...is due to the stripping away of his identity'. By considering the dramatic presentation of King Lear, evaluate this view. Shakespeare presents that the stripping away of King Lear's identity is largely responsible for much of his suffering throughout the play. Lear's identity can be seen as lost partly through his own actions, as well as the actions of others, in particular that of his daughters, Goneril and Regan. It can be argued that Lear's loss of identity is down to his own actions. Hence, he can be seen as responsible for causing his own suffering. According to A.C. Bradley 'The idea of the tragic hero as being destroyed simply and solely by external forces is quite alien to him (Shakespeare); and not less so is the idea of the hero as contributing to his destruction only by acts in which we see no flaw'. Bradley's emphasis on the tragic flaw implies that Shakespeare's character's bring their fates upon themselves and thus deserve to face the consequences. An example of this can be seen in Act 1, when Lear fragments his land and divides it between his daughters. The fragmentation of the land is symbolic of the way that Lear also fragments his identity. As king, Lear identifies himself solely on his position of power, and therefore by giving away his land his is also giving away the control he previously maintained over his kingdom, and thus his identity. However, Lear mistakenly believes that he can give up certain aspects of his role, including responsibility...
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...According to Aristotle a tragic hero must be a noble person and also hold a “high” status in society. The character must also have an error in judgement (hamartia). Often the character’s ‘hamartia’ involves hubris (excessive pride). The hero must have a reversal of fortune brought by the hero’s tragic flaw although the downfall will not be a complete loss. It should be noticed that the hero`s downfall is his own fault because he has free choice, but his misfortune is not wholly deserved. At the end of the play the hero will gain some sort of self-knowledge or have a sense of realisation as a result of his actions in which the audience will somewhat feel satisfied. In King Lear by William Shakespeare, Lear the main character showed that he has all the necessary requirements of a `tragic hero`, his high social status leads him to his hamartia, which is his pride and egotism. King Lear`s downfall is due to his error in judgment which leads him to his own destructions. At the end of the play King Lear became a better person because of this the audience feels pity and the audience begins to think that he does not deserve that much punishment. King Lear at the beginning of the play does not seem like a tragic hero because of...
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...Can King Lear be defined as an Aristotelian Tragedy ? When viewing upon a tragedy, a reader is offered to empathize the suffering a character endures through pity and fear, yet still being able to feel that enticing pleasure. With this being said, King Lear can be defined as a tragedy even by Aristotle, one of the most renowned masterminds on tragedies. Based on the Aristotelian principles for a tragedy, the ‘perfect’ tragedy must contain plot, character, diction, thought, spectacle and song. King Lear echo’s Aristotle’s concept of tragedy, as the accepted king with that disastrous flaw in his character and that evokes understanding of the audience. Shakespeare's play sets King Lear to be the ruler of Britain, where he is highly-esteemed by people below him in social status. His reputation corresponds with Aristotle’s definition of the ‘tragic hero’, who must be of noble blood. and considered great amongst their surroundings. The tragic hero, said Aristotle, should not be ‘a virtuous man brought from prosperity to adversity: for this moves neither pity nor fear; it merely shocks us’. Lear is a delusional victim caught in his own self-deception; his desires for power and genuine affection push him from direct order and power into over-the-edge chaos. King Lear shows his first sign of quenching for affection when he requests that his three daughters to express how much they love him before he gives away his rule, and duties of his kingdom so that all the kingdom’s...
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...The play’s plot is driven by the power and consequence of losses, more specifically, the losses and diminishing of Lear. In the course the play, King Lear, because of his flaws, loses his authority as a king, his identity as a father, and his sanity as a man. The play begins with King Lear's decision to divide his kingdom among his three daughters. This is the first sign of Lear's loss and diminishing of his power through the loss of his authority. Wanting to abandon his responsibilities before his time, Lear claims, "tis our fast intent / To shake all cares and business from our age, / Conferring them on younger strengths while we / Unburdened crawl toward death". It can be argued that this diminishment comes from his own decision to prematurely abdicate the throne. Lear carries immense insecurity and egotism as he announces that he will offer the largest share of kingdom to the daughter who professes the greatest love for him. Goneril and Regan both proclaim in fulsome terms that they love him more than anything in the world, while Cordelia speaks from her heart in honest terms that she loves him exactly as a daughter should love her father. Valuing self-importance above all else, Lear is blind to the loyalty and love of Cordelia and instead, perceptive to the flattery of his two vile daughters. This only furthers the notion that his diminishing is not only largely self initiated and inflicted but also that it is largely deserved as one is likely to sympathise with Cordelia...
