SCENES Flashcards
(26 cards)
1.1
- King Lear announces his intention to divide his kingdom into three and asks which of his daughters loves him most.
- He banishes Cordelia and splits his land between his other two daughters.
- Cordelia becomes the Queen of France and Kent is banished from the Kingdom.
1.2
- Edmund is plagued by societal views on bastards.
- In parallel to Lear’s actions, Gloucester is deceived by his son Edmund.
- He then doubts the loyalty of his legitimate son, Edgar.
1.3
-Goneril complains to her steward Oswald about Lear’s behaviour
-It’s revealed that Goneril and Regan have bonded together.
1.4
-Kent disguises himself as a servant to Lear
- When Lear asks Oswald where Goneril is, Oswald rudely leaves the room without replying. Oswald’s disrespectful replies to Lear’s questions induce Lear to strike him.
-Kent steps in to aid Lear and trips Oswald.
-Fool appears and tells Lear the truth
-Goneril appears and tells Lear that his knights have to go
-Lear disowns Goneril and ready’s the horses to go to Regan’s
-Goneril argues with her husband
-She says that she has written a letter to her sister Regan, who is likewise determined not to house Lear’s hundred knights.
1.5
-Lear sends Kent to deliver a message to Gloucester.
-The Fool needles Lear further about his bad decisions, foreseeing that Regan will treat Lear no better than Goneril did.
-Lear calls on heaven to keep him from going mad.
-Lear and his attendants leave for Regan’s castle.
2.1
-Curan tells Edmund that he has informed Gloucester that Cornwall and Regan are coming to the castle that very night.
-Curan also mentions rumors about trouble brewing between Cornwall and Albany.
-When he hears Gloucester coming, Edmund draws his sword and pretends to fight with Edgar.
-While Edgar runs away, Edmund cuts his arm with his sword and lies to Gloucester, telling him that Edgar wanted him to join in a plot against Gloucester’s life and that Edgar tried to kill him for refusing.
-The unhappy Gloucester praises Edmund and vows to pursue Edgar, sending men out to search for him.
-Cornwall and Regan arrive at Gloucester’s house. They believe Edmund’s lies about Edgar.
-Regan speculates further that these knights put Edgar up to the idea of killing Gloucester in order to acquire Gloucester’s wealth.
2.2
-Kent meets Oswald
-Kent abuses Oswald
-Oswald still maintains that he doesn’t know Kent; Kent draws his sword and attacks him.
-Oswald’s cries for help bring Cornwall, Regan, and Gloucester.
-Kent replies rudely to their calls for explanation, and Cornwall orders him to be punished in the stocks.
-Gloucester objects that this humiliating punishment of Lear’s messenger will be seen as disrespectful of Lear himself and that the former king will take offense.
-After everyone leaves, Kent reads a letter that he has received from Cordelia
2.3
-As Kent sleeps in the stocks, Edgar enters. He has thus far escaped the manhunt for him, but he is afraid that he will soon be caught.
-He states that he will pretend to be one of the beggars who, having been released from insane asylums, wander the countryside constantly seeking food and shelter.
2.4
-Lear is shocked by the fact Kent is in the stocks
-He learns from Kent that Cornwall and Regan put him there
-He asks to speak with them but they refuse as they say they are sick
-Lear complains to Regan about Goneril
-Regan says that she could’ve been justified
-Regan refuses to house Lear
-Goneril arrives and Regan supports her
-They little his knights from 100 to none
-Lear curses them and heads outside to the storm
-They shut the doors and leave him outside
3.1
-Kent looks for Lear
-He runs into a Knight and learns Lear is somewhere with the fool
-Kent tells the Knight that there is unrest between Albany and Cornwall
-there is spies for the French in the English Courts
-Kent tells the Knight to go to Dover
-Gives the Knight a ring and orders him to give it to Cordelia
-Kent leaves to search for Lear.
3.2
- Lear wanders around the storm cursing the weather
- he is slightly irrational
- the fool urges him to humble himself before his daughters and seek shelter indoors
- Lear ignores him
- Kent finds both of them and urges them to take shelter in a nearby hovel
- Lear finally agrees and the Fool makes a strange and confusing prophecy
3.3
- Loyal Gloucester recounts how he became uncomfortable when Regan, Goneril and Cornwall shut Lear into the storm.
- Gloucester tells Edmund that he has received news of a conflict between Albany and Cornwall
- he also tells of a French army invading and taking Lear’s side and now plans to go seek him out
- Tells Edmund that there is a letter with news of the French army locked in his room, he asks his son to go and distract the duke of Cornwall while he goes to search for Lear
- He says its important that Cornwall doesnt notice hes gone
- Gloucester leaves and Edmund rejoices
- He plans to betray his father immediately
3.4
- Kent leads Lear through the storm to the hovel
- Lear resists going inside as his own mental anguish makes him hardly feel the storm
- Lear sends his fool to take shelter
- Lear realises he took too little care of the poor and homeless
- Edgar appears disguised as Tom O’Bedlam.
