the mad king
LEAR.
She came like the rest! And she'll listen like the rest! I didn't go out of my way to make trouble. But I will not be quiet when people come here. And if you stop them--that would be easy!--they'll know I'm here or was here once! I've suffered so much, I made all the mistakes in the world and I pay for each of them. I cannot be forgiven. I am in their minds. To kill me you must kill them all. Yes, that's who I am. Listen, Cordelia. You have two enemies, lies and truth. You sacrifice truth to destroy lies, and you sacrifice life to destroy death. It isn't sane. You squeeze a stone till your hand bleeds and call that a miracle. I'm old, but I'm as weak and clumsy as a child, too heavy for my legs. But I've learned this, and you must learn it or you'll die. Listen, Cordelia. If a god has made the wold, might would always be right, that would be so wise, we'd be spared so much suffering. But we made the world--out of our smallness and weakness. Our lives are awkward and fragile and we have only one thing to keep us sane: pity, and the man without pity is mad.
The GHOST starts to cry as CORDELIA speaks.
CORDELIA
You only understand self-pity. We must go back, the government's waiting. There are things you haven't been told. We have other opponents, more ruthless than you. In this situation a good government acts strongly. I knew you wouldn't co-operate, but I wanted to come and tell you this before we put you on trial: we'll make the society you only dream of.
LEAR
It's strange that you should have me killed, Cordelia, but it's obvious you would. How simple! Your law always does more harm than crime, and your morality is a form of violence.
CORDELIA (to CARPENTER)
The sooner it's finished now the better. Call a cabinet in the morning.
GHOST
Why didn't you tell her I was here? She wanted to talk about me. She couldn't forget about me. I made love to her in that house night after night, and on this grass. Look at me now! I've turned into this--I can't even touch her!
LEAR
Where are you going?
GHOST
I can watch her go.
Edward Bond, "Lear"
She came like the rest! And she'll listen like the rest! I didn't go out of my way to make trouble. But I will not be quiet when people come here. And if you stop them--that would be easy!--they'll know I'm here or was here once! I've suffered so much, I made all the mistakes in the world and I pay for each of them. I cannot be forgiven. I am in their minds. To kill me you must kill them all. Yes, that's who I am. Listen, Cordelia. You have two enemies, lies and truth. You sacrifice truth to destroy lies, and you sacrifice life to destroy death. It isn't sane. You squeeze a stone till your hand bleeds and call that a miracle. I'm old, but I'm as weak and clumsy as a child, too heavy for my legs. But I've learned this, and you must learn it or you'll die. Listen, Cordelia. If a god has made the wold, might would always be right, that would be so wise, we'd be spared so much suffering. But we made the world--out of our smallness and weakness. Our lives are awkward and fragile and we have only one thing to keep us sane: pity, and the man without pity is mad.
The GHOST starts to cry as CORDELIA speaks.
CORDELIA
You only understand self-pity. We must go back, the government's waiting. There are things you haven't been told. We have other opponents, more ruthless than you. In this situation a good government acts strongly. I knew you wouldn't co-operate, but I wanted to come and tell you this before we put you on trial: we'll make the society you only dream of.
LEAR
It's strange that you should have me killed, Cordelia, but it's obvious you would. How simple! Your law always does more harm than crime, and your morality is a form of violence.
CORDELIA (to CARPENTER)
The sooner it's finished now the better. Call a cabinet in the morning.
GHOST
Why didn't you tell her I was here? She wanted to talk about me. She couldn't forget about me. I made love to her in that house night after night, and on this grass. Look at me now! I've turned into this--I can't even touch her!
LEAR
Where are you going?
GHOST
I can watch her go.
Edward Bond, "Lear"
posted by mh at 9:33 PM
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