Exposition/Protasis
An explanation of a theory or idea / The beginning or ‘first part’ of a play, drama or poem. Character/ main plot introduced.

Inciting incident
An event that gets a reader interested or ‘hooked’ in the story. The event that puts the main character/protagonist into the main action of their story

Rising action/Epistasis
A series of events relative to the story and its major themes. These events encourage feelings of suspense, stress, tension and curiosity/interest.

Climax
Point of highest tension or drama, the turning point.

Reversal/Peripeteia
A sudden change in the story, resulting in a negative reversal of circumstances.

Hamartia
A fault in the protagonist’s personality. The ‘tragic flaw’. An error in judgement.

Hubris
The pride/arrogance that a character harbours which brings about their downfall/failure. Excessive pride, a superiority complex.

Falling action/Catastasis
The part of the story which occurs immediately after the climax. As the main problem in the story is resolved/fixed/comes to a conclusion. ‘Wraps up loose ends.’

Catastrophe
A disaster or serious event which affects characters in a negative way and is referred to as the ‘disastrous finish of a drama’ – ie. when Lady Macbeth dies or when Macbeth falls at the hands of Macduff.

Denouement
The resolution of the main issue/problem following the climax.

Recognition/Anagnorisis
A discovery/realisation which fosters a change in a character from ignorant to wise.

Catharsis
A purging of emotion/feeling

There is a difference between sight and insight.
A character never seems to have both at the same time.

THEMES

Patience

Old

Fool

Sight/blindness

Nature/nature  Nature of the world, nature of being (human nature)

Nothing, everything

Madness/Mad(anger)

Conceive / conception / conceit

Bonds – family, friends, frenemies

Accommodate/unaccommodated man – edgar as poor Tom by Lear

Children/family – daughter, father, son, sister – where are the mothers?

Eclipse, celestial events, para-natural

Gods

Pre christian, pagan

Leir – 800 BCE – Relevance? – https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Leir_of_Britain

Fortune

Heart – Cordelia

Weep, Tears, show of weakness

Patriarchy, fathers, kings and dukes, rank

Daughters become EMPOWERED, Lear calls for Goneril to become STERILE so that she cannot bear children
Wheel of fortune – wheel has come full circle

Division and how dangerous it is

Vulnerability

Chaos and Order

When children rule their fathers

Loyalty

Emotion of multitude

Focalise

The husbands are accessories

A relentless downhill slide for a man who made a decision that would be called ‘heroic’.

He is accomodating for coming to terms with death and dying eventually.

Goes from man at the height of his powers to man at his lowest point possible.

Coming to terms with mortality

British politics, history

The absent mother?

Just when you think you’re at your strongest point you reach your lowest point.

Lines are blurred between fools and kings

Parents suck

“See better, Lear.”

Absent mother https://www.bisd303.org/site/handlers/filedownload.ashx?moduleinstanceid=12970&dataid=15588&FileName=Absent%20Mother%20in%20Lear.pdf

Double plot.

Lear makes a decision

Gloucester is actively hoodwinked

Was Lear angry before the play started? Did this affect his decision to split the kingdom.

Two mistakes:

Splitting the kingdom

Rejection of Cordelia

What begins metaphorically becomes literal in Lear

Figures of speech become horrible visual truths

King Lear has mommy issues, he gave his daughters positions of power and expected undying love from them.

The depreciation of women

Parents are treated like children.

The sisters infantilize Lear.

Lear has a lack of control.

I like Edmund

What if Goneril is actually concerned about the kingdom? Like she is still manipulative and is often cruel/dishonest to her father, but she could simply be seeking to make her world a better place

We don’t actually know if the knights were bad

QUANTIFIED LOVE – love is often spoke about in terms of numbers

Taking away the knights = taking away the power

Lear does not understand the implications of his words nor actions

What is Lear when he is not King Lear?

He turns out to be nothing, but then he learns that nothing is everything

Gloucesters hospitality

Reversals

Cruel, bleak

Predators/prey

Young/children become predators

Old/parents become prey

Lear never gets a chance to right his wrongs

Biblical references

Nihilism

Lonely heroism of cornwall’s servant  

Loyal servant see’s better.

The fact that they are servants in a sense renders their words meaningless.

EDMUND’S SOLILOQUY ACT 1 SCENE 2

Explaining directly to the audience. Edmund talks to the audience a lot, more so than most other characters.

