Themes In King Lear & Hamlet

Themes In King Lear & Hamlet

1. Madness

   • King Lear
     • KL: Political Madness - rash actions dividing kingdom. Power hunger of Regan and Goneril.
     • Insanity cures Lear's moral blindness
     • Lear compares his madness to the torments of Hell & struggles to regain his wits
       • "o let me not be mad, not mad, sweet heaven."
     • Image of flowers - madness of King Lear
   • Hamlet
     • Image of flowers -ophelia's madness after death of her father and denyl by Hamlet

2. Nature

3. Betrayal

4. Good and Evil

5. Family Relationships