Editing Lear: A Selfish Man or a Foolish King?

        The differences between the Quarto and Folio editions of Shakespeare’s King Learbecome apparent in the first few of Lear’s lines. Line 38 of the Folio, in which Lear explains that it is his intent “to shake all cares and business from our age,” contrasts greatly with that of the Quarto, in which Lear hopes “to shake all cares and business of our state.” In both variants, the line is the first in which Lear explains his abdication. The distinctions between the two versions change the reader’s interpretation of Lear’s motivation and character—the Lear of the Folio has already given up his power and is now acting selfishly, whereas the Lear of the Quarto is still conducting himself as King, with the good of the state as his concern. The Folio’s line fits better with my reading of the play. A Lear whose rash action is a result of his concern for himself, instead of one  who acts strangely only because he is perturbed by his abrupt loss of power, accords better with his actions later in the play.

         From the first word in which the two versions differ, “from” in the Folio and “of” in the Quarto, the discrepancy between the texts is clear. The Lear of the Folio emphasizes his distance—he has already removed himself from the cares of state and is acting as an individual instead of as a King. Lear has resigned himself to less power, and thus his dependency on the benevolence of Cordelia and his other daughters is all the more vital for his happiness. His overreactions to Cordelia’s refusal to “play” in his contest become more understandable, since Lear is now wholly dependent upon his daughters. If one is to define from as “Denoting privation, separation, abstention, freedom, deliverance, etc. (from a state, condition, action, etc.)”  (OED 2nd ed., s.v. “from”, 4.6.b) the motivations behind Lear’s abdication become ever more selfish—he is divesting himself of cares of state that he may or may not have a right to give up.

        The second part in which the two versions differ, emphasizing the business of “state” in the Quarto and “age” in the Folio, mirrors the differences expressed in the first part of the phrase. Lear in the Folio may not be complaining about his age, but the fact that he references it to justify his abdication makes it known that it is a source of unpleasantness. Lear is already asking for pity—for license. He is acting in his own self interest, distancing himself from the state, even though he knows his abdication will bring it troubles. The definitions  of “age” offered by the Oxford English Dictionary ranged from those which explain that acting one’s age means “don't be childish” (OED, 2nd ed., s.v. “age”, I.1.d), to those which define age as “the latter part of life, when the physical effects of protracted existence become apparent” (OED, 2nd ed, s.v. “age,” I.6). Each definition implies that age brings about changes. The first one indicates that with age comes responsibility; the later enumerates the physical fragilities that accompany being aged. The age that the Lear of the Folio refers to is the later—he begs sympathy and thinks himself justified in his actions. However, since age also implies maturity, the lack of responsibility that Lear is taking for the state, despite his age and supposed wisdom, causes the reader to wonder if his actions are justified or not. Shaking things “From our age” implies that Lear is only age—he is no longer fit to govern, to act, because being old has become such a part of him that taking his power away from him is the same as taking away from his age. He and age are one and the same. Lear’s insistence that others see him as feeble so that they may pity, love, and care for him reinforces what was said in the earlier paragraph, that a Lear concerned with himself and his age is less prepared for Cordelia’s rejection. The Lear of the Folio prepares you for Lear’s overreaction, his feebleness, and his lack of ability to actually doing anything, the Lear of the Quarto is too put together—his downfall is too abrupt.