Act 3 Scene 1

Question 1

lear fighting storm

Answer 1

“Contending with the fretful elements; bids the wind blow the earth into the sea.” – Knight

AO1 (Meaning):
Lear is trying to fight the storm as if he can control nature, symbolising his loss of control over power and sanity.
AO2 (Method):
Powerful elemental imagery; the phrase “contending with the fretful elements” reflects his futile resistance against nature and fate.
AO3 (Context):
Jacobean belief saw kings as natural rulers, so Lear’s powerlessness against the storm symbolises his fall from divine favour.
AO4 (Link):
Like Macbeth’s “tempest-toss’d” state, nature in Shakespeare often reflects mental and political disorder.
AO5 (Critics):
Some argue Lear is heroic in resisting fate; others say his rage at nature shows tragic delusion.

Question 2

white hair

Answer 2

“Tears his white hair.” – Knight

AO1 (Meaning):
Lear physically lashes out at himself — showing self-destructive grief and helplessness.
AO2 (Method):
Visual, tragic action; “white hair” symbolises age and dignity being violently torn apart.
AO3 (Context):
In patriarchal Jacobean society, older men were expected to embody wisdom. Lear’s self-destruction inverts this.
AO4 (Link):
This mirrors Gloucester’s later suffering and Edgar’s disguise — physical suffering reflecting emotional torment.
AO5 (Critics):
Critics debate whether Lear’s breakdown evokes pathos or shows his descent into irrationality.

Question 3

even dangerous animals are sheltered

Answer 3

“The night wherein the cub-drawn bear would couch, the lion and the belly-pinched wolf.” – Knight

AO1 (Meaning):
The weather is so severe that even dangerous animals are seeking shelter — but Lear, a human, is exposed to it.
AO2 (Method):
Zoomorphism and natural imagery highlight the extremity of the storm and contrast with Lear’s vulnerability.
AO3 (Context):
Shakespeare often uses nature to reflect emotional states — this also challenges the king’s place in the Great Chain of Being.
AO4 (Link):
Links to the idea of nature and nurture in King Lear — who is more human: man or beast?
AO5 (Critics):
Seen as part of Shakespeare’s environmental vision — nature becomes indifferent or even hostile when power collapses.

Question 4

a report of his pain

Answer 4

“How unnatural and bemadding sorrow the king hath cause to plain.” – Kent

AO1 (Meaning):
Kent explains that Lear’s sorrow isn’t just grief — it’s driving him mad because of how unnatural the betrayal is.
AO2 (Method):
Adjectives “unnatural” and “bemadding” link emotional pain directly to insanity.
AO3 (Context):
Disobedient daughters would have been seen as morally corrupt. Their betrayal breaks natural family roles and divine order.
AO4 (Link):
Similar to Hamlet’s line: “That it should come to this!” – family betrayal as psychological torment.
AO5 (Critics):
Some argue Kent is too loyal to see Lear’s faults; others see this line as validating Lear’s emotional breakdown