Act 1, Sc.1:

'Gloucester: ...there was good sport at his making.'

Shows how Gloucester humiliates Edmund with his illegitemacy. Edmund is the butt of Gloucester's joke.

Gives Edmund a potential motive for his actions.

Act 1, Sc.1:

'Lear:...tis our fast intent To shake all cares and business fr0m our age, Conferring them on younger strengths, while we Unburthened crawl towards death.'

Lear's reasoning behind his abdication. 

He uses the Royal 'we', referring to himself as a plural as if it were on behalf of the court.

He makes himself appear childlike- 'crawl' conjures the image of a baby. 

He ultimately wants to be carefree and without responsibility.

The language-'from our age'/ 'younger strengths'- highlights age as a disadvantage, and that the elderly are of no use to anyone. Lear is therefore 'incabable' of ruling a Kingdom, and using the Royal 'we' along with the indication of age as a flaw, he makes it seem that his abdication is for the benefit of others when, from an audience perspective, it's clearly not.

Act 1, Sc.1:

'Lear: Which of you shall we say doth love us most?'

The 'love test' asks of his daughters.

Lear already knows which of his daughters loves him most, it's just to massage his ego in front of an important audience (the Royal 'We').

Attempting to make this personal issue the business of the entire court.

The act of declaring love for their father will not help any of the daughters as Lear has evidently already divided up his kingdom. The only benefit will be to Lear's own pride.

Act 1, Sc.1:

'Goneril:... Dearer than eyesight, space and liberty... A love that makes breath poor and speech unable; Beyond all manner of so much I love you.'

Goneril's speech in response to Lear's 'love test'.

Goneril claims she'd rather be blind and imprisoned than sacrifice the love she has for her father. 

She uses the typically feminine trait of 'breathlessness' in order to win her father's favor, highlighting the lack of female influence in the play and the fact that Lear can be duped by the concept femininity, to which he is naive.

Her evident falsity in her speech is an omen to Lear's expectation that she will care for him.

Act 1, Sc.1:

'Regan: I find she names my very deed of love; Only she comes too short:... I profess myself an enemy to all other joys...your dear highness' love.'

Regan's response to the 'love test', after having heard Goneril's own speech.

This lays the foundations for the rivalry between the sisters later in the play, as Regan is attempting to 'out-flatter' her sister.

Regan's flattery includes Lear's title- 'your highness'- and implies that Lear will still possess the same title once he has given Regan her share of the kingdom. However the unlikelyhood that Regan genuinely finds no other pleasure in life than loving her old, vain father suggests that, as with Goneril, she will not take care of Lear once he has parted with that which she desires.

Act 1, Sc.1:

'Lear: ...what can you say to draw a third more opulent from your sisters?'

Lear encouraging Cordelia's response to the 'love test'.

The very idea that there is a 'more opulent' third available to Cordelia suggests that Lear favors her out of all this daughters, and therefore he is most eager for her response.

Their declarations of love are for Lear's pride, and will not affect their share of the kingdom.

He is encouraging rivalry between his daughters, and attempting to make the 'fight for his love' the centre of said rivalry.

Act 1, Sc.1:

'Cordelia: Nothing, my lord.

Lear: Nothing?

Cordelia: Nothing.

Lear: Nothing will come of nothing: speak again.'

Cordelia's response to the 'love test'.

The all important 'nothing: in this case, it means everything.

Cordelia knows that nothing she says will give her 'more opulent' part of the kingdom just on its own.

Cordelia refuses to play her father's game. It is evident that she is the only true character so far as she doesn't withdraw her response when Lear questions it-'nothing?' 'nothing.'

Lear is disappointed the lack of the long-anticipated declaration of love from his favourite daughter.

Act 1, Sc.1:

'Cordelia: Unhappy that I am, I cannot heave My heart into my mouth: I love your Majesty According to my bond: no more no less.'

Cordelia refusing to play her father's game.

Her response is just and true, loving her father no more or less than she should, contrasting with the gilded responses from her duplicitous sisters.

She expresses that love cannot be truly shown through words, and that Lear has ignored what their bond really is.

Lear has already divided his kingdom and and given her the most 'opulent' third, so clearly knows that her love is truer than her sisters'.

Act 1, Sc.1:

'Lear: How, how, Cordelia! Mend your speech a little, Lest you may mar your fortunes.'

Lear cannot believe Cordelia's response.

This line serves as a warning to her, just as Lear cautions the Fool later for unrelentlessly telling his 'Nuncle' the truth, which Lear doesn't want to hear.

Every character now knows that the fortunes in question (Cordelia's third of the kingdom) will not be directly affected by the same gilded flattery as was given by Goneril and Regan.

No one can anticipate what other fortune the favourite daughter could possibly mar, making Lear's punishment all the more shocking.

Act 1, Sc.1:

'Cordelia: You have begot me, bred me, loved me: I return those duties as right fit...Why have my sisters husbands, if they say they love you all?... Sure I shall never marry like my sisters, To love my father all.'

Cordelia says here that she does love him, and as much as Lear loves her. This would make a resonable man (and father) realise again just how much he loves his daughter, but Lear is foolish from the word go.

It is implied that Cordelia despises her sisters and the ridiculousness of Lear expecting complete love from married women. It also exposes Goneril and Regan's tactics to win optimum shares from Lear, though Lear himself cannot see this through his blinding rage.

Act 1, Sc.1:

'Lear: So young, and so untender?

Cordelia: So young, my lord, and true.'

Lear now attempts to use youth as a flaw in Cordelia. Cordelia agrees with her youth, but disregards her age as irrelevant to what Lear accuses her of.

Cordelia herself describes herself as 'true', or honest. The audience is therefore more inclined to believe her, unlike Lear who beforehand described himself as a 'crawl[ing]' baby and has now flown into a rather not 'baby-like' rage.

Act 1, Sc.1:

'Lear:...Here I disclaim all my paternal care, Propinquity and property of blood, And as a stranger to my heart and me Hold thee from this for ever...'

Lear disowns Cordelia.

This highlights the danger between rage and power, as this is a completely rash action from Lear.

His anger has clouded his love, and implies that his pride is greater than any affection he may possess.