King Lear, Act 3 Scene 7 runs 118 lines of dialogue, spoken by 8 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 ♂
Post speedily to my lord your husband; show him
this letter: the army of France is landed. Seek
out the villain Gloucester.
this letter: the army of France is landed. Seek
out the villain Gloucester.
Regan ♀
Hang him instantly.
Goneril ♀
Pluck out his eyes.
Cornwall ♂
Leave him to my displeasure. Edmund, keep you our
sister company: the revenges we are bound to take
upon your traitorous father are not fit for your
beholding. Advise the duke, where you are going, to
a most festinate preparation: we are bound to the
like. Our posts shall be swift and intelligent
betwixt us. Farewell, dear sister: farewell, my
lord of Gloucester.
How now! where's the king?
sister company: the revenges we are bound to take
upon your traitorous father are not fit for your
beholding. Advise the duke, where you are going, to
a most festinate preparation: we are bound to the
like. Our posts shall be swift and intelligent
betwixt us. Farewell, dear sister: farewell, my
lord of Gloucester.
How now! where's the king?
Oswald ♂
My lord of Gloucester hath convey'd him hence:
Some five or six and thirty of his knights,
Hot questrists after him, met him at gate;
Who, with some other of the lords dependants,
Are gone with him towards Dover; where they boast
To have well-armed friends.
Some five or six and thirty of his knights,
Hot questrists after him, met him at gate;
Who, with some other of the lords dependants,
Are gone with him towards Dover; where they boast
To have well-armed friends.
Cornwall ♂
Get horses for your mistress.
Goneril ♀
Farewell, sweet lord, and sister.
Cornwall ♂
Edmund, farewell.
Go seek the traitor Gloucester,
Pinion him like a thief, bring him before us.
Though well we may not pass upon his life
Without the form of justice, yet our power
Shall do a courtesy to our wrath, which men
May blame, but not control. Who's there? the traitor?
Go seek the traitor Gloucester,
Pinion him like a thief, bring him before us.
Though well we may not pass upon his life
Without the form of justice, yet our power
Shall do a courtesy to our wrath, which men
May blame, but not control. Who's there? the traitor?
Regan ♀
Ingrateful fox! 'tis he.
Cornwall ♂
Bind fast his corky arms.
Gloucester ♂
What mean your graces? Good my friends, consider
You are my guests: do me no foul play, friends.
You are my guests: do me no foul play, friends.
Cornwall ♂
Bind him, I say.
Regan ♀
Hard, hard. O filthy traitor!
Gloucester ♂
Unmerciful lady as you are, I'm none.
Cornwall ♂
To this chair bind him. Villain, thou shalt find–
Gloucester ♂
By the kind gods, 'tis most ignobly done
To pluck me by the beard.
To pluck me by the beard.
Regan ♀
So white, and such a traitor!
Gloucester ♂
Naughty lady,
These hairs, which thou dost ravish from my chin,
Will quicken, and accuse thee: I am your host:
With robbers' hands my hospitable favours
You should not ruffle thus. What will you do?
These hairs, which thou dost ravish from my chin,
Will quicken, and accuse thee: I am your host:
With robbers' hands my hospitable favours
You should not ruffle thus. What will you do?
Cornwall ♂
Come, sir, what letters had you late from France?
Regan ♀
Be simple answerer, for we know the truth.
Cornwall ♂
And what confederacy have you with the traitors
Late footed in the kingdom?
Late footed in the kingdom?
Regan ♀
To whose hands have you sent the lunatic king? Speak.
Gloucester ♂
I have a letter guessingly set down,
Which came from one that's of a neutral heart,
And not from one opposed.
Which came from one that's of a neutral heart,
And not from one opposed.
Cornwall ♂
Cunning.
Regan ♀
And false.
Cornwall ♂
Where hast thou sent the king?
Gloucester ♂
To Dover.
Regan ♀
Wherefore to Dover? Wast thou not charged at peril–
Cornwall ♂
Wherefore to Dover? Let him first answer that.
Gloucester ♂
I am tied to the stake, and I must stand the course.
Regan ♀
Wherefore to Dover, sir?
Gloucester ♂
Because I would not see thy cruel nails
Pluck out his poor old eyes; nor thy fierce sister
In his anointed flesh stick boarish fangs.
The sea, with such a storm as his bare head
In hell-black night endured, would have buoy'd up,
And quench'd the stelled fires:
Yet, poor old heart, he holp the heavens to rain.
If wolves had at thy gate howl'd that stern time,
Thou shouldst have said 'Good porter, turn the key,'
All cruels else subscribed: but I shall see
The winged vengeance overtake such children.
Pluck out his poor old eyes; nor thy fierce sister
In his anointed flesh stick boarish fangs.
