...“The family is a natural hierarchy, and the father possesses rightful authority. The violation of this order in King Lear leads to tyranny, cruelty and moral chaos In the light of the above comment, discuss Shakespeare’s presentation of family in King Lear? According to the 2011 census in the UK, the stereotypical image of a family being a mother, father with two children- often one boy, one girl- living in a semi-detached or detached house is fast “becoming a myth”. Today’s census is expected to affirm the fact that there is a larger proportion of families with single mothers or fathers, and adults still living in the house with their parents. This real-life exemplar degradation of the family ethos resonates within King Lear as Lear almost intentionally disrupts his family community through his power-play and expressions of favouritism, essentially cutting himself off from communication with his three daughters as they all develop spiteful distaste for his actions. The ‘rightful authority’ which Lear certainly possesses in the first instances of the play is ironically reversed as his three daughters adopt the power and authority he abandoned when he stepped down from his position as monarch. The violation of this order in King Lear does indeed lead to tyranny, cruelty and moral chaos as a bitter power struggle ensues. On the other hand, however, the family being a ‘natural hierarchy’ is questionable as- especially in a monarchical family- whoever is heir to the throne, or the...
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...Guide Sue Tweg King Lear William Shakespeare contents Character map Overview About the author Synopsis Character summaries iv 1 1 2 4 Background & context Genre, structure & language Scene-by-scene analysis Characters & relationships Themes, ideas & values Different interpretations Questions & answers Sample answer References & reading 6 10 14 24 39 55 59 64 66 iv I ns i g h t T e x t G u i d e ChARACTeR mAp Edgar Legitimate son of Gloucester, disguises himself as ‘Poor Tom’. Leads Gloucester to Dover, fights and kills Edmond, becomes king. Wise fools Companions in storm Kent Truth-teller. Disguises himself as ‘Caius’. Loyal, noble servant to Lear. Offends via discourtesy to Lear Match wits Defends, speaks boldly Defends and helps Teaches patience and saves father’s life Fool Truth-teller; endures the storm. Is possibly hanged. Teaches Lear compassion Cordelia Truth-teller. Youngest daughter, loves Lear and heals him. Loses battle and is hanged in prison. Loves Loves Offers kingdom to Edgar – accepted Gloucester Believes Edmond’s lies about Edgar. Saved from suicide by Edgar after Edmond has cause his blinding by betraying him to Cornwall. Needs Foolish old fathers meet in storm Blinds King Lear Divides his kingdom, rejects Cordelia, rejected by Gonerill and Regan. Goes mad, healed after storm by Cordelia. Dies after Cordelia is hanged. Fails to show Lear how to value Cordelia King of France Sees Cordelia’s...
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...William Shakespeare’s King Lear is one of his most famous and well-written tragedy play, and there are countless different interpretations of the play such as Lawrence Olivier, Ian Holm, and BBC’s. However Lawrence Olivier’s King Lear definitely has the most effective ending out of the three versions. Olivier uses appropriate background music; a subtle and plaintive classical tune to build the atmosphere of the scene. The costumes in Olivier’s version gives a better understanding of the characters, and adds a deeper meaning to the play. Unlike Ian Holm’s and BBC’s version of King Lear, Olivier gives King Lear long white hair, which represents his old age along with his wisdom he has gained throughout his life. King Lear and Cordelia’s white...
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...Compare and Contrast the theme of violence in William Shakespeare’s King Lear and Second Generation by Neil Biswas Although there is an immense gap in time between the work of William Shakespeare and Neil Biswas, it can be justified that there are various points of comparisons that can be made between their interpretations and presentations of the key theme of violence in their plays King Lear and Second Generation. Written between 1603 and 1606, Shakespeare’s King Lear is one of the most celebrated tragedies. King Lear is among the most complex and contradictory of Shakespeare’s works. True to Shakespearean tradition, King Lear borrows its tragic elements from several types of tragedies that were popular during the Jacobean Renaissance. It is a play about the dysfunctional relationships between fathers and their children, and how a foolish father in old age can misread his kids. Whereas Second Generation is a is the epic British Asian love story by Neil Biswas, controversially is a modern re-making of King Lear based in East London. Biswas describes in an article called ‘Conflict between Cultures Can Be Positive’ the social factors that influenced his desire to produce the screenplay. Biswas passively describes himself as ‘second generation of Asians’ who like their parents can relate to the 1977 TV show ‘Mind Your Language’ Biswas based Second Generation in East London in the Bengali Community and used his very own personal experiences, things he has seen or imagined...
