Act 3 Scene 7 (69- 80)
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 buoyed up,
And quenched the stelled fires.
Yet, poor old heart, he holp the heavens to rain.
If wolves had at thy gate howled that stern time,
Thou shouldst have said “Good porter, turn the key,
All cruels else subscribe.” But I shall see
The winged vengeance overtake such children.
This quote is really cool because of the cacophony. Gloucester really stands his ground here and the quote is so beautifully constructed with vivid imagery.
This is a great selection! I completely agree that the intense imagery and language used here make it really stand out. The words such as "cruel," "pluck," and "quenched" give the passage a harsh tone that add to the overall feel of anger.
ReplyDeleteAlina, I like that you used the word "intense" to describe the imagery, it is very fitting. I picked up on the words "hell-black," "fierce," and "vengeance." I believe these words accurately describe Gloucester's feelings and emotions in order to convey a sense of darkness in the mood. They paint a picture of a disappointed and angry Gloucester who is standing up for the fact that he is being wrongly treated. I especially liked the dark imagery of the sea turning into a storm that would but out the light of the heavens. This is another example of storms and their significance in Lear as here the storm is a symbol of angry power.
ReplyDeleteI actually think the dark imagery and storm with words like “hell-black” portray some short-term foreshadowing of his soon-to-be plucked out eyes. Gloucester used to be mentally blind and then becomes physically blind, and the similarities between darkness and blindness both represent an absence of light, or an inability to see. As a result, it transitions nicely between the two. Such well-constructed language that is both beautiful and meaningful only serves to heighten Shakespeare’s inventiveness.
ReplyDeleteI completly agree with Alina's idea that the actions that are described really bring out the emotion in this passage. Boarish and winged vengence really show how edmund and the daughters are really evil.
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