PG QUOTE ANALYSIS
5 Which of you shall we say doth love us most ‘We’ – royal term of address. KL doesn’t
ask WHO loves him most, he asks who
shall SAY they do.
7 Nothing will come of nothing KL to C. Implying that as long as she says
nothing to flatter him, she will receive
nothing from him.
13 Her price is fallen KL thinks that C is worthless after being
disowned by him – she isn’t entitled to
any land/money now. C’s portrayed as an
object. ‘Price’ – significant how KL said
this rather than value.
21 Why brand they us with ‘base’? with ‘baseness’? ‘bastardy’? Combination of sibilance/plosive shows
‘base, base’? that Edmond is v eruptive. This is the
source of his malcontent (primogeniture).
His behaviour here contrasts v heavily w/
his silence in A1S1.
21 Now gods, stand up for bastards! Edmond. Declaration/imperative tone. He
is thus asking for divine help to reverse
the man-made social order that treats
him unfairly.
41 That such a king should play bo-peep Bo-peep lost all her sheep, KL is losing
everything. The Fool implies that KL’s task
was childish.
41 I am a fool, thou art nothing. Fool is a combination of KL’s daughters.
He manipulates his words like G/R to
make KL believe what he wants, but he
cares for KL as much as C.
43 The hedge-sparrow fed the cuckoo so long that it’s had it Female cuckoo finds a nest and takes one
head bit off by it young. of the eggs and drops in her own. The
cuckoo hatches and eventually pushes
the other eggs out of the nest as it
demands for more food. The bird feeds it
but soon the cuckoo grows twice the size
and demands more food. The Fool’s
allegory implies that G/R take everything
from KL yet yearn more. This also
foreshadows their betrayal.
47 Into her womb convey sterility KL is asking Nature to emasculate G yet
then complains about it. Divine right – he
expects Nature to obey his wishes.
Misogynistic.
47 I am ashamed that thou hast power to shake my manhood KL to G. is KL ashamed of G or himself? G
thus is becoming more masculine as KL is
becoming emasculated. Honour is of a
bygone era. The whole play is about the
exploration of male anxiety.
53 Thou shouldst not have been old till thou hadst been wise. Fool to KL. The Fool is saying that KL has
become physically old before he has
mentally matured – this could possibly be
a factor for his madness/senility.
5 Which of you shall we say doth love us most ‘We’ – royal term of address. KL doesn’t
ask WHO loves him most, he asks who
shall SAY they do.
7 Nothing will come of nothing KL to C. Implying that as long as she says
nothing to flatter him, she will receive
nothing from him.
13 Her price is fallen KL thinks that C is worthless after being
disowned by him – she isn’t entitled to
any land/money now. C’s portrayed as an
object. ‘Price’ – significant how KL said
this rather than value.
21 Why brand they us with ‘base’? with ‘baseness’? ‘bastardy’? Combination of sibilance/plosive shows
‘base, base’? that Edmond is v eruptive. This is the
source of his malcontent (primogeniture).
His behaviour here contrasts v heavily w/
his silence in A1S1.
21 Now gods, stand up for bastards! Edmond. Declaration/imperative tone. He
is thus asking for divine help to reverse
the man-made social order that treats
him unfairly.
41 That such a king should play bo-peep Bo-peep lost all her sheep, KL is losing
everything. The Fool implies that KL’s task
was childish.
41 I am a fool, thou art nothing. Fool is a combination of KL’s daughters.
He manipulates his words like G/R to
make KL believe what he wants, but he
cares for KL as much as C.
43 The hedge-sparrow fed the cuckoo so long that it’s had it Female cuckoo finds a nest and takes one
head bit off by it young. of the eggs and drops in her own. The
cuckoo hatches and eventually pushes
the other eggs out of the nest as it
demands for more food. The bird feeds it
but soon the cuckoo grows twice the size
and demands more food. The Fool’s
allegory implies that G/R take everything
from KL yet yearn more. This also
foreshadows their betrayal.
47 Into her womb convey sterility KL is asking Nature to emasculate G yet
then complains about it. Divine right – he
expects Nature to obey his wishes.
Misogynistic.
47 I am ashamed that thou hast power to shake my manhood KL to G. is KL ashamed of G or himself? G
thus is becoming more masculine as KL is
becoming emasculated. Honour is of a
bygone era. The whole play is about the
exploration of male anxiety.
53 Thou shouldst not have been old till thou hadst been wise. Fool to KL. The Fool is saying that KL has
become physically old before he has
mentally matured – this could possibly be
a factor for his madness/senility.
