Act 3 Scene 4 Flashcards
(15 cards)
Metaphor representing Lear’s mental sanity vs the storm
“If thy flight lay toward the roaring sea,thou’dst meet the bear i’the mouth.when the minds free”
Analysis of “If thy flight lay toward the roaring sea,thou’dst meet the bear i’the mouth.when the minds free”
-Symbolises the incescwpable suffering and chaos in the play as nature has become hostile
-Personifies nature as wild and violent
-Bear i’the mouth is grotesque and immediate creating a visceral image of unavoida destruction
Quote showing the relationship between mental state and physical weakness tying into Lears own descent into madness and later physical decline
When the minds free,the body’s delicate
Quotes showing Lear’s realisation of his neglection of poverty in his country
“Poor naked wretches”
“Looped and windowless raggedness”
I have ta’en too little care of this”
Analysis of Lear’s realisation of his neglection of poverty
-Social Anagnorisis
-Lear recognises his own vunerability as a man
-Admits his own failure as a ruler marking a turning point from his previous arrogance
-Pity Lear for his realisation
-Frustration due to realisation being when he is not in a position of power
Analysis of “windowed ragedness”
Metaphor suggests that the poor are their own houses,their windows the holes in their rags
Quote showing that gods actions are shown through people in Lear and contrasting his previous pleading to the gods
And show the heavens more just
Quote showing Lear only understanding others through his own terms
Didst thou give all to thy two daughters
Analysis of “didst thou give all to thy two daughters?”
-A projection of his own guilt as he assumes Poor atom is too suffering due to the same tragic mistakes
-Universilation of betrayal in this new world,He assumes that filial ingratitude is not unique to him but is universal as even the poorest are victims of their children’s betrayal
-Confusion and obsession of his own tragedy shows how madness has blurred his perception of reality
-Mirrors poor Tom in this scene attempting to relate with him showing his fragility of status and power
Metaphor showing Lear’s daughters as having fed off him
Those pelican daughters
Quote showing Visual representation of Lear’s fall
“Off,off you lendings”
Analysis of “off,off you lendings”
-Symboljc rejection of the trappings of kingship and the false protections of social hierarchy realising that status means nothing against nature and suffering
-Physical manifestation of Lear’s philosophical breakdown aligning himself with poor Tom
-Reflects his descent into madness and the disintegration of his identity however paradoxically this madness brings about a kind of wisdom in Lear
-Mirrors earlier quote of thin line between man and beast
Quote showing breakdown in family order from act 3 scene 4
Our flesh and blood,my lord is grown so vile that it doth hate what gets it
Analysis of “our flesh and blood my lord is grown so vile that it doth hate what gets it”
-Breakdown of family bonds
-Turning upside down of natural order,natural order has been corrupted
-“Vile” suggests how the villains have become morally repugnant
Significance of Gloucesters ignorance of Edgar when he first meets him in act 3 scene 4
Shows Gloucester’s tragic blindness and also the blindness of the upper classes to the lower classes
