MIDTERM

King Lear is one of the numerous masterpieces written by one of the greatest,

maybe the greatest poet and dramatist of all time. William Shakespeare, born in

1564 was known for his surprising ability to create new ways of building poems

and plays. His technicity has no equivalent. Today's “Shakespearean Sonnets and

Tragedies” are widely studied across the world and new research, rewriting, and

adaptations (Ran by Akira Kurosawa, or King Lear by Peter Brook) are

constantly created. Among his plays we can list: Romeo & Juliet the most famous

one (1594) but also Hamlet (1599), McBeth (1606), and my personal favorite
The Tempest (1611).
King Lear is based on a legendary king named Leir who had a similar story. The

first appearance of the legend comes from Geoffroy de Monmouth.

This tragedy tells the story of an old king who decides to give away his power to

his 3 daughters, Goneril, Regan, and Cordelia. Because of her honesty, the latter

gets banished and the kingdom is then torn into two parts. Soon Lear’s eldest

daughter rejects him from their home. He goes mad and a storm begins. Later,

Cordelia, the Banished comes back with an army to support her father in getting

back to the throne but they lose; Cordelia and Lear get captured. At the end of

the play, Lear’s daughter dies as well as other characters.

The excerpt takes place at this moment when Lear is carrying Cordelia’s body,

who has been executed. The messenger sent to stop this was late. Lear starts to
grieve over her body. Kent tries to speak to his king but Lear barely recognizes

him. Another messenger enters claiming that Edmund died.

Through this passage, I will try to explain to what extent the concept of justice

whether divine or not can be applied. First and foremost, I will show that even if

the entirety of King Lear's story is based on his decision of banishing Cordelia

because of his own ego, the character of Lear tries to find repentance and has to

endure folly, loneliness, and loses. Then I will try to show the lack of logic, and

meaning in this scene, possibly leading to a Nihilistic point of view. Finally, I

think that it is important to consider the concept of Nature and its omnipresence

throughout the play and the link it has with the representation of death.

-I- Lear’s evolution from a supposedly wise man who takes foolish decisions to a
fool with some sort of clarity

A] Lear the King

- A reminder of Lear’s actions and attitude before the studied scene.

He is cursing his daughter, is violent, and rude to other characters.

- Similarities with Gloucester

- Kent’s loyalty until the very end

 - “Break heart, I prethee break”, he is devastated and refuses

power and title.

- “My master calls me”, Maybe he is going to commit suicide

B] Lear the Desperate Father

- Lear regrets the death of Cordelia and everything he has done to

her previously

- “My poor fool”, The original foolishness is dead as well as

the fool he was. Is he sane again?

- Alternating between rationality and irrationality, the step-through

death