King Lear, Act 3 Scene 5 runs 25 lines of dialogue, spoken by 2 speakers. That is shorter than the play’s average scene length of about 135 lines. This scene is part of Act 3 of King Lear.
Full Dialogue
Cornwall ♂
I will have my revenge ere I depart his house.
Edmund ♂
How, my lord, I may be censured, that nature thus
gives way to loyalty, something fears me to think
of.
gives way to loyalty, something fears me to think
of.
Cornwall ♂
I now perceive, it was not altogether your
brother's evil disposition made him seek his death;
but a provoking merit, set a-work by a reprovable
badness in himself.
brother's evil disposition made him seek his death;
but a provoking merit, set a-work by a reprovable
badness in himself.
Edmund ♂
How malicious is my fortune, that I must repent to
be just! This is the letter he spoke of, which
approves him an intelligent party to the advantages
of France: O heavens! that this treason were not,
or not I the detector!
be just! This is the letter he spoke of, which
approves him an intelligent party to the advantages
of France: O heavens! that this treason were not,
or not I the detector!
Cornwall ♂
o with me to the duchess.
Edmund ♂
If the matter of this paper be certain, you have
mighty business in hand.
mighty business in hand.
Cornwall ♂
True or false, it hath made thee earl of
Gloucester. Seek out where thy father is, that he
may be ready for our apprehension.
Gloucester. Seek out where thy father is, that he
may be ready for our apprehension.
Edmund ♂
[Aside] If I find him comforting the king, it will
stuff his suspicion more fully.–I will persevere in
my course of loyalty, though the conflict be sore
between that and my blood.
stuff his suspicion more fully.–I will persevere in
my course of loyalty, though the conflict be sore
between that and my blood.
Cornwall ♂
I will lay trust upon thee; and thou shalt find a
dearer father in my love.
dearer father in my love.
25 lines rendered verbatim from the dialogue corpus.
Who’s On Stage
Speaking characters in this scene
| Character | Lines | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Edmund | 14 | 56.0% |
| Cornwall | 11 | 44.0% |
Line distribution
The top speaker in this scene delivers 14 lines, while the scene’s average per speaker is about 13 lines.
Total speakers on stage
2 named characters speak in this scene.
Scene in Context
Position within Act 3
This is Scene 5 of 7 in Act 3 of King Lear.
Scene length vs. play average
At 25 lines, this scene is shorter than the King Lear average scene in King Lear (~135 lines).
Adjacent scenes
Previous: Act 3 Scene 4 · Next: Act 3 Scene 6