King Lear – Tragedy

Dividing up the Kingdom

At the beginning Lear is King of Britain Lear is King of Britain Gloucester (pronounced Gloster) is a Duke Gloucester (pronounced Gloster) is a Duke Both are in high positions “halfway between earth and sky” Both are in high positions “halfway between earth and sky” This is a pre-Christian Britain This is a pre-Christian Britain

Lear’s 3 daughters Goneril and Regan tell their father how much they love him so they can get shares of the kingdom Goneril and Regan tell their father how much they love him so they can get shares of the kingdom Cordelia refuses to play the game Cordelia refuses to play the game

Gloucester’s two sons Edgar is older and legitimate Edgar is older and legitimate Edmund is younger and illegitimate Edmund is younger and illegitimate Edmund pretends that he has received a letter from Edgar suggesting treachery against Gloucester Edmund pretends that he has received a letter from Edgar suggesting treachery against Gloucester Gloucester is gullible and actually Edgar is, too – they both do and believe what Edmund tells them Gloucester is gullible and actually Edgar is, too – they both do and believe what Edmund tells them Eventually, Edgar is forced to flee because Gloucester believes Edgar has betrayed him Eventually, Edgar is forced to flee because Gloucester believes Edgar has betrayed him

King Lear is outside He is in a raging storm which is both external and internal because he is going completely insane He is in a raging storm which is both external and internal because he is going completely insane He is returning to nature He is returning to nature

Cornwall (Regan’s husband) pulls out Gloucester’s eyes on stage This is in revenge because Gloucester has gone out to see King Lear in his little hut and has tried to help him This is in revenge because Gloucester has gone out to see King Lear in his little hut and has tried to help him

Lots of plot Edgar, naked and pretending insanity, finds his father and leads him around Edgar, naked and pretending insanity, finds his father and leads him around His father, Gloucester, wants to commit suicide by jumping off the cliffs at Dover, His father, Gloucester, wants to commit suicide by jumping off the cliffs at Dover, Edgar helps him by letting him jump off a little bump in the ground Edgar helps him by letting him jump off a little bump in the ground Then Edgar pretends to be somebody else at the bottom of the cliff Then Edgar pretends to be somebody else at the bottom of the cliff

More plot Cordelia and her husband, the King of France, come to England to fight the other two sisters and rescue Lear. Cordelia and her husband, the King of France, come to England to fight the other two sisters and rescue Lear. They find Lear insane and try to heal him. He gets well enough to have a small reconciliation with Cordelia. They find Lear insane and try to heal him. He gets well enough to have a small reconciliation with Cordelia. Cordelia loses the war and she and Lear are taken prisoner. Cordelia loses the war and she and Lear are taken prisoner.

Cordelia dies (Edmund’s orders)

Everybody dies Edgar kills Edmund Edgar kills Edmund Regan dies of poison and Goneril commits suicide Regan dies of poison and Goneril commits suicide King Lear and Gloucester die King Lear and Gloucester die Edgar becomes King Edgar becomes King

Major themes Edgar, Edmund, and Gloucester – their plot and the issue of free will Edgar, Edmund, and Gloucester – their plot and the issue of free will Return to the debate between Edmund & Gloucester about responsibility for one’s actions Return to the debate between Edmund & Gloucester about responsibility for one’s actions Paganism and Christianity in the play Paganism and Christianity in the play Cordelia Cordelia “As flies to wanton boys” scene “As flies to wanton boys” scene Kent – “It is the stars” Kent – “It is the stars” Gloucester and his eyes Gloucester and his eyes How he begins actually to “see” How he begins actually to “see” “I see it feelingly” “I see it feelingly” Seeing as a major theme of the play Seeing as a major theme of the play It may go with the theme of reading letters It may go with the theme of reading letters

Wisdom and foolishness King Lear’s fool is wiser than he The fool tells him that he is the fool – and he is

Major themes, continued Interior = Exterior Interior = Exterior King himself is the land – divide the kingdom and the king loses his psychic integrity King himself is the land – divide the kingdom and the king loses his psychic integrity Storm scene: madness of nature & of Lear Storm scene: madness of nature & of Lear

Existentialism: What is “unaccommodated man”? Lear and the storm scene – Lear and the storm scene – Wheel of fortune – “I am bound upon a wheel of fire Wheel of fortune – “I am bound upon a wheel of fire Lear and the trial of his daughters Lear and the trial of his daughters The Fool and Edgar on the Great Chain The Fool and Edgar on the Great Chain Meta-theatre – “this great stage of fools” Meta-theatre – “this great stage of fools” this great stage of foolsthis great stage of fools

Lear comes to recognition? what Lear learns: his prayer what Lear learns: his prayer Unaccommodated man speech Unaccommodated man speech Unaccommodated man speech Unaccommodated man speech Lear turns around, anagnorisis (recognition) Lear turns around, anagnorisis (recognition) Lear turns around, anagnorisis (recognition) Lear turns around, anagnorisis (recognition)

Akira Kurosawa’s Ran Kurosawa’s version of King Lear = Ran, the fool: “Are there no gods?”, trailerthe fool:, trailer

Finally Great Chain of Being Great Chain of Being Parallel plots – or not so parallel? Parallel plots – or not so parallel? Edgar and existentialism and Early Modernism Edgar and existentialism and Early Modernism