电子课文Unit2KingLearPart1

1、Unit 2 King LearPre-readingThe play that you are going to read in this unit is based on William Shakespeare's KingLear, but it has been shortened and simplified. The language has been modernized and itis no longer written as poetry.Glance quickly through Part 1 of the play and answer the followi

2、ng questions.1 List the characters who appear in this part of the play.2 Which of the characters do you think are shown in the picture on the right?3 Use the pictures that illustrate Part 1 of the play to predict what is going to happen.4 Now look at the words below. Make sure you understand the mea

3、ning of each one. Usea dictionary if necessary.devotionhonourloyaltybridegroomcontradictopposefriction5 The words in the box above all appear in Part 1 of the play. Discuss with a partner whatyou think the play that contains these words will be about. Then check your prediction asyou read.ReadingKIN

4、G LEARPart 1Theking'sthroneroom.EnterKingLear;theking'sdaughters:Goneril,ReganandCordelia; the Dukes of Albany and Cornwall, Goneril's and Regan's husbands; and theDuke of Kent, a loyal friend of the king.LEAR : My dear daughters, I am growing old and tired. Theburdenof government si

5、tsheavily onmyshoulders.I havedecided to retireand handovertheheavy load ofresponsibilitytoyou three.See,here is a map of my kingdomwithallthe boundariesdrawn on it. I have divided the kingdom into three parts, and allocated one part to each of you. Now tell me, my dears, which of you loves me the m

6、ost? For whichever of you has for me the most devotion I will give to her the best part of everything I own. Goneril, what doyou say?GONERIL : Sir, I do not have the words to express the depth of my devotion. I love youmore than all the riches in the world, more than my freedom, more even than my ow

7、n eyesight. In fact, I love you more than life itself.LEAR : (showinghis daughterthe map)My darlinggirl. You and your husbandAlbanyshall have this part of my kingdom with all its rivers and forests and mountains. And your children shall own it after you. Now Regan, it is your turn. What have you got

8、 to say to me?REGAN : In expressing her love for you, my sister has also expressed mine. Yet I love youeven more than words can say. I adore you more than anything else in the whole world.My greatest happiness is in loving you.LEAR : To you and your husband Cornwall and to your future children, I gi

9、ve this part ofmy kingdom (showing them on the map). This part is equal in value to what I give to Goneril. Now my darling, my favourite, my Cordelia. What have you to say to delight an old man and earn the best part of his kingdom?CORDELIA : Nothing, my father.LEAR : Nothing?CORDELIA : Nothing.LEAR

10、 : You'll get nothing for nothing. I pray you, speak.CORDELIA : I'm sorry but I'm not as clever as my sisters. I cannot describe my feelings with such fancy words. I love you as it is right and proper for a daughter to love her father,neither less nor more.LEAR : Try harder, Cordelia, or

11、 you may lose your share of the kingdom.CORDELIA : My dear father, you brought me into this world, you cared for me and loved me. In return I love, honour and obey you. I do not understand why my sisters spoke as they did. If they do indeed love you that much, then I don't understand why they ev

12、er gotmarried. You see, when I marry, it will be my duty to give half my love to my husband.LEAR : You truly mean what you say?CORDELIA : Yes, Your Majesty.LEAR : So young and so hard-hearted.CORDELIA : So young and so truthful, my Lord.LEAR : Well, then. Let truth be your reward. You are no longer

13、my daughter but a strangerto my heart.KENT : But sir.LEAR: Be quiet, Kent. Do not come between me and my anger. She was my favourite daughter. With her I hoped to spend my old age. But that is never going to happen now. You, servant! Go and find the King of France and the Duke of Burgundy. We'll

14、 see if eitherwants to be a bridegroom when she has no riches to bring to the marriage. Goneril, Regan, I shall distribute my kingdom between the two of you. I shall take nothing for myself except a troop of one hundred of my most loyal soldiers to care for and protect me. And as I haveno third-born

15、 daughter, I will spend my days with you two-a month with one and then a month with the other.KENT : But sir, I beg you.LEAR : Do not contradict me. It is done.KENT : But sir, please hear me out. I speak on behalf of Cordelia. I have served you for many years and you know that I have always honoured

16、 you as my king and loved you as afather, but I believe you are being influenced by false flattery. Cordelia's devotion to Your Majesty is beyond question.LEAR : Kent, if you value your life, say no more.KENT : I have to speak out, my Lord. I would rather lose my life than see you make such a mistake. You do wrong to cause friction between yourself and your daughter. I fore