Talking to nature and gods. Also addressing a cultural issue, bastard children are put in a negative light. ‘Stand up for the underdog’ Energised speech, self starting, self made.

He has a plot, an invention, he is going to change things. This speech can be positive or negative, it depends on interpretation.

Up to something, has a scheme, he’s going to flip things upside down, top the legitimate. Inversion theme AGAIN.

“Must have your land”

Is he a figure of evil yet?

Rebel with a cause?

Wicked though he is, he is a theatrically appealing character.

Self invention. Nihilism.

Anti hero

He is a modern character, repelling fate. Humiliation.

His own father is embarrassed by him. He is acknowledged, just not given an inheritance.

Figures of negative energy are popular figures, he is a vice.

Fascination of evil.

Luciferium

Paradise lost?

We understand why he is doing this, he feels wronged. Blame assigned.

He suggests that bastards are not only as good as legitatments, but better. “Legitimate is boring’ more energy went into creating me. Rousing speech. “Good sport in his making”

There was energy put into his creation, so Edmund is an energised character.

KING LEAR

Loss of faith has allowed him to discover his humanity

Coming to terms with mortality

Over 80 years old.  – Decided to ‘retire’ Lear was NOT abdicating the throne, nor giving away all of his power, he was simply spreading it around. Slowly withdrawing.

When people age, they decline mentally and physically. But NOT emotionally. Lear found it hard to handle his emotions because his mental stability was in flux. Expression was harder.

The nature of his kingship, relationship with gods and how it changes, his decrepity and ability to control himself physically and mentally. He’s a man who hits people, he bully’s. Reason why his daughters become bullies and turn on him. Like father like daughter. INVERSIONNNNN

He has tremendous willpower and certainty, like Cordelia.

The play is not concerned with the past.

Two wives?
One for two elders
One for Cordelia

Lear loves Cordelia the most

First wife is of Goneril and Regan

Second for Cordelia.

I think that Cordelia’s mother died in childbirth and Lear brought her up himself. This contributes to why he was so blindly upset by her absence of words when asked how much she loves him.

Deals with the interrelationships in families

Problems that people face today

When young people or young children become parents to their parents

Love isn’t just a pure beautiful energy it can also be quite destructive

King Lear betrays Cordelia

Goneril and Regan betray Lear

Edmund betrays Edgar and Gloucester

Ageing – betrayal of the body

Madness – betrayal of the mind

Justice is betrayed. Good characters die.

I pity Lear, he is a man who has lost absolutely everything. A man who went from the very top of the food chain, to the bottom.

He traded the ones he loved for the ones that he would grow to hate. His youngest daughter, Cordelia, was cast out after she failed to sate Lear’s hunger for self gratification and stroke his monstrous ego. Kent, his most trusted, devoted and loyal servant was also banished after trying to show Lear the truth. The level of self destructiveness that Lear demonstrates is astounding.

It’s obvious that many of the royal/noble families in the play are dysfunctional, it’s also obvious that this is a real world theme, that relates to a broad range of people today.

Act II Scene I

Kent remains fiercely loyal to Lear, even when he is not in the King’s presence. Unlike the other people in his life, Kent shows the utmost respect and constantly defends Lear’s honour/dignity when others try to degrade it. He puts his life and humility at risk for his master. Regardless of the consequences, I believe that we will continue to see Kent act in this way.

He has proven himself to be a loyal companion.

EDGAR’S SOLILOQUY SCENE III

http://www.shakespeare-online.com/plays/kinglear/kinglearaction.html

Edgar says that there is no hope for him as edgar, but there is as poor tom.

EDGAR, CORDELIA and KENT

All three are truly loyal and truthful to their masters/parents, but have been cast out.

Both Edgar and Kent take on disguises so that they can in some way reconcile/return

Evil deeds hurt those who are loyal

https://www.gradesaver.com/king-lear/study-guide/summary-act-ii

Lear often refers to his eldest daughters as different animals, such as ‘Serpent’, ‘Vulture’ ‘Fox’ or ‘Wicked creature’ these different names are references to their personalities and actions towards Lear. A serpent is poisonous, unsympathetic and a predator. Vultures are scavengers and pick at the bones of dead animals. They can often be seen circles overhead dead or dying animals. In Lear’s case, he sees himself as a wounded animal, being circled by his scavenger daughters.