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...Metamorphosis of King Lear Through the course of the play, King Lear goes through a process of attaining self-knowledge. With this knowledge, he goes through a metamorphosis of person, much like a caterpillar's change into a butterfly. In the beginning, King Lear's vanity, and the image and exercise of power dominate his person. But a series of losses (based on his own bad decisions), a wise "fool", a powerful storm, a seemingly crazy man, and the death of one who truly loved him clear his vision and allow him to see himself and the world as they truly are. The pain and suffering endured by Lear eventually tears down his strength and sanity. Lear is not as strong, arrogant, and filled with pride as he seems in the beginning of the play. Instead he a is weak, scared and confused old man. At the end of the play Lear has completely lost his sanity with the loss of his daughter, Cordelia and this is the breaking point that leads Lear to his death. In the beginning, King Lear shows his need for praise is how he chooses to divide his kingdom among his daughters. The one who praises him with the most "love" shall receive the largest area of land. This is even more evident when considering that Lear already has divided up the kingdom before the praising even begins, as he gives each daughter her land before hearing the next daughter's praise. Thus the entire arbitration is just a show and an ego boost to himself. It is because of his love for praise that makes him react so strongly...
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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. Lear's plan is to give the largest piece of his kingdom to the child who professes to love him the most, certain that his favorite daughter, Cordelia, will win the challenge. Goneril and Regan, corrupt and deceitful, lie to their father with sappy and excessive declarations of affection. Cordelia, however, refuses to engage in Lear's game, and replies simply that she loves him as a daughter should. Her lackluster retort, despite its sincerity, enrages Lear, and he disowns Cordelia completely. When Lear's dear friend, the Earl of Kent, tries to speak on Cordelia's behalf, Lear banishes him from the kingdom. Meanwhile, the King of France, present at court and overwhelmed by Cordelia's honesty and virtue, asks for her hand in marriage, despite her loss of a sizable dowry. Cordelia accepts the King of France's proposal, and reluctantly leaves Lear with her two cunning sisters. Kent, although banished by Lear, remains to try to protect the unwitting King from the evils of his two remaining children. He disguises himself and takes a job as Lear's servant. Now that Lear has turned over all his wealth and land to Regan and Goneril, their true natures surface at once. Lear and his few companions, including some knights, a fool, and the disguised Kent, go to live with Goneril, but she reveals that she plans...
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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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...Title: The Tragedy of King Lear Author: William Shakespeare DOP: 1606 Genre: Shakespearean tragedy Writing Style: Play Setting: King Lear's castle in Albion England. Goneril's home. Gloucester's castle. The Cliffs of Dover Plot: Act I. Shakespeare's dark tragedy, King Lear begins with the fictional King of England, King Lear, handing over his kingdom to daughters Regan and Goneril whom he believes truly love him. King Lear intends to stay with each daughter consecutively, accompanied by one hundred loyal knights. Angry that Cordelia his youngest daughter does not appear to love him as do Goneril and Regan, Lear banishes his youngest daughter Cordelia, and Kent, the servant who attempts to defend her. Cordelia leaves and is taken by the King of France as his Queen. Edmund, the loved but illegitimate son of the Earl of Gloucester plots to have his elder brother Edgar's reputation ruined. Edmund tricks his father Gloucester into believing that Edgar wanted to kill him. The disrespectful Goneril conspires to have her guest and father, King Lear, driven out of her house. Kent, who has now disguised his identity to serve King Lear, earns King Lear's respect by defending his name. Goneril offends King Lear and dismisses fifty of his knights. Lear starts to realize Cordelia was not so disrespecting. Lear decides to leave for Regan where he is sure to be treated properly. Lear instructs Kent to deliver several letters to Gloucester. The Fool teaches Lear several riddles. Act II....
