SEMINAR 2

WILLIAM SHAKESPEARE’s “KING LEAR” (1604-1605): the themes of

greed, corruption, ingratitude. WHAT MAKES THIS TRAGEDY SPECIAL?
(DIFFERENT FROM THE OTHER PLAYS? UNIQUE?)

ASSIGNMENT: ANALYZE THE PLOT DEVELOPMENT and try to

establish the FOLLOWING COMPONENTS OF THE PLOT

EXPOSITION (including the Setting)

King Lear, in his old age and wavering wits, wishes to give up his throne to
his daughters so that he can retire with 100 knights for an entourage and enjoy the
time he has left. He demands that each daughter tell him how much she loves him so
that he can divide up their inheritance to them.

COMPLICATION

King Lear unwisely chooses his two older daughters, Goneril and Regan, over
his youngest, Cordelia, because they flatter him while Cordelia believes in deeds over
speech. The king disinherits her, and Cordelia goes off to marry the King of France
instead. Lear banishes the Earl of Kent for defending Cordelia. Meanwhile, Edmund,
the illegitimate son of the Earl of Gloucester, is plotting to turn his father against his
legitimate son Edgar, so that he can inherit the Earl’s properties.

Goneril and Regan mistreat their father and show nothing but disdain for him.
Kent returns in disguise, loyally serving the king to keep an eye on things. Edmund
stages a fake fight with Edgar and convinces his father that Edgar wants to kill
Gloucester. After Kent is put into the stocks by Cornwall for fighting with Oswald,
the king arrives and becomes enraged. Goneril arrives, and she and Regan solidify
their alliance by demanding that the king get rid of all of his knights. The king, in
near tears and losing his senses with grief, gallops off into the stormy night.

CLIMAX

The King of France has called for a war against England. Gloucester goes
after King Lear to help him, telling Edmund of his plans, who promptly betrays his
father to the sisters. Out in the stormy night, King Lear, his Fool, Kent, and Edgar,
disguised as a beggar and calling himself “Tom”, are sheltering in a hut. Gloucester
finds them and smuggles the king to Dover because there are plots against him.
Gloucester is arrested by Cornwall’s men, and Cornwall gouges his eyes out. One of
Cornwall’s servants steps in and mortally wounds Cornwall before he himself is
killed.

RESOLUTION
 Gloucester is in despair, but Edgar, still in disguise, saves him from suicide
and takes him to Dover. Meanwhile, Goneril and Edmund have begun a romance, and
Goneril wants her husband Albany out of the picture because she finds him to be
weak. Cornwall dies, and she worries that widowed Regan will steal Edmund.
Goneril’s servant Oswald finds and tries to kill Gloucester, but Edgar kills him
instead. He retrieves a letter from Oswald from Goneril showing her plans to kill
Albany and marry Edmund. At the same time, King Lear has been brought to
Cordelia, who is nursing him back to sanity.

DENOUMENT

Edgar delivers the letter to Albany before the battle. Goneril and Regan are
fighting over Edmund, who has pledged himself to both sisters. Edmund captures
Lear and Cordelia in battle and orders Cordelia to be killed by making it look like a
suicidal hanging. Albany reveals his wife and Edmund’s treachery. Albany
challenges Edmund to fight, and Edgar arrives in armor, fights Edmund, and defeats
him. He reveals his identity and the fact that his father is dead. Edmund kills himself
shortly after finding that Goneril poisoned Regan and then stabbed herself. Lear kills
the man hanging Cordelia but not in time, and he dies from grief. Albany surrenders
power to Kent and Edgar.

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS

1. DISCUSS THE THEME OF AGE AND THE OLDER

GENERATION. HOW DO THE CHILDREN TREAT THEIR PARENTS?
WHY DO REGAN AND GONERIL treat their father so poorly? What qualities
do Cordelia and Edgar demonstrate in their treatment of Lear and Gloucester
that the other sisters and Edmund do no have? WHAT DOIS THE WORD
“OLD” MEAN in this play? IS LEAR OLD AT THE BEGINNING OR DOES
HE BECOME OLD AS THE PLAY PROGRESSES?

Age and the process of aging is a significant theme of the play, King Lear.
When a person starts aging, he starts losing his significance. As King Lear starts
aging, he starts making decisions about his kingdom and makes a bet on the persons
expressing their profound love for them.