The sea, with such a storm as his bare head
In hell-black night endured, would have buoy'd up,
And quench'd the stelled fires:
Yet, poor old heart, he holp the heavens to rain.
If wolves had at thy gate howl'd that stern time,
Thou shouldst have said 'Good porter, turn the key,'
All cruels else subscribed: but I shall see
The winged vengeance overtake such children.
Cornwall ♂
See't shalt thou never. Fellows, hold the chair.
Upon these eyes of thine I'll set my foot.
Upon these eyes of thine I'll set my foot.
Gloucester ♂
He that will think to live till he be old,
Give me some help! O cruel! O you gods!
Give me some help! O cruel! O you gods!
Regan ♀
One side will mock another; the other too.
Cornwall ♂
If you see vengeance,–
First Servant ♂
Hold your hand, my lord:
I have served you ever since I was a child;
But better service have I never done you
Than now to bid you hold.
I have served you ever since I was a child;
But better service have I never done you
Than now to bid you hold.
Regan ♀
How now, you dog!
First Servant ♂
If you did wear a beard upon your chin,
I'd shake it on this quarrel. What do you mean?
I'd shake it on this quarrel. What do you mean?
Cornwall ♂
My villain!
First Servant ♂
Nay, then, come on, and take the chance of anger.
Regan ♀
Give me thy sword. A peasant stand up thus!
First Servant ♂
O, I am slain! My lord, you have one eye left
To see some mischief on him. O!
To see some mischief on him. O!
Cornwall ♂
Lest it see more, prevent it. Out, vile jelly!
Where is thy lustre now?
Where is thy lustre now?
Gloucester ♂
All dark and comfortless. Where's my son Edmund?
Edmund, enkindle all the sparks of nature,
To quit this horrid act.
Edmund, enkindle all the sparks of nature,
To quit this horrid act.
Regan ♀
Out, treacherous villain!
Thou call'st on him that hates thee: it was he
That made the overture of thy treasons to us;
Who is too good to pity thee.
Thou call'st on him that hates thee: it was he
That made the overture of thy treasons to us;
Who is too good to pity thee.
Gloucester ♂
O my follies! then Edgar was abused.
Kind gods, forgive me that, and prosper him!
Kind gods, forgive me that, and prosper him!
Regan ♀
Go thrust him out at gates, and let him smell
His way to Dover.
How is't, my lord? how look you?
His way to Dover.
How is't, my lord? how look you?
Cornwall ♂
I have received a hurt: follow me, lady.
Turn out that eyeless villain; throw this slave
Upon the dunghill. Regan, I bleed apace:
Untimely comes this hurt: give me your arm.
Turn out that eyeless villain; throw this slave
Upon the dunghill. Regan, I bleed apace:
Untimely comes this hurt: give me your arm.
Second Servant ♂
I'll never care what wickedness I do,
If this man come to good.
If this man come to good.
Third Servant ♂
If she live long,
And in the end meet the old course of death,
Women will all turn monsters.
And in the end meet the old course of death,
Women will all turn monsters.
Second Servant ♂
Let's follow the old earl, and get the Bedlam
To lead him where he would: his roguish madness
Allows itself to any thing.
To lead him where he would: his roguish madness
Allows itself to any thing.
Third Servant ♂
Go thou: I'll fetch some flax and whites of eggs
To apply to his bleeding face. Now, heaven help him!
To apply to his bleeding face. Now, heaven help him!
118 lines rendered verbatim from the dialogue corpus.
Who’s On Stage
Speaking characters in this scene
| Character | Lines | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Cornwall | 39 | 33.1% |
| Gloucester | 33 | 28.0% |
| Regan | 19 | 16.1% |
| First Servant | 9 | 7.6% |
| Oswald | 6 | 5.1% |
| Second Servant | 5 | 4.2% |
| Third Servant | 5 | 4.2% |
| Goneril | 2 | 1.7% |
Line distribution
The top speaker in this scene delivers 39 lines, while the scene’s average per speaker is about 15 lines.
Total speakers on stage
8 named characters speak in this scene.
Scene in Context
Position within Act 3
This is Scene 7 of 7 in Act 3 of King Lear.
Scene length vs. play average
At 118 lines, this scene is shorter than the King Lear average scene in King Lear (~135 lines).
Adjacent scenes
Previous: Act 3 Scene 6 · Next: Act 4 Scene 1
About Act 3 Scene 7 of King Lear
Who carries Act 3 Scene 7 of King Lear?
Cornwall, with 39 lines — about 33% of the scene.
Is the scene a dialogue or a solo?
With 8 speakers and the lead holding 33% of the lines, this scene is a balanced multi-voice exchange.