Today’s Totally Random
Lines
For you, great king,
I
would not from your love make such a stray,
To
match you where I hate; therefore beseech you
T’avert
your liking a more worthier way
Than
on a wretch whom nature is ashamed
Almost
t’acknowledge hers.
Lear
King Lear Act I, Scene i, Line 210
Lear is telling
the King of France, who had been one of the guys vying for the hand of Lear’s
daughter Cordelia, to forget about her. Lear has just disowned Cordelia for not
being effusive enough about her love for him. Now he’s telling the king to pick
someone worthier to be his wife, rather than this wretch whom nature is ashamed
almost to acknowledge hers.
See, now this
is the part I’ve always had a little bit of trouble with in this play. Cordelia
was honest with her father when he asked her how much she loved him. After her
two rat-fink older sisters told Lear that they loved him above everything, he
asked Cordelia what she could say that was more opulent than her sisters.
Her reply, as we all know was Nothing.
I love
your majesty according to my bond; nor more nor less.
She goes on
You have begot
me, bred me, loved me: I
Return
those duties back as are right fit,
Obey you,
love you, and most honour you.
Why have
my sisters husbands, if they say
They love
you all? Haply, when I shall wed,
That lord
whose hand must take my plight shall carry
Half my
love with him, half my care and duty:
Sure, I
shall never marry like my sisters,
To love
my father all.
And based on this
very reasonable reply the old guy goes full psycho on her. Yeah, I don’t get that. But I
suppose that’s just me.
Now here's a perfect example: I would never expect Mojo to love me all.
Heck, when the dishwasher is open he doesn't even know I exist!