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...relationships between humans. One of the strongest relationships that develop over time is the parent-child relationship. The bond between these two sets of people is so powerful and is rarely broken. Both people have duties and responsibilities that they carry out to help develop and nurture their relationship. In Shakespeare’s King Lear, he uses the family dynamic to analyze the relationship between King Lear and his two daughters, Regan and Goneril, to see if this bond exists. In a loving relationship, children respect and honor what their parents do for them. Shakespeare emphasizes on the compassion, blindness, betrayal and insanity that is present throughout the play. In every relationship there is always going to be a line of reasoning when both people do not see eye to eye on the same thing. However, there should always be someone in that relationship that shows the kindness and willingness to forgive. This is an act of compassion. When King Lear travels to Regan’s castle to live with her, he begins to realize that his two daughters are joining forces and inform him that they will not allow him to stay with each other unless he dismisses all of his attendants. When King Lear hears this, it Van Drine 2 disappoints him, “O, Reason not the need! Our basset beggars/Are in the poorest thing superfluous/Allow...
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...of Lear’s Madness Out of all of Shakespeare’s works, King Lear is by far his greatest tragedy. Tragedy, not in the sorts of horrific blood shed, but in terms of the hostile nature of humankind, that was thoroughly explored within the play. The brilliance of the play does not only lie in its brilliant storyline, it ultimately lies in the numerous universal, yet controversial themes. Themes of familial obligation, metaphorical blindness, political disarray, cruelty, betrayal, insanity and madness, these are only a few of the many conveyed. The critical summation of King Lear is as such: King Lear, ruler of Britain, decides to abdicate his throne and leave Britain in the charge of his three daughters. However, due to his weakness to flattery he bestows the entire kingdom to his daughters, Goneril and Regan. Unlike her malevolent sisters, Cordelia is banished by Lear. Ultimately, as a result of the committed acts, Lear sets not only himself, but also his entire country into civil strife. The natural order originally established by Lear falls apart and disorder engulfs the realm. Lear’s, ‘fall from grace’ in addition to the abuse he attains from his offspring causes him to go temporarily insane. However, insanity leads Lear to self-realization, completely stripped from his royal pretensions. Such a realization causes Lear to overlook his values and finally learn of humility. One is able to state that before the climax took place Lear, in fact was ‘mad’, this is characterized...
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...The story opens in ancient Britain, where the elderly King Lear is deciding to give up his power and divide his realm amongst his three daughters, Cordelia, Regan, and Goneril. The critical essay that was chosen for this comparative essay was King Lear's Folly in this essay they had referenced other pieces by Shakespeare such as Richard iii and Hamlet, as well as other classics Oedipus Rex and The garden of Eden. In the critical essay the author states that lack of insight is the main theme and reason of everyone’s faults, this goes efficiently with this comparative essay because the themes that are stated can be referenced. This relates to the play because comparing the themes with the characters expresses the true intentions of Shakespeare. The themes that appear in both the essay King...
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...In the plays of William Shakespeare, whether a comedy or a tragedy, one character that is often seen is a villain. This villain may come in many forms, but one of the most popular forms is that of the bastard. The character of the bastard is always evil, but Shakespeare also gives us some clue as to why they have grown to be so evil. The character of Don John the bastard in Much Ado About Nothing, and the character of Edmund in King Lear have many of the same qualities. They are both bastards with legitimate brother, and their brothers are in line to inherit their father’s title as well as real assets. They are both scheming villains and their villainy leads them into trouble. They both say they are bastards and act evil because they are expected...