The relationship between Lear and his eldest daughters is parasitic and self destructive.

Once they have what they want he is discarded and treated as though he is nothing but a lowly peasant.

The way that a character speaks is a reflection of their status. In the beginning, Lear speaks in iambic pentameter. He uses formal and sophisticated language to convey his messages to others. In later scenes, Lear’s speech becomes patchy, rushed, emotional and untidy. This shows his fall from grace.

To dishonour, offend or betray the King is a crime worse than murder.
Servants/followers are extensions of the King and should be treated as such by others. By placing Kent in the stocks, Lear has also been put there.

Seeing the truth, seeing the world for what it truly is rather than what we want it to be.

“A poor, infirm, weak and despised old man.” – Lear

He has pity for himself. It is a stark contrast from “The Dragon”

The fool encourages Lear to talk with his daughters and he says:

“No, I will be the pattern of patience; I will say nothing”

“Nothing will come of nothing” → if Lear doesn’t reach out, his situation won’t change. However, from previous action we know everything changes when nothing is done.

He will bide his time to show his power, but this is a mistake. Lear still hasn’t learnt his lesson.

“Since I was man Such sheets of fire, such bursts of horrid thunder…
I never remember to have heard.” – Kent

Lear has never experienced a storm like this. The world, as he knows it,  is in chaos such as he has never experienced.

Kent has never seen Lear in such a wild/untamed state.

“My wits begin to turn.” – Lear

Lear is commenting on his mental state. He is stating that he is falling into madness.

1.)

Difference between verse and prose, how is it being used?

Prose is normal language and is commonly used by those who are of lower status.

Verse is poetic and divided into stanzas, unlike prose which is written in paragraph form. Verse is also used by those of higher status. Prose has no rhythm, shows that their mental state is falling.

2.)

Significance of the storm?

Nature and weather play a huge role in shakespearean plays. The weather is tied to God. If the weather is bad, God is unhappy.

God is unhappy and creating this storm because the natural order of the world has been disrupted (King has usurped his throne to others, divided the kingdom).

“Thou think’st ’tis much that this contentious storm Invades us to the skin: so ’tis to thee; But where the greater malady is fix’d, The lesser is scarce felt. Thou’ldst shun a bear; But if thy flight lay toward the raging sea, Thou’ldst meet the bear i’ the mouth. When the

mind’s free” – Kent

“Poor naked wretches, wheresoe’er you are, That bide the pelting of this pitiless storm, How shall your houseless heads and unfed sides, Your loop’d and window’d raggedness, defend you From seasons such as these? O, I have ta’en Too little care of this! Take physic, pomp; Expose thyself to feel what wretches feel, That thou mayst shake the superflux to them, And show the heavens more just.” – Lear

“My wits begin to turn. Come on, my boy: how dost, my boy? art cold? I am cold myself. Where is this straw, my fellow? The art of our necessities is strange, That can make vile things precious. Come, your hovel. Poor fool and knave, I have one part in my heart That’s sorry yet for thee.” – Lear

“Blow, winds, and crack your cheeks! rage! Blow! You cataracts and hurricanoes, spout Till you have drench’d our steeples, drown’d the cocks! You sulphurous and thought-executing fires, Vaunt-couriers to oak-cleaving thunderbolts, Singe my white head! And thou, all-shaking thunder, Smite flat the thick rotundity o’ the world! Crack nature’s moulds, an germens spill at once, That make ingrateful man!” – Lear

Lear reflects the storm. His mind is violent and erratic.

Madness

Nature

Pride

There is an inner storm raging just as fiercely as the external one.

3.) Gloucester’s situation?

Only when he is physically blinded does Gloucester see the truth, an ironic and unfair turn of events.  

“All dark and comfortless. Where’s my son Edmund? Edmund, enkindle all the sparks of nature, To quit this horrid act.” – Gloucester

“O my follies! then Edgar was abused. Kind gods, forgive me that, and prosper him!” – Gloucester

“Upon these eyes I’ll set my foot.”

4.) A tempest is a violent/strong/windy storm this reflects Lear’s mental state which is chaotic and jumbled. Lear is losing his sanity. If you were to paint a picture of what’s inside Lear’s head, it would look something like dark storm clouds with blinding lightning and deafening thunder.

