King Lear P1

King Lear P1

1. while lear initially appears to be nothing more than an arrogant, autocratic tyrant, we gradually realise he is essintially a noble, but tragically flawed character

2. our sympathy for lear must not blind us to the reality that he is very much the architect of his own downfall

3. from the opening scene, we are aware of a number of weaknesses in Lears character

4. Selfish, egocentric,arrogant,fiery and rash

   • reacts angrily to Kents efforts to make him aware of his own wrongdoing in relation to Cordelia

5. lears self-image underscores his arrogance. he sees himself as a fearsome 'dragon' whos 'wrath' is to be avoided

6. he disowns Cordelia because she refuses to pander to his ego and banishes Kent because he urges him to 'check this hideous rashness'

7. the rashness, which lear displays in the opening scene, is no isolated moral lapse

   • lear lacks self-knowledge and moral vision. in Regan words, lear 'hath ever but slenderly known himself'