King Lear

King Lear

1. Main Plot

   • The Fool
     • This amusing yet odd character reprsents honesty, truth and wisdom andcan be read as a representation of Lear's conscience
     • When few around Lear will tell him the truth he directly calls him a fool, however he seems reluctant to tell of these uncomfortable truths
       • 'Thy has little wit in thy bald crown when thou gavest thy golden one away'
     • Cordelia and the Fool may have been played by the same actor as they are never on stage at the same time
       • 'And my poor fool is hanged'
   • Goneril and Regan
     • Goneril is perceptive to Lears rash and unpredictable nature and recognises the threat to her rule in his semi retirement
       • Consumed with passion for power; poisons Regan out of jealousy and once she realises Edmund will not be King she then kills herself
       • Both are governed by self greed and obsessed with Edmund and his apparent 'power'
     • She suggests the blinding of Gloucester, views her husband as weak and commits adultery with Edmund
     • Regan displays a particularly vindictive nature at several times in the play
   • Cordelia
     • Name symbolises 'heart of a lion' as her character represents the embodiment of truel ove and virtuosity
     • She does not return until Act4 Scene3 and she forgives Lear without question and is compassionate to his plight
     • Leading an army she resembles the qualities of mercy, redemption and forgiveness
     • A happy ending could almost be in sight for the reconciled pair until Edmund bribes a guard to kill Cordelia. This gratuitous death of an innocent character is the real tragedy in King Lear
     • Lear subsequently dies of a broken heart as he loses the one thing he truly loved

2. Sub Plot

   • Gloucester
     • A powerful but flawed man and he endures the cruelties of an ungrateful child
     • Gloucester is dismissive about the 'sport' he had during Edmund's conception and immediately appears as a man of questionable morality, utterly blind to his own fault
     • Act 2 Scene 1; Gloucester acts rashly and fails to assess the situation and ascertain the truth, he disowns Edgar, oblivious to Edmunds plans states he will get him the inheritance
       • Like Lear he gives his child no opportunity to defend himself and is gullible to the lies of those who want his power
         • He continues to misplace his trust in Edmund and when he returns from helping Lear he is accused of treason and brutally assaulted Act 3 Scene 7; the plucking out of Gloucesters eyes reveals the brutal nature of the eveil protagonists
           • Gloucester falls into a state of depression at the thought of his treatment of Edgar and asks 'Poor Tom' to lead him to Dover so he can end his life. In the midst of his depression he articulates some profound wisdom on the nature of human society
   • Edmund
     • fabulously malicious, borderline sociopathic villian
     • As an illegitimate son, Edmund is bitter about his lowly 'base' position in society and perhaps if he had not been portayed as so evil could serve to comment on the injustice of society's attitude to illegitimate children
     • His treatment of Gloucester parallels Goneril and Regans treatment of Lear
     • When fatally wounded by Edgar, he undergoes an apparent change of heart, confessing what he has done to Cordelia but it comes too late to save both Cordelia and his moral compass
   • Edgar
     • Edgar succeeds temporaily to restore Gloucesters will to live and when he finally reveals his identity Gloucester is comforted to know that he has been forgiven. The shock of it all is too great and he seemingly dies of a broken heart
     • Mirrors Cordelia being loyal,honest and selfless
     • Pretends to be mad which feeds into the theme of 'reason in madness'. Shakespeare uses him as a choric commentator and social satirist of injustices at the time
     • Also becomes a catalyst for Lears madness inspiring Lear to strip away the vestiges of civilisation and see things as they are

3. Insight and blindness

   • Act 3 Scene 7; Metaphorical blindness meets physical blindness finally making him realise the truth
   • Whilst the whole 'jumping off the clif' scene may seem somewhat ridiculous to 21st century audiences, as an exercise in helping Gloucester see the value in living again, it is an amazing gift that Edgar gives to him
   • Lear moves from blind vanity and egotism to humble insight and understanding
   • The stripping off of his clothes is highly symbolic , we get the sense that the old Lear is leaving while the new improved Lear emerges

4. Lear

   • The childish 'love test' is evidence of Lears dual flaws of pride and vanity especially as it does not go as he planned
   • Thrown out into the storm, Lear is reduced to the state of a beggar and as the storm rages around him a psychological storm rages in his mind as he ruminates on the actions of Goneril and Regan
   • Filled with self pity, still blaming others for his problems 'I am a man more sinned against than sinning'
   • An attempt by an old King to forestall any violent eruptons on his death has instead resulted in his own family line being cut off
     • The story demonstrates what happens when a man acts out of foolish arrogance without any foresight and moral judgement