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...literary work. Justice King Lear is a brutal play, filled with human cruelty and awful, seemingly meaningless disasters. The play’s succession of terrible events raises an obvious question for the characters—namely, whether there is any possibility of justice in the world, or whether the world is fundamentally indifferent or even hostile to humankind. Various characters offer their opinions: “As flies to wanton boys are we to the gods; / They kill us for their sport,” Gloucester muses, realizing it foolish for humankind to assume that the natural world works in parallel with socially or morally convenient notions of justice (4.1.37–38). Edgar, on the other hand, insists that “the gods are just,” believing that individuals get what they deserve (5.3.169). But, in the end, we are left with only a terrifying uncertainty—although the wicked die, the good die along with them, culminating in the awful image of Lear cradling Cordelia’s body in his arms. There is goodness in the world of the play, but there is also madness and death, and it is difficult to tell which triumphs in the end. Authority versus Chaos King Lear is about political authority as much as it is about family dynamics. Lear is not only a father but also a king, and when he gives away his authority to the unworthy and evil Goneril and Regan, he delivers not only himself and his family but all of Britain into chaos and cruelty. As the two wicked sisters indulge their appetite for power and Edmund begins his own...
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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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...Both plays, Richard II and King Lear, start by Richard and Lear believing that the gods are on their side and that God put them there for a reason (the divine right of kings). However throughout the plays their attitude towards divine assistance changes and they both realise they will have to pay for their mistakes. The divine right of kings in Richard II is present throughout the play. In Act 3, Scene 2 Richard says, ‘not all the water in the rough rude sea can wash the balm off from an anointed king;’. Earlier in the play Richard refers to himself as ‘England’ and the common people as the ‘sea’. He thinks that ‘the rough rude sea’ (the common people) cannot get rid of him because he is an ‘anointed king’. This means that he believes that God chose him to be king over everyone else. Shakespeare makes Richard appear, to the reader, as a egoistic, selfish king that doesn’t spare a thought for the common people of England by labeling them as the ‘rough rude sea’. This suggest his relationship with them isn’t good. In Richard II there are many references to the bible. England is described as ‘this other Eden, demi-paradise’ because Richard is ruining England like Adam and Eve ruined the paradise which God created when they were tempted by the snake. He’s making a ‘demi-paradise’ by making the wrong decisions. In act 3, scene 4 the Queen says, ‘Thou, old Adam’s likeness, set to dress this garden, How dares thy harsh rude tongue sound this unpleasing news? What Eve, what serpent...
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...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 by his foolish...
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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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...Character Analysis Lear, the King of Britain, is a powerful and important man. But he's getting near retirement age. Lear thinks he can hand over the hard work of ruling the kingdom to his children and relax. He wants to enjoy the power of still being king without any of the responsibility. That's Lear's first mistake, separating power and responsibility. His two eldest daughters are ready to run their own lives – and their own kingdoms. They resent Lear acting as if he is still in charge. Yet the King is shocked when his daughters assert their independence from him. After all, he gave them everything they have. Lear's second mistake is to exile the people who love him the most. He chooses to stage a "love test" among his three daughters so he can give the biggest slice of the kingdom to the one who loves him most of all. When Cordelia refuses to participate, Lear is so angry that he orders her out of the kingdom. And when his advisor, Kent, warns him that this is a terrible idea, Lear throws him out, too. So Lear has to deal with the power struggle his retirement sparked without two of the people who could have smoothed the transition. (Kent does come back disguised as Caius, a peasant, but this means he only has a peasant's power – enough to take care of Lear, but not enough to soothe his political worries.) Lear realizes his stupidity soon enough. His retirement starts a series of conflicts that lead the whole country to civil war. Two of Lear's own children turn...
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...King Lear and 1984 Power King Lear offers a reflection on power or, more accurately, the loss of power. After retiring and divvying up his kingdom among his ungrateful daughters, Lear discovers what it's like to lose the power and authority that come with the responsibilities of active rule. In addition to being a monarch, King Lear is also a family patriarch and Shakespeare asks us to consider the similarities between a father's relationship with his children and a king's relationship with his subjects. Sir, I love you more than words can wield the matter; Dearer than eyesight, space, and liberty;... 1984 is not just about totalitarianism; it makes us live through totalitarianism. The Party wants power for its own sake. The Party carefully monitors the behavior of all of its constituents. Morning group exercises are mandatory. The Party demands that all loyalty created in private be severed, and that the only acceptable loyalty is loyalty to the Party. The Party condemns sex, and brainwashes its constituents. The Party recognizes no concept of a "family" other than the collective family under rule by the Party. The Party controls everything – the past, the present, and the future – by controlling historical records, language, and even thought. The Party tortures and "vaporizes" those who harbor rebellious thoughts. The state suffers through constant warfare. The conditions are dilapidated, but the citizens do not know better. Classism exists everywhere, and different classes...
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