The Old Man has been a retainer of the Earl of Gloucester all his life, over
eighty years. He helps to guide Gloucester away from his house, and tries to remain
with him, but is pushed away.

The theme of age

Age and the process of aging is a significant theme of the play, King Lear.
When a person starts aging, he starts losing his significance. As King Lear starts
aging, he starts making decisions about his kingdom and makes a bet on the persons
expressing their profound love for them. However, old King Lear does not
understand Cordelia is the loyal one. Sadly, he trusts the deceitful ones. On the other
hand, Edmund also waits for his father, Gloucester, to die so that he could inherit
something to win social legitimacy in the eyes of the social fabric he wants to live in.
In fact, King Lear’s age heralds a new social circle forming around him where he is
not the kingpin, but just a commoner having no authority as in the past. However, he
wants to retain the same authority even in his old age, that seems impossible. That is
why he admits of his being old and the desire for retirement without having to
abandon his privileges. Therefore, old age and its attendant features of losing
privileges.

How do the children their parents?

Family relationships and family loyalty are equally prominent as King Lear
checks the loyalty of his daughters through their love. Though superficially, love is in
abundance, it becomes scary when it comes to its application and demonstration.
Cordelia, however, shows true loyalty to her father by staying with him until the end
when Goneril and Regan conspire to keep the old man out of their castles. Despite
severe emotional consequences and legal and regal repercussions, Goneril and Regan
do not budge from their stand of keeping the king out. Similarly, Gloucester’s act of
fathering Edmund seems a matter of childishness for him and causes sufferings for all
others. King Lear’s earlier act of seeing familial love through expressions of love
seems to hinge upon the fact that he wants to ensure family loyalty and blindly trusts
the one who vocally vows to love him but abandon him later.

2. ONE OF THE THEMES in the play IS “REASON IN MADNESS

AND MADNESS IN REASON”. WHAT DOES THIS PHRASE MEAN?
WHAT TYPES OF MADNESS ARE REPRESENTED IN THE PLAY?
COMPARE LEAR’s MADNESS vs Edgar’s madness vs Reagan’s madness, the
Fool’s madness, Goneril’s madness, Edmund’s madness.

What does this phrase mean? - Unlike other Renaissance dramatists, who used
“mad scenes” for comic effect, Shakespeare seems intent on a serious portrayal of
madness in King Lear. In this play madness is a prominent theme. This phrase means
that some characters were crazy as a result of certain events, they were sick, poorly
understood reality, went out of their minds.

What types of madness are represented in the play? Compare lear’s madness vs
edgar’s madness vs reagan’s madness, the fool’s madness, goneril’s madness,
edmund’s madness.
 - There are different types of madness in the play. Lear`s rash actions of Act I
Scene I might be viewed as political insanity. The bloodlust exhibited by Gonerill,
Regan and Cornwall is another abhorrent kind of madness. Lear compares his
madness to the torments of hell and struggles frantically to retain his wits. The storm
– which reflects Lear`s madness – is appallingly destructive, almost too much for
man to endure. There are others types of madness that show us Lear`s insanity: the
Fool`s professional madness ( his clowning), Edgar`s fake madness and Gloucester`s
half-crazed pity. The madness of King Lear is deeply distressing. It develops from
and points back to the king`s instability.

3. DRAW THE PARALLELS BETWEEN THE LEAR PLOT AND

THE GLOUCESTER SUBPLOT. ANY SIMILARITIES? WHAT IS THE
FUNCTION of this type of construnction (i e EMPHASIZING what kind of
themes?)

King Lear and Gloucester are similar in that they have both been betrayed
and deprived of power by their children. They are different in that Lear willingly
gave away his power, whereas Gloucester's was taken away from him by force.

Gloucester is King Lear's foil. This means that in some way, he reflects the
protagonist, highlighting his dominant characteristics. Gloucester has often been
belittled for not being a full character, as being little more than a cipher through
which the dramatic needs of the play are expressed.

Lear initially believes and trusts two evil daughters and banishes his loyal
daughter, Cordelia. Likewise Gloucester trusts his evil offspring Edmund and
disowns his loyal son Edgar therefore both men make the same mistake

Both Lear and Gloucester are betrayed and mistreated by those they treat well
and are forgiven by the children they have wronged. Lear is consoled by Cordelia,
Gloucester by Edgar.

