English literature

King Lear by W. Shakespeare

Edmund - associate himself with nature, because he was born thanks to nature and love. Bastard son
of Gloster.

Pre-Christian epoque

Bastard, but thinking ‘’why ?’’ if he is the same.

That's why ‘’born thanks to love’’ not to some social rules like Edgar, son accepted by law born in
marriage, legitimate.

‘’Brand us with base’’ wicked character.

‘’Let me if not by birth, have lands by wit.’’

Became Earl of Gloster because of his lie, tricks and manipulation.

Tricked his father to hate Edgar (showed him a letter that Edgar want to kill him and share the land.)

Two sisters (Reagan and Gonriel) want to marry him.

Reagan's husband is dead and Gonriel's is about to be killed according to her will.

Edmund was killed by his brother Edgar in a duel in the end.

At the end wants to do something good ‘’despite of my evil nature’’, so he tells that Cordelia is about
to be hanged in prison to pretend it was suicide.

But anyway he was too late.

Edgar - son of Gloster, naive, vigorous, psychologically weak character.

Guide, avenger.

In the end might be the one, who might be the new king.

Husband of Gonriel (who was not happy taking part in this intrigues) inherited crown, but he asks
Kent and Edgar to help him to build new Kingdom.

But Kent states that he's too old.

The madness of king Lear

Series of shocks that are pushing him to madness:

 Gonriel treats him disrespectfully, not as a king, asking to get rid of his guard.
 Finds his envoy Kent locked, inconvincible that kings envoy can be treated in such way.
 Rejection from Regan to live with her and her support to Gonriel.
 Scene of storm, when he was outside because Gonriel and Regan locked the doors.
 Appearance and dialogue with P… Projecting his own problems.
‘’epiphany’’ - moment of understanding.
‘’They flattered me like a dog.’’
‘’Told me I had white hairs in my beard, but the (ere the) black ones were there.’’ = told
that he is old and wise.
‘’They are not men of their words.’’
‘’They told me I was every thing, but this is lie.’’
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In the beginning of the play he is sane and then his metaphors are hard to understand but
common sense was clear.
To Cordelia ‘’I know you do not love me; for your sisters have, as I do remember, done me
wrong: you have some cause, they have not.’’ = It is not true
Cordelia ‘’No cause.’’ = she forgave him before he apologised or even realised that he was
wrong.
Blind Gloster is able to see more without eyes.
‘’I stumbled when I saw.’’
Having eyes or mind clear (Lear and Gloster) does not guarantee that you will see
everything in the right way.
o ‘’Thou, Nature, art my goddess.’’
Edmund asked to help him do ‘’unnatural’’ things (betraying, lying, killing)
Nature = natural instincts (the strongest survive).
o ‘’Hear, Nature, hear; dear goddess, hear.’’
Lear saying after treatment of his daughters Regan and Gonriel = like ‘’God, can you see
this ?’’
How can something like this even happen ? Children should honour their parents.
Nature = religious perspective of humanity as a product of nature and love.

Lear is defenceless and vulnerable.

Yahweh (Явей) - almighty God, old-testament.

Job (Джоуп) – brutal, cruel, maybe unjust.

Old-testament gods expects to be praised just like Lear.

Job - become homeless and ill like a test of his faith. Not punished. But Lear is punished.

Job never complains, as he didn't done anything wrong.

But Lear did.

Fool - was the only one telling the truth. What is happening and what will happen. He disappears
when Lear understands the truth without him. Act 3.

‘’Now thou art (king, you) an O without figure…’’ (ноль без палочки).

In thunder Lear asks ‘’What is the cause of thunder ?’’ it is line from ancient play ‘’The Clouds’’ by
Aristophanes.

The idea of this play was that Zeus (God of Thunder) does not exist, so then ‘’What is the cause of
thunder ?’’ = ‘’Who will punish evil ?’’

Lear is hoping for justice to be done.

Is there justice in a play ?

Edgar says in the end that ‘’Gods are just and of our pleasant vices make instruments to plague us.’’
= they are punishing us for our bad characteristics.

‘’The dark and vicious place where thee he got, cost him his eyes.’’ = about Gloster ‘’he created/
produced’’.

References to just Gods.

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Cordelia innocence, honest, has ability to forgive.

Christianity princioles.

Unconditional love, shows no anger.

Lear is insane or there is afterlife. Critics has 2 versions.

Cordelia is dead but he sees her mouth talking.

Feudal order:

Hierarchy

Loyalty

Lear believes he’ll maintain his place in hierarchy and everyone will still be loyal to him.

Cordelia have loyalty to her father not because of his personal achievements, but because he’s her
father.

Kent is also loyal although Lear banished him.

Bourgeois order:

Equal opportunity

Competition

Individual achievement

Meritocracy

World of competition, no discrimination on base of birth.

Everything is according personal achievements not noble birth.

New order. Shakespeare embodies this order in wicked characters.

Medieval order, natural hierarchy.

Shakespeare seems to be nostalgic about old order.

Edmund has a point because he shouldn’t be treated like worthless even though he is bastard.