- Edgar plays a madman complaining he is chased by a devil
- Lear sympathizes with Edgar asking if bad daughters have been the ruin of him too
- Lear asks him what he used to do before he was like this
- Lear tears off his own clothes in sympathy
- Gloucester comes in looking for the King
- He isn’t impressed by Lear’s companions and tries to bring Lear back inside the castle
- Kent and Gloucester convince him to go but he wants to bring Edgar.
3.5
- Cornwall vows revenge against Gloucester whom Edmund has betrayed by showing Cornwall a letter that proves Gloucester’s secret support of a French invasion.
- Edmund pretends to be horrified of his father’s treason
- Edmund is now the earl of Gloucester
- Cornwall sends Edmund to find Gloucester
- Edmund reasons to himself that if he can catch his father in the act of helping Lear.
3.6
- Gloucester leaves to find provisions for the king
- Lear holds a mock trial of his wicked daughters with Edgar, Kent and the Fool presiding
- Both Edgar and the Fool speak like madmen
- Gloucester hurries back to tell Kent that he has overheard a plot to kill Lear
- Gloucester begs Kent to transport Lear toward Dover where the allies will be
- Edgar remains behind for a moment and speaks in his own voice about how much less important his own suffering feels now that he has seen Lear’s far worse suffering
- Fool is hanged
3.7
- Cornwall gives Goneril the letter concerning the French at Dover and tells her to show Albany.
- He sends servants to apprehend Gloucester to be punished
- orders Edmund to go with Goneril to Albany’s palace
- Oswald says that Glocuester has helped Lear escape to Dover
- Regan and Cornwall mistreat Gloucester
- Cornwall digs out one of Gloucester’s eyes
- Regan demands the other eye
- One of the servants step in, the two fight
- Regan grabs a sword from another servant and kills the servant
- wounded Cornwall takes out the other eye
- Gloucester calls out for Edmund, Regan tells him that it’s him who betrayed him
- Gloucester realises Edgar was the one who loved him
- Regan and Cornwall orders Gloucester to be thrown out to smell his way to dover
- the servants express their shock and treat Gloucester’s bleeding face.
4.1
- Edgar talks to himself saying it cant get worst
- sees gloucester with no eyes led by an old man - servant for 80 years
- edgar still disguised as Poor Tom
- Edgar leads him to Dover as Gloucester requested
- he asks to be led off the highest cliff (kill himself)
4.2
- Goneril and Edmund arrive outside her palace without albany
- Oswald tells Goneril that Albany is displeased with Reg and Gon actions and that he’s glad about the french army
- Goneril citisies Albany and directs Edmund to Cornwall’s house for raising an army against the French.
- She bids Edmund goodbye with a kiss - strongly hinting for more
- Albany enters and criticises Goneril
- Messenger says Cornwall has died while taking Gloucester’s eyes out
- Albany is horrified by the blinding
- Goneril has mixed feelings about the death cause of Cornwall
- Albany demands to know where Edmund was when his father was being blinded
- he decides to take revenge upon Edmund and help Glouc.
4.3
- Kent speaks with a gentlemen in the french camp near dover and talks to them about Cordelia’s reaction to their letters
- Kent tells the gentlemen that Lear has arrived safely in Dover however he doesn’t want to see Cordelia because of shame
- Gentlemen says that both Albany and Cornwall’s troops are on the march
4.4
- Cordelia enters
- Lear has hidden from her in the cornfields - weeds and flowers round his head
- she consults with a doctor and they say he needs to sleep
- they are ready to fight
4.5
- Oswald tells Regan that Albany’s army has set out
- Regan is curious about the letter Oswald carries from Goneril to Edmund (he refuses to show)
- Regan tells Oswald that she wants him for herself and it makes more sense with Cornwall dead
- she promises Oswald a reward if he can kill Glocuester.
4.6
- Edgar leads Glocuester toward Dover
- Gloucester falls and Edgar pretends to be an ordinary gentleman.
- Edgar says that the Gods didn’t want him to die just yet
- Lear stumbles upon Edgar and Glocuester crowned with wildflowers (mad)
- Lear recognises Glouc.
- Cordelia’s people find King lear and Lear runs away
- Oswald tries to kill Gloucester but is killed by Edgar
- Oswald entrusts Edgar with his letters
- Gloucester is disappointed to not of been killed
- Edgar reads the letter (goneril wanting Edm. to kill Albany)
- Edgar decides to show it to albany when time is right
- buries Oswald and leads to Glouc. To temporary safety.
4.7
- Cordelia speaks with Kent
- Lear is brought out (sleeping)
- he partially recognises her
- Lear thinks Cord. is going to kill him but Cordelia forgives him
- Cornwall’s Death is repeated in camp and we learn that Edmund leads his troops
- battle rapidly approaches
5.1
- Regan asks Edmund if he loves Goneril and if he’s found his way into her bed. Edmund says nope
- Regan expresses jealousy or her sister and tells Edmund to stay away
- Goneril and Albany enter with their troops
- Albany declares he intends to fight with britain
- Goneril and Regan spar over Edmund
- Albany begins to leave but Edgar catches up to him and gives him the letter
- Edgar tells him to read it if he wins so he can sound a trumpet and Edgar will provide a champion to defined the claims he made in the letter
- Edmund addresses the audience and says he’s sworn love to both - puts off decision until battle over.
- He says he will show Cordelia and Lear no mercy
