. I will preach to thee – mark!
2400:03:05,00000:03:08,000Gloucester: Alack, alack the day!
2500:03:09,00000:03:16,000Lear: When we are born we cry that we are come to this great stage of fools…
2600:03:19,00000:03:25,000Julian Glover: Now... -(John Russell-Brown) Yes? -Julian Glover: This good block.
2700:03:26,00000:03:29,000(John Russell-Brown) Yes, this is a good block. It means my head.
2800:03:29,00000:03:32,000Julian Glover: So I can use that, can I? -(John Russell-Brown) Yes, absolutely absolutely.
2900:03:32,00000:03:36,000(John Russell-Brown) It's his head or it's your head. It's a man's head. That is,
3000:03:37,00000:03:43,000"we born that we are come into this great stage of fools". I think it is this,
3100:03:43,00000:03:50,000your head actually. I know, I understand, I have the way to do it. I am clever,
3200:03:50,00000:03:54,000and from that you get "it were a delicate stratagem to shoe a troop of horse",
3300:03:55,00000:03:58,000because you then move away from your understanding,
3400:03:58,00000:04:01,000to your understanding of your understanding, and that's fatal.
3500:04:02,00000:04:04,000(John Russell-Brown) You immediately think about what you can do,
3600:04:05,00000:04:08,000(John Russell-Brown) and your revenge comes teeming back. Do you see?
3700:04:10,00000:04:13,000(John Russell-Brown) I think it is your block. It means I'm clever,
3800:04:13,00000:04:16,000(John Russell-Brown) I've got my wits about me, and that is fatal.
3900:04:16,00000:04:21,000(John Russell-Brown) From there you then get onto kind of revenge time Do you see?
4000:04:21,00000:04:23,000Julian Glover: Yeah. -John Russell -Brown: Let's try that,
4100:04:24,00000:04:28,000and I thought taking his head is absolutely right.
4200:04:31,00000:04:37,000"…if thou wilt weep my fortunes, take my eyes". And I think the two of you are in fact,
4300:04:38,00000:04:44,000I would take him like this, and in a sense, you are both at that time weeping I suspect.
4400:04:45,00000:04:48,000I mean, not at this stage in the game, but if one was really there,
4500:04:48,00000:04:54,000one would both be weeping at that point. OK? Can we do it then from the same place?
4600:04:55,00000:04:57,000John Russell-Brown: Can we, sorry . -Julian Glover: Yeah sure.
4700:04:58,00000:05:00,000Julian Glover: I can't remember where the same place was.
4800:05:00,00000:05:03,000John Russell-Brown: Neither can I . It was "usurer hangs the cozener".
4900:05:05,00000:05:07,000Julian Glover: Sorry, I'm beginning to run out a bit now, John.
5000:05:08,00000:05:11,000Basil Henson: I'll stay here, I think, don't you for this.