AO4 L

AO4 L

1. The Monarchy

   • King James VI was on the throne
   • Great Chain of Being- The idea that the King was second only to God.
     • ‘Kings are not only God’s lieutenants upon earth and sit upon God’s throne, but even by God himself they are called gods.’
   • King James brought about the Unification of Scotland with England and Ireland. By showing the consequences of dividing the kingdom, Shakespeare may be giving his approval to the Unification
   • Goneril and Regan are married to the Dukes of Albany and Cornwall. These happen to be the titles of James' sons, Henry and Charles.
   • King Lear's other daughter is exiled to France, whilst James' daughter Elizabeth became Queen of Bohemia.
     • My heart, which was pressed and astounded at my departure, now permits my eyes to weep their privation of the sight of the most precious object, which they could have beheld in this world.
   • King James urged his son not to divide the kingdom.
     • ‘Otherways, by dividing your kingdoms, you shall leave the seed of division and discord among your posterity.’

2. The Fool

   • Mullini argued that Fools disrupt the conventions of society.
   • Shakespeare created a series of domestic Fool roles specifically for the player Robert Armin.
   • Examples of Fools in Shakespeare's plays include: Feste (Twelfth Night), Touchstone (As You Like It), The Gravediggers (Hamlet), Bottom (AMND) and Trinculo ( The Tempest).
   • Natural Fools: People who are genuinely mentally ill or have learning disorders.
   • Artificial/Professional Fools: Were quick witted and used this wit to point out social flaws.

3. Elizabethan Theatre

   • King Lear was written 1604-1606

4. Greek Stuff

   • Catharsis
   • anagnorisis
   • hamartia
   • hubris
   • Aristotle

5. London Life

   • Machiavelli wrote "The Prince", whose message seemed to be that the end justifies the means.

6. Clothing in King Lear

7. Madness

8. Suicide

9. Shakespeare Himself

10. Violence

    • Ekkyklema: A theatrical device which can portray the aftermath of violence, without showing the actual violence.
    • Theatres weren't allowed to show an act which brought about death on a human or animal- for religious considerations.
    • They weren't allowed to witness a person inflicting a blow on another person, based on artistic considerations.
    • Thus, violence was presented verbally (by a messenger or through exposition) or via the aftermath.