King Lear Flashcards
How is King Lear a paradoxical character?
He has a dual role as father and king that coincide throughout the play. When he makes decisions that affect the kingdom, they often affect his family
Why is it surprising that Lear is not in most of the play?
He is the eponymous tragic hero who is the centre of the play’s events
What quotation shows that people only obey Lears instructions due to his social standing?
“A dog’s obey’d in office”
How is Lear contradictory throughout the play?
Lear expects to still receive respect and treatment as if he was royalty, whereas in fact, he gives away his power and authority
What was Lear’s reasoning behind the ‘love test’ in 1.1?
His intention was to exhibit his authority and respect, though it resembled his vanity and moral blindness
How does Shakespeare present Lear to be lacking in judgement?
He has Kent point out his poor judgement: “empty-hearted”
Lears children are shown to know Lear better than he knows himself
What is Lears journey through anagnorisis?
He goes on a literal journey from his palace to dover, but also a spiritual journey from madness to poverty to redemption and then death
What makes Lear capable of a psychological comeback?
There must have been devotion and good will before the insanity
How is Lear presented as unwise before he even enters the play?
His plan to divide the kingdom is heard before he enters, which to an Elizabethan audience would prove insane
How doe we know that the folly as a result of dividing the kingdom was inevitable?
Lear knows it is inevitable himself: “that future strife may be prevented now”
How is Cordelia shown to be the favourite early on in the play?
Lear shows he loves her by pre-planning to give her the largest portion of the kingdom, he admitted this to Kent
What is a logical reason as to why Lear cursed Cordelia?
He believes he is deprived of his wish to give her the largest portion. This is out of proportion to her offence and is an example of Lear distributing justice poorly
How does Lear realise he used power incorrectly?
He has the vision of the corrupt magistrate and the corruption of justice. It is arguably a moment of anagnorisis but is not the most prominent example
What is the most prominent example of Lear’s anagnorisis?
When he faces the “pitiless storm” he realises that society is pelted by the brutality of powerful individuals
How does Lear view Poor Tom?
A “noble philosopher”, which an audience would see as insane. Lear associating himself with people like Poor Tom is an example of how the order is reversed
