From Maurice Baring’s 1910 collection Dead Letters, which anticipated Texts From Jane Eyre, “Letter from Goneril”: “We have been having the most trying time lately with Papa, and it ended to-day in one of those scenes which are so painful to people like you and me, who hate scenes.”
Previously in this series: Lear’s Daughters in Art.
imagine whiffing a setup as easy as “tell your Dad you love him and in exchange receive a third of England”
KENT
who do you think stands higher in the king’s favor, Cornwall or Albany? he’s so hard to read…
GLOUCESTER
[Shouting] I NEVER MARRIED EDMUND’S MOTHER BUT HE’S PERFECTLY ALL RIGHT DESPITE THE IRREGULARITIES. SHE BOUGHT HIM A CRIB AT THE TIME AND SENT HIM TO SCHOOL AT THE USUAL AGE
SAY HELLO TO KENT, BOY
EDMUND
Hello
KENT
Hello
GLOUCESTER
See what I mean? There’s hardly anything wrong with him
LEAR
I AM GIVE-GIVE-GIVING THIS KINGDOM AWAY!!!
RETIRING AFTER TWENTY WONDERFUL YEARS! THANKS TO THE NEIGHBORHOOD, THANKS TO THE PEERS
ALL MERCHANDISE MUST GO TONIGHT!
DISCOUNTS DEEP CLEARANCE STEEP ENGLAND CHEAP!
BUT FIRST: WHO LOVES PAPA BEST?
REMEMBER, LOOSE LIPS RAKE IN CHIPS
GONERIL
I think that Papa is the biggest and most wonderful bicycle
REGAN
I think Papa is like two splendid bicycles, only more so.
