King Lear Notes Test

Question 1

When did Shakespeare die?

Answer 1

April 23, 1616

Question 2

When was Shakespeare born?

Answer 2

April 16, 1564

Question 3

What all was Shakespeare in his lifetime?

Answer 3

Author, playwright, poet, and actor

Question 4

How many sonnets and plays did Shakespeare write?

Answer 4

37 plays, 154 sonnets

Question 5

What three categories are plays typically divided into?

Answer 5

History, Comedy, Tragedy

Question 6

How many years did the story of King Lear originate before Shakespeare wrote his version?

Answer 6

400 years

Question 7

What ethnicity was Lear?

Answer 7

British

Question 8

British mythology refers to a “Lyr” or “Ler” who was the basis of a King Lear story by ______________ in _____ which Shakespeare used as a source as well as ________________ “Chronicle of England, Scotland, and Ireland”.

Answer 8

Geoffrey of Monmouth, 1137, Raphael Holinshed

Question 9

Shakespeare also “borrowed” plot and subplot ideas from ____________ “The Faerie Queen” and __________ “A Mirror for Magistrates” among others which he then interwove into the basic King Lear tale to create his own version, ignoring much of the older Monmouth storyline.

Answer 9

Edmund Spencer, John Higgins

Question 10

Shakespeare also “borrowed” plot and subplot ideas from Edmund Spencer’s “__________” and John Higgins’ “____________” among others which he then interwove into the basic King Lear tale to create his own version, ignoring much of the older Monmouth storyline.

Answer 10

The Faerie Queen, A Mirror for Magistrates

Question 11

Shakespeare also “borrowed” from a convenient contemporary true story of a gentleman of the court of __________ name ___________ whose daughters tried to have him declared insane in late ________ so they could legally take control of his estate. His youngest daughter, named _______, intervened on his behalf.

Answer 11

Elizabeth I, Sir Brian Annesley, 1603, Cordell

Question 12

___________ dies while defeating __________

Answer 12

Protagonist, Antagonist

Question 13

In _________, the protagonist is driven by desire to exact revenge, which leads to his/her demise

Answer 13

revenge tragedy

Question 14

The __________ is dominated by a fatal flaw in character, which leads to his/her downfall

Answer 14

tragic hero

Question 15

The tragic hero is held in high standing, making the downfall more _________ for the audience

Answer 15

tragic

Question 16

Parallel Plot Lines: Gloucester and his sons to…

Answer 16

Lear and his Daughters

Question 17

The world view that demonstrates the belief that the souls of all who take their lives will be __________- __________–

Answer 17

damned forever, punished for her wickedness

Question 18

The attraction between some key characters shows the attraction between like-minded individuals —>

Answer 18

It involves seeking in others for that which you possess in yourself

Question 19

Lear has _______ legitimate daughters

Answer 19

three

Question 20

Gloucester has ____ sons. Are they legitimate or not?

Answer 20

two, one is, one is not

Question 21

Evil is not confined either to _______ or __________. It can occur anywhere.

Answer 21

gender, being illegitimate

Question 22

In King Lear, appearances, rank, and how what others think influences our actions, are examined through relationships found in family and service:

Answer 22

Father and child
Nobleman and servant

Question 23

Even though we believe that what we look like and what we say are a reflection of who we are, Shakespeare, in King Lear, shows that appearances and words are ________ and ___________of the soul or the mind.

Answer 23

deceiving, not clear indications

Question 24

Even though _______ and ______ are of noble birth, they hardly show noble souls

Answer 24

Goneril, Regan

Question 25

Although ______ can hardly be considered to have a fair countenance, he does develop a most fair and loving soul.

Answer 25

Lear

Question 26

One of man's most persistent characteristics is the desire to _____________

Answer 26

organize the world about him so that he can understand and explain it

Question 27

The Elizabethans operated on TWO assumptions:

Answer 27

1. All activity takes place in a world with good moral order. 2. The universe is a Christian universe. Order has its source in God. There is also evil, and its source is in Satan, who revolted against the order of God, which subsequently brought about man's fall (from grace).

Question 28

In King Lear, Shakespeare offers a world where the_______ and _________ are intertwined, ________- and ________- are confused, and _____ - written and spoken - are deceptive.

Answer 28

natural (good), unnatural (evil); appearances, self-perception; words

Question 29

Much of the play deals with the characters’ failures to understand...

Answer 29

the intentions of the people around them

Question 30

The evil characters in particular make use of ______ and ______ to achieve their goals.Other characters assume disguises for _________.

Answer 30

deceit, lies; their own deception

Question 31

______ in the play can be reversed; that which appears to be good may be evil, while that which is evil may actually be good.

Answer 31

Moral values

Question 32

In Shakespeare’s tragedies characters often learn that _________ are deceiving.

Answer 32

appearances

Question 33

Blindness and Sight can also be considered...

Answer 33

foolish vs wise

Question 34

The Blindness and Sight theme can be directly related to the theme of...

Answer 34

Appearances vs Reality

Question 35

Some characters are describes as ______ to the realities of the world around them due to their ignorance, poor judgement, or lack of insight. Such characters are often referred to as _____for their inability to perceive reality correctly, while those with correct insight are described as _____.

