MERELY ‘FIRST SERVANT’

HIS WHOLE PART … THE PART BEST TO HAVE ACTED

A dramatization of C.S. Lewis’ comments regarding
Act III, scene vii of Shakespeare’s King Lear

as conceived by Craig R. Tavani, someMimics Theatre in Community

DRAMATIS PERSONAE:
PERSON 1/Cornwall

PERSON 2/Regan

PERSON 3/Gloucester

PERSON 4/1st Servant

NOTE: Act V, Scene vii of KING LEAR has been adapted so that four actors may play the parts of Cornwall, Regan, Gloucester, and 1st Servant. The prologue and epilogue have been adapted from an essay of C.S. Lewis entitled “The World’s Last Night.” The idea was provoked while reading a discussion of Lewis’ essay in Gilbert Meilaender’s book, The Taste for the Other: The Social and Ethical Thought of C.S. Lewis (p224).

The stage is set with two chairs, Ca and Cb, UC, and a trunk of costumes UR. Actors, dressed in black, enter from UL. During the course of the PROLOGUE, each actor dons pieces of clothing suggestive of the Rennaisance. Actors maintain a neutral persona for both the prologue and epilogue.

PROLOGUE
A) NOT EVEN A NAME

PERSON 1:

In his essay, “The World’s Last Night,”
C.S. Lewis wrote of a man in Act III, scene vii of King Lear
[x UR to trunk; begin to distribute pieces of costumes to others]
PERSON 2:

A man who is such a minor character
that Shakespeare has not given him even a name: [x UR, then return]
PERSON 3:

he is merely ‘First Servant.’ [x UR, then return]
PERSON 4:

All the characters around him
– Regan, Cornwall, and Gloucester –
have fine long-term plans. [x UR, then return]

B) THE PRESENT SCENE

PERSON 1:

They think they know how the story is going to end,
and they are quite wrong. [don costume, x to sit Cb]
PERSON 2:

The servant has no such delusions. [don costume, x to sit Ca]
PERSON 3:

He has no notion how the play is going to go. [don costume, exit UR]
PERSON 4:

But he understands the present scene. [don costume, exit UR]

SCENE
A) SET-UP
(1) GO SEEK THE TRAITOR

Cornwall:

[to servant] Go seek the traitor Gloucester, pinion him like a thief, bring him before us. [Exit servant]

(2) DO COURT’SY TO OUR WRATH

[to Regan] Though well we may not pass upon his life without the form of justice,
yet our power shall do a court’sy to our wrath, which men may blame, but not control.

B) CONFRONTATION

[Enter Gloucester, brought in by servant.]
Cornwall:

Who’s there, the traitor?
Regan:

Ingrateful fox, ‘tis he.
Cornwall:

Bind fast his corky arms.
Gloucester:

What means your Graces? Good my friends, consider you are my guests. Do me no foul play, friends.

C) BINDING
(1) STANDING

Cornwall:

Bind him I say.
[Servant binds him.]
Regan:

Hard, hard! [directing servant to tighten binding]
Filthy traitor.
Gloucester:

Unmerciful lady as you are, I’m none.

(2) SITTING

Cornwall:

To this chair bind him. Villain, thou shalt find –

D) INSULT
(1) PLUCK BEARD

[Regan plucks Gloucester’s beard.]
Gloucester:

By the kind gods, ‘tis mostly ignobly done to pluck me by the beard.
Regan:

So white, and such a traitor?

(2) RESPONDING ADMONISHMENT

Gloucester:

Naughty lady, these hairs which thou dost ravish from my chin will quicken and accuse thee.
I am your host. With robber’s hands my hospitable favors you should not ruffle thus.
[Cornwall approaches with menace] What will you do?

E) INTERROGATION
(1) ACCUSE/INQUIRE

Cornwall:

Come, sir, what letters have you late from France?
Regan:

Be simple-answered, for we know the truth.
Cornwall:

And what confederacy have you with the traitors late footed in the kingdom?
Regan:

To whose hands you have sent the lunatic King:
Speak.
Gloucester:

I have a letter guessingly set down, which came from one that’s of a neutral heart, and not from one opposed.
Cornwall:

Cunning.
Regan:

And false.
Cornwall:

Where hast thou sent the King?
Gloucester:

To Dover.
Regan:

Wherefore to Dover? Wast thou not charged at peril –

(2) REQUESTION/ REPRIMAND

Cornwall:

Wherefore to Dover? Let him answer that.
Gloucester:

I am tied to th’ stake, and I must stand the course.
Regan:

Wherefore to Dover?
Gloucester:

Because I would not see thy cruel nails pluck out his poor old eyes; nor thy fierce sister in his anointed flesh rash boarish fangs. All cruels else subscribe. But I shall see the winged vengeance overtake such children. [lunging at Regan, tips over chair]

F) ATTEMPTED INTERVENTION TO HALT BLINDING
(1) INITIATE ABOMINABLE ACT

Cornwall:

See’t shalt thou never. Fellow, hold the chair. [servant sets chair aright; Cornwall advances]
Upon these eyes of thine I’ll set my foot.
Gloucester:

He that will think to live till he be old, give me some help. [Cornwall uses dagger on Gloucester’s first eye] – O cruel! O you gods!
Regan:

One side will mock another. Th’ other too.
Cornwall:

If you see vengeance –

(2) SERVANT INTERVENES
a. Bid to hold
i. confront Cornwall

1st Servant:

Hold your hand, my lord! I have served you ever since I was a child; But better service have I never done you than now to bid you hold.

ii. attend to Regan’s distraction

Regan:

How now, you dog?
1st Servant:

If you did wear a beard upon your chin, I’d shake it on this quarrel.

(b) Fight Cornwall

1st Servant:

What do you mean!
Cornwall:

My villain! [Draw and fight.]
1st Servant:

Nay, then, come on, and take the chance of anger.

(c) ignore Regan’s movements/ focus on fighting Cornwall

Regan:

Give me thy sword. A peasant stand up thus?
[She takes a sword and runs at him behind, kills him.]

(d) slain by Regan

1st Servant: O, I am slain! my lord, you have one eye left to see some mischief on him. O!

(3) BLINDING COMPLETED

Cornwall:

Lest it see more, prevent it. Out, vile jelly.

G) ENDING
(1) GLOATING

Cornwall: Where is thy luster now?

(1) DESPAIR

Gloucester: All dark and comfortless. [All become neutral.]

EPILOGUE
A) Psalm 141:4

PERSON 1:

As the psalmist put it,

“Let not my heart be drawn to what is evil,
to take part in wicked deeds with those who are evildoers.”

B) HE WILL NOT STAND FOR ABOMINATION TAKING PLACE

PERSON 2:

The servant sees an abomination taking place - the blinding of Old Gloucester.
PERSON 3:

He will not stand for it.
PERSON 4:

His sword is out and pointed at his master’s breast in a moment.

C) HIS WHOLE PART … THE PART BEST TO HAVE ACTED

PERSON 1:

Then Regan stabs him from behind.
PERSON 2:

This is his whole part: eight lines all told.
PERSON 3:

But if it were real life and not a play,
PERSON 4:

that is the part it would be best to have acted.

[Exuent]