Both Lear and Gloucester die in similar ways - a mixture of joyfulness and
extreme sadness. Gloucester’s joy is brought on by the fact that he has been
reconciled with Edgar. While Lear’s is in the false belief that Cordelia is still alive.
Both men’s deaths are seen as a relief from the cruelty of the world.

Both Gloucester and Lear develop morally and spiritually as a result of

intense suffering. Each man is wiser at the end of the play than he was at the
beginning. Each recognises the moral flaw of his liaison with Edmund’s mother,
while Lear overcomes his arrogance and pride, by eventually kneeling to beg
forgiveness from Cordelia.
 After his physical blindness, Gloucester recognises his moral blindness "I
stumbled when I saw".

They suffer in different ways. Gloucester, who has committed sins of the
flesh, a sensual sinner, is punished physically, being deprived of one of his senses.
Lear’s punishment is more complex, his sin was psychological and his punishment
involves undergoing a moral education - a period of derangement, followed by the
acquiring of wisdom and finally the enduring agony of Cordelia’s death.

4. CONSIDER LEAR’s use of a love test. WHAT MOTIVATES HIM

TO USE THIS TYPE OF DEVICE? WHAT TYPE OF LOVE DOES LEAR
SEEK? DOES LEAR SEEM TO LEARN HIS LESSON AFTER THE
DISASTROUS RESULTS OF THE LOVE TEST in Act 1, Scene 1?

In Act1 Scene1 the 'love test' takes place. This is when Lear wants his three
daughters to confess who loves him the most to claim there share of kingdom. Lear
wanted to split his kingdom between his three daughters. He expected himself to still
be king but his daughters to rule the kingdom whilst he does nothing.

He wants to make sure that his family still loves him, even if he needs to force
them to lie about it. When Cordelia tells her father that she cannot flatter him in the
same way that her sisters did, King Lear becomes outraged and banishes her.

By promising to divide his kingdom based on who loves him the most, Lear
has essentially pitted daughter against daughter.

Lear demands that his daughters affirm their love for him. He asks, “which of
you shall we say doth love us most?” Lear expects his three daughters to offer him
rivaling speeches and declarations of love and affection. However, Lear is looking for
empty words and flatteries rather than an honest affirmation of love.

The love between each of these parties is reciprocal, and Cordelia's love for
her father is what she owes him. Cordelia tempers her love test reply with reason — a
simple, unembellished statement of the honor due a father from his daughter. Lear
irrationally responds by denying Cordelia all affection and paternal care.

King Lear favors Goneril and Regan because their professions of love are so
much more extravagant than Cordelia's. It is obvious to the audience that the two
older sisters are just lying because they are motivated by greed and not by love.

Finally, Lear dies before he can reconcile himself to his loss. The blindness
that caused Lear to give his kingdom to the wrong heirs and fail to see Cordelia's love
persists through the end of the play, as Lear is unable to see that his mistakes have
resulted in the death of the one person who truly loved him.
 5. LEAR SEEMS TO MAKE AN IMPORTANT DISCOVERY IN
THE COMPANY OF POOR TOM ON THE BEACH. THE STAGE
DIRECTIONS TELL US THAT HE “BEGINS TO DISROBE”
IMMEDIATELY AFTER THIS REVELATION. WHAT SEEMS TO BE
HAPPENING IN LEAR’S MIND AT THIS MOMENT IN THE PLAY. WHAT
DOES HE LEARN THAT HE NEVER KNEW BEFORE?

Edgar, hearing of his father's terrible misfortune, is called to become his guide,
although he does not give his real name. At the same time, Gonerilla returns to her
husband's palace with Edmund, and the woman sends him to command the army,
before saying goodbye, they give each other an oath of eternal love. Edgar, who
accompanies his blind father, meets Lear in the woods, completely covered with
flowers. The old man went mad, that those around him immediately understood from
his simple speeches. Cordelia, learning of how unscrupulously the older sisters came
with her father and in what a terrible situation he is now, rushes to the aid of Lear.
French troops are defeated, Lear and Cordelia are captured by Edmund. However, the
former king is happy that his beloved youngest daughter is with him again, they do
not part for a moment. Edmund gives a secret order to kill them both. Edgar, hiding
his real name and appearance, expresses readiness to fight Edmund and mortally
wounds his half-brother. Before his death, Edmund learns who took revenge on him,
and declares himself defeated. Before his death, Edmund tells of his secret order and
asks everyone to hurry to save Cordelia and Lear. But it turns out that it's too late, the
young and beautiful daughter of the former King of Britain has already been killed.
Lear, who has endured much grief and frustration, is unable to accept her loss.