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...date, but many scholars believe it was April 23, 1564. His father was John Shakespeare (who was a glover and leather merchant) and his mother Mary Arden (who was a landed local heiress). John had a remarkable run of success as a merchant, alderman, and high bailiff of Stratford, during William's early childhood. His fortunes declined, however, in the late 1570s. William lived for most of his early life in Stratford-upon-Avon. We do not know exactly when he went to London but he is said to have arrived in 1592. There is great conjecture about Shakespeare's childhood years, especially regarding his education. It is surmised by scholars that Shakespeare attended the free grammar school in Stratford, which at the time had a reputation to rival that of Eton. While there are no records extant to prove this claim, Shakespeare's knowledge of Latin and Classical Greek would tend to support this theory. In addition, Shakespeare's first biographer, Nicholas Rowe, wrote that John Shakespeare had placed William "for some time in a free school." John Shakespeare, as a Stratford official, would have been granted a waiver of tuition for his son. As the records do not exist, we do not know how long William attended the school, but certainly the literary quality of his works suggest a solid education. What is certain is...
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...Lear and Cordelia's relationship mirrors the Christian conception of Man's relationship with Christ. Read this way, King Lear tells the story of Lear's redemption. Through Lear, Shakespeare affirms the Christian ideal of repentance as a means of salvation. Lear’s decision to relinquish control of his kingdom to his daughters violates his role as divine sovereign and constitutes a sin against God and his kingdom. By violating this sacred role, King Lear sets in motion both his own tragedy and the chaos of the kingdom. The notion that the King stands as God’s representative on Earth dominated England during Shakespeare’s life. As an aging King, Lear’s duty lies in ensuring a peaceful and legitimate successor. The first line of the play, spoken...
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...KING LEAR Act One The play opens at Lear’s court, where we meet the main characters. The opening scene is in itself shocking, as Lear forces his daughters to declare their love for him. The one who loves him the most will receive the largest part of his kingdom, which he intends to divide between the three. Lear himself wishes to hand over the ruling of the kingdom to his daughters, while retaining the ‘Pre-eminence, and all the large effects / That troop with majesty’ (Scene 1, Lines 131-2). Goneril and Regan acquit themselves well at this love test. Cordelia, however, dismayed by her sisters’ ponderous words, refuses to take part in the ‘contest’ and tells Lear that she loves him as her duty instructs her. When Cordelia refuses to speak again, Lear casts her off without a moment’s hesitation. Ken attempts to argue with the King, accusing him of ‘hideous rashness’ (Scene 1, Line 151). When Kent further warns Lear that his elder daughters are false flatterers, Kent too is banished. Lear invests Albany and Cornwall with power, and, after Burgundy refuses to take Cordelia as his wife, now that she is without dowry, France takes her for her virtues alone. Goneril and Regan complain, in private, about Lear’s harsh judgement and unpredictable behaviour and worry that they too may be treated unfairly. Edmund, Gloucester’s bastard son, soliloquises about his own situation, revealing his devious intentions towards his brother. When his father enters, Edmund’s...
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...Chapter II: literature of the renaissance (End of the 15th - beginning of the 17th century) In the 15th - 16th centuries capitalist relation began to develop in Europe. The former townspeople became the bourgeoisie. The bourgeoisie fought against feudalism because it held back the development of capitalism. The decay of feudalism and the development of capitalist relation were followed by a great rise in the cultural life of Europe. There was an attempt at creating a new culture which would be free from the limitation of the feudal ideology of the Middle Ages. The epoch was characterized by a thirst for knowledge and discoveries, by a powerful development of individuality. It was then that great geographical discoveries of Columbus, Magellan and other travelers as well as astronomical discoveries of Copernicus, Bruno, Galilei were made. The invention of the printing press (Fyodorov in Russia, Guttenberg in Germany, Caxton in England) contributed to the development of culture in all European countries. Universities stopped being citadels of religious learning and turned into centers of humanist study. There was a revival of interest in the ancient culture of Greece and Rome ("Renaissance" is French for "rebirth"). The study of the works of ancient philosophers, writers, and artists helped the people to widen their outlook, to know the world and man's nature. On the basis of both the ancient culture and the most progressive elements of the culture of the...
