how sharper than a serpent's tooth who said it

The line “How sharper than a serpent’s tooth” was said by King Lear in William Shakespeare’s tragedy King Lear.

Who said the quote?

• The full line is: “How sharper than a serpent’s tooth it is to have a thankless child.”

• The speaker is the character King Lear, addressing the pain of his daughters’ ingratitude after he has divided his kingdom between them.

Where does it come from?

• The quote is from King Lear , one of Shakespeare’s major tragedies, first performed in the early 1600s.

• It appears in Act 1, as Lear realizes how cruel and ungrateful his daughter Goneril is after he has already given away much of his power.

What does it mean?

• “Sharper than a serpent’s tooth” compares the emotional pain of a child’s ingratitude to the sudden, piercing bite of a serpent.

• “To have a thankless child” sums up Lear’s sense of betrayal: he has loved and provided for his children, only to be met with disrespect and selfishness.

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