Lear’s Descent into Madness
Act I, Scene V
“O, let me not be mad, not mad, sweet heaven
Keep me in temper: I would not be mad!”
In this scene, Lear prepares to leave for Regan’s castle. Meanwhile, an intense exchange between Lear and the Fool reflects the former’s growing instability. As the Fool provokes Lear for his ill-judged, poor decision-making, Lear begins to show the emotional strain as he begs the heavens to intervene and rescue him from what he considers to be a monstrous injustice:
Fool: “If thou wert my fool, nuncle, I’ld have thee beaten
for being old before thy time.”
KING LEAR: “How’s that?”
Fool: “Thou shouldst not have been old till thou hadst
been wise.”
KING LEAR: “O, let me not be mad, not mad, sweet heaven
Keep me in temper: I would not be mad!”
END OF ACT I
