Hear me, recreant! (1.1.170-175)

KING LEAR

Hear me, recreant! On thine allegiance, hear me! Since thou hast sought to make us break our vow, Which we durst never yet, and with strain'd pride To come between our sentence and our power, Which nor our nature nor our place can bear, Our potency made good, take thy reward.

Lear orders Kent to listen - insulting him in the process by calling him, not by his name but as a recreant. This name is ironic coming from Lear as a recreant is one who abandons their beliefs in something or someone - Lear being an example of someone who has abandoned faith. The repetition of “hear me” emphasises the phrase, stressing how Lear had been stripped of his royal authority in making this decision - because he is clearly using the first person pronoun “me”. The sharpness of the exclamation mark serves to heighten Lear’s anger. Lear continues - stating that Kent “hast sought to make us break our vow”. Here the majestic plural pronoun returns, Lear has regained some power from his short and uncontrolled state of before. He says that until now, he had not “durst” (dared) to make such a vow to his daughters. Yet Lear chooses to give his land away, and with “strain’d pride” no less. This “pride” intervenes with both his “sentence“ and “power” (both of which are emphasised by the repetition of “our” following each). A similar repetition is found on the next line with “nor our” - which builds up to “nature” and “place”. “Place” seems to be important to Lear, should he not have a position of power, he becomes argumentative and insecure. Lear also acknowledges his own “nature”, linking him deep down to Kent and Cordelia. He next says that his “potency” has “made good”. When in reality the power to decide has led only to evil. Kent said previously “thou dost evil” in making this decision. Lear directly contradicts that here saying that he did good, showing his lack of understanding of the situation as well as a certain hubris. He uses the imperative “take” to tell Kent to receive his “reward” - which despite positive connotations, is entirely negative. Kent’s reward is the self-same one Cordelia has: banishment.