Abby Sage Richardson

Name: Stories from Old English Poetry — The Story of King Lear and his Three Daughters
Author: Abby Sage Richardson

Stories from Old English Poetry… (1899)

Summary

“Stories from Old English Poetry — The Story of King Lear and his Three Daughters”, published in 1899, is a work by Abby Sage Richardson. It explores elements such as Lear, Regan and Cordelia.

Quotes from Stories from Old English Poetry… (Abby Sage Richardson)

Abby Sage Richardson, Stories from Old English Poetry… (1899)

“ Lear had three children, all of them daughters, and all very beautiful. The eldest was named Goneril; the second, Regan; and the youngest, Cordelia. Goneril and Regan were proud and haughty beauties. They trod the halls of their father’s palace as if they were already queens. When any story of suffering or complaint of wrong arose from the people, they always took the part of the oppressor, Their radiant black eyes glistened with hatred or sparkled with anger, but they never softened with pity or tenderness. ”

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Source: Wikisource

Abby Sage Richardson, Stories from Old English Poetry… (1899)

“ When Lear thus fled from the luxurious palace-hall in which he had held this last meeting with his daughters, it was beginning to grow dark, and a terrible storm was coming on. Already they heard the loud roll of thunder and saw the sharp flashes of lightning. But though some nobles in Regan’s court, more tender hearted than these stony women, pleaded for the king, and besought them not to let him go out into a night when even beasts ought to be sheltered, they alone were pitiless. They helped to drive their poor old father forth, and locked after him their heavy castle gates. ”

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Source: Wikisource

Abby Sage Richardson, Stories from Old English Poetry… (1899)

“ Cordelia then told him simply that she loved him as she ought to love a father who had bred and reared her; that she should always honor and obey him above all others; but if she had a husband, she should think it her duty to give him half her love and care, and not, like her sisters, give her father all.
On this Lear went into one of his terrible fits of rage. He was so sorely disappointed at Cordelia’s answer that he could not wait to let his reason see how wise it was. He stamped and raved, and without delay divided the large portion he had reserved for Cordelia between her sisters. ”

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Source: Wikisource

Abby Sage Richardson, Stories from Old English Poetry… (1899)

“ Surely Nature could not produce another monster such as she. When she answered this with more bitter insults, he cursed her with a curse so terrible, that one can hardly imagine how she could have heard it and not fallen on her knees and called on God for mercy.
Lear then left her castle gates with all his train, and set out for Regan’s palace. Just before this happened, the Earl of Kent, whom Lear had banished, fearing his old master would need some trusty friend, had returned in disguise to Britain. ”

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Source: Wikisource

Abby Sage Richardson, Stories from Old English Poetry… (1899)

“ This wicked woman, the moment Lear left her palace, sent a messenger post-haste to Regan, counseling her to oppose all Lear’s wishes, and deprive him of all state, lest with his hundred men he should prove dangerous to their power. The Duke of Albany, who was a kind-hearted man, but incapable of controlling so bad a wife, tried in vain to soften her heart. ”

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Source: Wikisource

Abby Sage Richardson, Stories from Old English Poetry… (1899)

“ Thus these three sisters lived in the court until Lear became an old, old man. Then he began to imagine he was weary of all the trouble of his state affairs, and resolved he would divide his kingdom into three parts, and give to each of his daughters an equal portion of his realm to govern. For,this purpose he assembled one day all the principal officers of his kingdom, all his priests and nobles, and‘ sitting in the midst of them in grand state upon his throne, overhung by canopies of brilliant cloth, he sent for his three daughters to appear before him. ”

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Source: Wikisource

Abby Sage Richardson, Stories from Old English Poetry… (1899)

“ When he tried to reply, his tears almost stopped him. Goneril stood gazing unmoved on her aged father’s wounded feeling, and at length he told her that he would leave her inhospitable roof, for he had yet another daughter who would not treat him thus. ”

Abby Sage Richardson

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Quotes from Stories from Old English Poetry… (Abby Sage Richardson)

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