6 WHY DO YOU THINK THAT SHAKESPEARE HAS

CORDELIA AND LEAR DIE AT THE PLAY’s END? WOULD THE PLAY’S
MESSAGE CHANGE IF THE WERE STILL LIVING WHEN THE CURTAIN
CLOSES?

King Lear ends with a battle for the British throne. Edmund wins the battle for
the throne, but is then killed by his brother Edgar. As Edmund dies, he admits that he
has sent orders for Lear and Cordelia to be executed. Upon discovering that his
beloved daughter has died, Lear dies of grief.

Of the deaths in Shakespeare’s King Lear, the death of Cordelia and King Lear
at the end of Act V are most significant in revealing the development of Lear and
how his development contributes to the theme surrounding it. The dynamic King Lear
is a tragic hero whose fatal flaw, arrogance, prompts his removal from power and
eventually the death of both himself and Cordelia. However, by the time of King
Lear’s death, his arrogance has been replaced with a compassion which allows him to
mourn the death of Cordelia and die from his own grief. Besides redeeming himself
for his flawed judgement, the compassionate King Lear of Act V recognizes the
loyalty in characters like Kent and Cordelia, while also seeing through the dishonesty
of Regan and Goneril which fools the King Lear of Act I. King Lear’s transition from
disowning Cordelia because of his arrogance to recognizing her as his only faithful
daughter is demonstrated through Lear’s death, which serves as the culmination of his
development and a reversal of his character.

DISCUSS THE MAJOR THEMES:

DIVINE JUSTICE

In King Lear by William Shakespeare, injustices are frequently inflicted upon

Edmund. The lack of equity in Edmund's life perpetuates his rejection of divine
justice, which states that good always triumphs evil. Edmund's refusal to believe in
divine justice ultimately leads to acts of injustice on his part.

If we define justice as 'an eye for an eye,' then the characters who have killed,
and die as a result, receive justice. ... Lear, Cordelia, and Gloucester all make
mistakes that contribute to their suffering and eventual deaths, but none of them
can be said the deserve the harsh punishments they receive.

AUTHORITY VS 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.

The chaos in society in the play King Lear by William Shakespeare is a result of
Lear's less than smart decisions to disrupt the natural order for his own personal
benefit and ultimately lead to his own downfall in the play. ... Every creature has its
place in society on varying degrees of responsibility and authority.

CONSIDER THE SYMBOLS:

THE STORM

It constitutes the dramatic centre of the whole tragedy imparting a

contribution to the development of the main plot. The scene also helps us to
identify the heroic qualities of King Lear. In fact, the storm that Lear faces destroys
all haughtiness, egotism and arbitrariness of Lear.

In part, the storm echoes Lear's inner turmoil and mounting madness: it is a
physical, turbulent natural reflection of Lear's internal confusion. ... Finally, the
meteorological chaos also symbolizes the political disarray that has engulfed Lear's
Britain.

BLINDNESS

The inability to see is a motif that appears throughout King Lear. The disability
is sometimes literal and temporary—for example, Lear's inability to see through
Kent's disguise. Blindness is sometimes literal and permanent, as when the Earl of
Gloucester's eyes are gouged out. But these instances of literal blindness are also
symbolic, and other instances of blindness are completely symbolic. These include
Lear's inability to see Cordelia's love or Gloucester's inability to see his son
Edmund's treachery.

MADNESS

Shakespeare's King Lear attempted to present mental illness as a serious

character trait at a time when most Elizabethan drama simply utilized “madness” for
the audience's comedic relief.

Lear's madness is both caused by and shown through a series of stupidities

and mistakes that will greatly affect himself and those around him. ... Lear divides up
his kingdom among his three daughters. During the time period in which King Lear
takes place kingship was something granted by God only to those capable.

REFERENCES:

http://www.cliffsnotes. com

.........www.shmoop.com

.........www. sparknotes.com

........ www.gradesaver.com

........www. shakespeare-online.com

------ www. shakespearestudyguide.com