Answer 35

blind, fool, wise

Question 36

Some characters as described as blind to the realities of the world around them due to their ____, _________, or _______.

Answer 36

ignorance, poor judgement, lack of insight

Question 37

_________ ensues as the "blind" characters peel away layers of deception to discover the truth.

Answer 37

Great suffering

Question 38

_________ is literally blinded when he is deceived by false appearances; ironically it is only when blinded that he ___________.

Answer 38

Gloucester, truly learns to see

Question 39

The Medieval concept of the __________ is at work in Lear. This view of the universe assumes that a strict moral order (having its source in ____) binds all of the _______ together.

Answer 39

Great Chain of Being, God, creation

Question 40

The strict moral order at work in Lear demands _____, _______, and _______, from all beings to those who are of superior rank in the "Great Chain".

Answer 40

love, honor, obedience

Question 41

The strict moral order at work in Lear demands love, honor, and obedience, from all beings to those who are of superior rank in the "____________".

Answer 41

Great Chain

Question 42

Woman must be obedient to _____. Children must ______ their parents. ______ must be loyal to the king.

Answer 42

men, honor, subjects

Question 43

______ seeks to destroy the order of the society by breaking the bonds of ______ and ______; the result is ______.

Answer 43

Evil, loyalty, love, chaos

Question 44

Evil is considered to be ________ because it opposes the __________.

Answer 44

unnatural, natural order of the universe

Question 45

In King Lear, notice how chaos is demonstrated through _________, _________, and the ___________.

Answer 45

tainted family relationships, political instability, mental deterioration of characters

Question 46

One of Lear’s greatest lessons results when he ______________________.

Answer 46

loses the title of “king” and discovers who he is as a human being.

Question 47

The play teaches us that we must all (especially those in power) have _______________.

Answer 47

compassion for those who live in misery.

Question 48

In fact, it is compassion and respect for other human beings that can be a/an ____________ in the world

Answer 48

active force for order and goodness

Question 49

Evil does what?

Answer 49

Dehumanizes

Question 50

The evil characters in the play are not _______ and this leads to their ______________ and ___________.

Answer 50

humane, moral degeneration, general chaos

Question 51

The evil are often portrayed as _________ or _________ as they seek personal advancement and live by the law of the jungle (survival of the fittest)

Answer 51

bestial, animal-like

Question 52

Shakespeare reminds us that our ____________ is what distinguishes humans from beasts.

Answer 52

capacity to act morally

Question 53

What may clothing and nakedness represent

Answer 53

loss of status or identity

Question 54

Clothing in disarray or nakedness can symbolize...

Answer 54

insanity

Question 55

_______ can represent the discovery of one's humanity, liberated from the trappings of civilization.

Answer 55

nakedness

Question 56

Bird and animal imagery: a recurring use of birds and animals to symbolize _____________.

Answer 56

human conditions and behaviors

Question 57

Often the animals to which humans are compared are ____ and _____ to denote the bestiality within human beings who give way to evil impulses.

Answer 57

dark, violent

Question 58

What are letters a recurring plot device for?

Answer 58

To help characters carry out evil deeds. Ironically, it is also because of these letters that the evil characters get caught

Question 59

Symbols - The Heath, The _____, The Castle, The ______, The ______.

Answer 59

Hovel, Coronet, Storm

Question 60

How are King Lear and Gloucester foils?

Answer 60

Old friends both betrayed by children neither has the wisdom to see through duplicitous love Lear's insanity leads to clear perception, Gloucester's loss of his eyes leads him to clear vision both reunite with faithful children just before dying

Question 61

How are Goneril and Regan foils?

Answer 61

Equal in evil neither sister has love for good beings both sisters are attracted to Egdmund neither possesses compassion for love exclusive thoughts of themselves actively feed on the wickedness of others

Question 62

How are Edmund and Edgar foils?

Answer 62

Brothers; Edgar is legitimate, Edmund is not Clear opposition of good and evil with good prevailing in the end As Edmund tries to push his father away, Edgar tries to protect his father from a distance

Question 63

How are Kent and The Fool foils?

Answer 63

Both try to speak the truth to King Lear; he is deaf to both of them Kent is part of the action until Lear's death; the Fool exits the play as soon as his usefulness is exhausted Although they belong to different classes, they both show equal honor and loyalty

Question 64

Most of Shakespeare's plays are written in ______

Answer 64

verse

Question 65

A character who speaks in verse is a _______ or a ___________.

Answer 65

noble, member of the Upper Class

Question 66

Most of Shakespeare's plays focus on what type of characters?

Answer 66

The noble or members of the Upper Class

Question 67

The verse form used is __________.

Answer 67

BLANK VERSE

Question 68

There is no rhyme in verse, but each line has an internal rhyme with a _______________.

Answer 68

regular rhythmic pattern

Question 69

The pattern Shakespeare liked most was _________.

Answer 69

iambic pentameter

Question 70

What is iambic pentameter?

Answer 70

10 syllable lines with accent on every other syllable

Question 71

Shakespeare sometimes found it necessary to do what so that the iambic pentameter would work?

Answer 71

remove a vowel