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...Treatise on the astrolabe. Short Poems The Complaint of Chaucer to His Purse ,Truth, Gentilesse, Merciles Beaute, Lak of Stedfastnesse, Against Women Unconstant. Geoffrey Chaucer Thomas Malory's (1405-1471) : Morte d'Arthur. work: Sir Gawain and the Green Knight (by anonymous). 1500-1660: The English Renaissance 1500-1558: Tudor Period (Humanist Era) The Humanists: Sir Thomas More (1478-1535) : Utopia, The History of King Richard the Third, The Life of Pico della Mirandola, The Four Last Things, A Dialogue Concerning Tyndale, The Confutation of Tyndale's Answer, A Dialogue of Comfort Against Tribulation and Sadness of Christ . Sir Thomas More John Skelton (1460-1529): A ballade of the Scottysshe Kynge John Skelton Sir Thomas Wyatt(1503-1542): My Lute Awake! Once, As Methought, Fortune Me Kissed They Flee From Me The restful place ! renewer of my smart It may be good, like it who list In faith I wot not what to say There Was Never Nothing More Me Pained Patience ! though I have not Though I Cannot Your Cruelty Constrain Blame Not My Lute My Pen ! Take Pain The heart and service to you proffer'd Is It Possible? And Wilt Thou Leave Me Thus? Since so ye please to hear me plain Forget Not Yet The Tried Intent What Should I Say! Sir Thomas Wyatt. The Renaissance Period consists of four subsets: 1. 1558-1603: The Elizabethan Age (High Renaissance): William Shakespeare (1564-1616): Comedies: All's Well That Ends Well, As You Like It, The...
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...Bloom’s Classic Critical Views W i l l ia m Sha k e Sp e a r e Bloom's Classic Critical Views alfred, lord Tennyson Benjamin Franklin The Brontës Charles Dickens edgar allan poe Geoffrey Chaucer George eliot George Gordon, lord Byron henry David Thoreau herman melville Jane austen John Donne and the metaphysical poets John milton Jonathan Swift mark Twain mary Shelley Nathaniel hawthorne Oscar Wilde percy Shelley ralph Waldo emerson robert Browning Samuel Taylor Coleridge Stephen Crane Walt Whitman William Blake William Shakespeare William Wordsworth Bloom’s Classic Critical Views W i l l ia m Sha k e Sp e a r e Edited and with an Introduction by Sterling professor of the humanities Yale University harold Bloom Bloom’s Classic Critical Views: William Shakespeare Copyright © 2010 Infobase Publishing Introduction © 2010 by Harold Bloom All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or utilized in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage or retrieval systems, without permission in writing from the publisher. For more information contact: Bloom’s Literary Criticism An imprint of Infobase Publishing 132 West 31st Street New York NY 10001 Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data William Shakespeare / edited and with an introduction by Harold Bloom : Neil Heims, volume editor. p. cm. — (Bloom’s classic critical views) Includes bibliographical references...
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...As You Like It Summary How It All Goes Down Sir Rowland de Boys has recently died, leaving behind sons Oliver and Orlando. Since Oliver's the eldest son, he's inherited just about everything. This includes the responsibility of making sure his little bro finishes school and continues to live the kind of lifestyle he's become accustomed to as the son of a nobleman. (By the way, this lifestyle looks like a sixteenth-century version of MTV's Teen Cribs.) Oliver, however, treats his little bro like a servant – he refuses to pay for Orlando's education and never gives the kid any spending money. Also, he tells the local court wrestler it would be a good idea to snap Orlando's neck, but Orlando doesn't know about this. Naturally, Orlando is ticked off that Oliver treats him so badly and he's ready to "mutiny" against his older bro. Instead, he channels all of his pent up anger into a wrestling match, where he beats the court wrestler to a bloody pulp. Orlando's wrestling skillz catch the eye of a local girl named Rosalind, who has her own family drama to worry about. (Ros is the daughter of Duke Senior, who used to rule over the French court but was overthrown by his snaky, backstabbing brother, Duke Frederick. Because Rosalind's dad is living in exile in the Forest of Arden, Rosalind has been crashing at the palace with her BFF/cousin, Celia. Did we mention that Celia is the daughter of snaky, backstabbing Duke Frederick? And you thought your family had issues…) Rosalind...
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