Lear and the Tragic Hero

Start with Lear as a tragic hero

The mind map King Lear as a Tragic Hero is a useful starting point. It sets out Lear’s high status, tragic flaw, suffering and growing self-awareness. It also considers sympathy for Lear and his late quest for redemption. Use these points to organize your first impressions of how the character is presented.

Next, look at King Lear - character. Its branches consider Lear’s pride and the way he measures his daughters’ love. Compare those details with the broader points in the first map. This can help you connect an idea such as a tragic flaw to a particular choice Lear makes.

Follow choices and consequences

Other maps take different approaches to Lear’s downfall. A map titled King Lear describes his rash decisions, his loss of power and his banishment of Kent. Another map with the same title considers his poor judgment, suffering and pride. Their different branches offer ways to think about the relationship between his choices and what happens to him.

The map on how far Lear is responsible for his own downfall focuses on the love test and its consequences. A map comparing Lear and Gloucester also considers tragic flaws and moral blindness. The rough-work notes in King Lear Tragic Hero Essay (rough work) offer another perspective on Lear’s status and how he sees himself.

Use quotations alongside the maps

The flashcards in King Lear’s Quotes pair character descriptions with quotations. After reading a map, use the cards to look for language that relates to an idea you have found, such as Lear’s pride or his treatment of others. You can then return to the map and consider how the quotation supports your reading.

This topic is a section of the King Lear unit in Literature. The resources give you different ways to explore Lear within that unit, from a broad tragic-hero overview to character details and quotations. Choose a map to explore and follow it with the flashcards.