Monologue

Lear Monologue from King Lear

From King Lear by William Shakespeare

male · anguished · 1:02 min

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Prythee go in thyself; seek thine own ease: This tempest will not give me leave to ponder On things would hurt me more. But I’ll go in. (To the Fool.) In, boy; go first. You houseless poverty, Nay, get thee in. I’ll pray, and then I’ll sleep. (Fool goes in.) Poor naked wretches, wheresoe’er you are, That bide the pelting of this pitiless storm, How shall your houseless heads and unfed sides, Your loop’d and window’d raggedness, defend you From seasons such as these? O, I have ta’en Too little care of this! Take physic, pomp; Expose thyself to feel what wretches feel, That thou mayst shake the superflux to them And show the heavens more just.

About this piece

Lear is caught in a violent storm, reflecting on his neglect of the poor and the suffering of those without shelter, showcasing his growing awareness of the consequences of his actions.

60 and up · sadness · poverty · suffering · justice · responsibility

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