Flies to Wanton Boys

Cafe Society
1

Hi, everyone.

I sent this to Cecil too, but as I’m more likely to get a response this way, I’ll ask the board.

I saw King Lear tonight, and I recognised the line, “As flies to wanton boys are we to the gods; They kill us for their sport”, from another work of literature. It was quoted in the opening pages. I just can’t remember the book or author. I can’t even remember if it was a play or novel, although I think it was a novel.

Can you please reply if you’ve seen this elsewhere.

I’m aware of the connection to Lord of the Flies, but this was a direct quotation.

Thanks.
:smack:

2

Are you asking whether King Lear was quoting from Lord of the Flies? :confused:

3

No, I think the OP is recognising that King Lear has been quoted in some subsequent literary work, but can’t remember where.

Me too, BTW.

4

No. As has already been clarified, King Lear is quoted in the later, modern publication which I have forgotten.

The title of William Golding’s Book Lord of the Flies alludes to King Lear, according to Wikipedia, but I remember a book which directly quotes the full saying “As flies… for their sport” in its opening pages.

And I’m cursing my memory.

Thanks anyway.

5

Karl Popper: Critical Assessments of Leading Philosophers?

6

List of Quotes from Shakespeare in Brave New World.

Not in the opening pages though.

7

Since this concerns literature, I’m moving it to Cafe Society.

Colibri
General Questions Moderator

8

There is a fairy tale about a nasty little rich girl who pulls the wings off of flies. It is from a Grimm’s/Anderson’s fairy tale set I had as a kid. Here it is–The Girl Who Trod on a Loaf.

http://www.fairytalescollection.com/hans_christian_anderson/The_Girl_Who_Trod_on_the_Loaf.htm

It postdates Shakespeare but proably comes from an oral tradition.

9

Shakespeare has on occasion been quoted by many authors over the past few years.

10

Searching on Amazon (which does full-text searches for participating books) for that phrase brings up 125 books (though many of them are various Shakespeare editions or commentaries); among them are Tess of the d’Urbervilles (and the previously mentioned Brave New World). You could look through those for a start.

I know that’s not all of them, because it’s also in Contact (Sagan), in one of the chapter headings, but not near the beginning. I don’t know why the Amazon search doesn’t find that one.

11

There was the variant from Blackadder II: “As private parts to the gods are we: they play with us for their sport!”

12

Cite, please? An exhaustive list would most helpful.

:slight_smile:

13

Asimov originally wanted to title one of his sf short stories “King Lear, IV, i, line xx-xx” (the location of your quote), but his editor said “No way!” and just titled it “Flies”.