5.) How is Shakespeare using a mixture of imagery and the knowledge of the Great Chain of Being to show Lear at the height of his downfall. – Making references to animals as he tears his clothes off.

“Why, thou wert better in thy grave than to answer with thy uncovered body this extremity of the skies. Is man no more than this? Consider him well. Thou owest the worm no silk, the beast no hide, the sheep no wool, the cat no perfume. Ha! here’s three on ‘s are sophisticated! Thou art the thing itself: unaccommodated man is no more but such a poor bare, forked animal as thou art. Off, off, you lendings! come unbutton here.” – Lear

Lear is bringing himself closer to the ‘unaccommodated animal’ that he sees in Edgar disguised as Poor Tom.  Lear see’s no difference between man and beast.
Lear shows us that the only thing separating us from beasts and animals (the lowest things in the chain of being) is our possessions, the clothes we wear on our backs. Without these things, we are no different from the beings at the bottom of the chain. Lear has made this connection, and it drives him mad. Lear considers this ‘nakedness’ to be the true form of humanity. At this point, Lear has been reduced to nothing more than a lowly beast. Lear’s pride has momentarily disappeared. He used to pride himself in his status and his place in the chain of being, but now he is at the bottom.

Inversion of the great chain of being.

6.) No justice left scene.

Gloucester was a man who could easily see the good in things, but struggled to see the bad. He only saw the surface of what was really there.

Gloucester paid for his loyalty to Lear with his eyes.

For trying to do the thing, he was blinded. His kindness was his downfall.
Lear is showing the audience that any attempt to do the right thing or stay loyal to your cause is a weakness, that will be punished mercilessly.

Both Lear and Gloucester suffer tragedy before they can regain their sight in order to realise the truth of their mistakes. Gloucester loses his physical sight in order to realise the truth of his mistakes and Lear endures the loss of his sanity for his short-sightedness. Their blinded actions not only portray the lack of perception which they have of their children, but it also shows their lack of knowledge of themselves as characters. They don’t know who they are.

There is an inversion of justice.
The bad are rewarded for their misdeeds.

The good are punished for their valour.

This evokes an emotional response in the audience because it’s not just that there is no justice left in the world of King Lear, but ours as well.
We see men who profit from the suffering of others, who rise to the top through unjust means.

And those who follow their morals lag behind. Shakespeare is saying that, to get what you want sometimes you must be evil, you must do wrong in order to get it right for yourself.

Not only is this depressing, but to me it is angering. The world is unfair and cruel and there is nothing you can do about it, that’s just how it is.

King Lear reads/is interpreted differently now than it did in Shakespeare’s time. But an important factor in deciding if a book is good or not is its ability to remain relevant and coherent throughout the times.

Feminism, bastardy, sex before marriage, aging, mortality.

Justice always comes, be it at the hands of nature or man, it still comes.

King Lear is a tragic story, but in every tragic story; there is hope. I believe that in this play, hope takes a physical presence, in the form of  the character Edgar.

Edgar is the son of the Earl of Gloucester and in the beginning of the play, is lined up to take over his father’s title, land and wealth, as well as other assets when the time comes.

Speech changes – verse/prose (Act 4)

Edgar uses changes in speech to play different characters, routinely switching between verse and prose, as well as different accents.

Lear switches between verse – when he speaks of himself as king/tells the truth/says things that are insightful.

Speech conveys a character’s status.

“When we are born, we cry that we are come
To this great stage of fools.” – Lear line 181

Talks about how life in this world is an act, a performance.

“Through tatter’d clothes small vices do appear;
Robes and furr’d gowns hide all. Plate sin with gold,
And the strong lance of justice hurtless breaks:
Arm it in rags, a pigmy’s straw does pierce it.
None does offend, none, I say, none; I’ll able ’em:
Take that of me, my friend, who have the power
To seal the accuser’s lips. Get thee glass eyes;
And like a scurvy politician, seem
To see the things thou dost not.” – Lear line 164

We hide our faults and weaknesses with materialistic things.

When and why do they change?

Showing emotion – when a character is angry/sad/crazy

Speaking the truth/observing the truth

Speaking nonsense or madness

In madness there is often truth, when Lear is acting crazy/showing his madness his speech is in prose this is unlike when he is speaking the truth about the world, in these moments he speaks in verse.

King lear is a story of misogynism and filial ingratitude, as well as many other themes that present controversy in today’s contemporary world.