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Theme of King Lear

Intro
1. In the beginning, we (the audience) see Lear as a hugely flawed character.
2. Opening scene: arrogant, morally blind, gullible and extremely rash
  1. Example of rashness: Disowned and disinherited his favourite daughter, Cordelia
    1. 'here I disclaim all my paternal care, propinquity and prosperity of love!'
3. Lear is utterly unappealing and unsympathetic in the beginning of the play
4. The audience eventually begins to see that Lear is the architect to his own downfall.
  1. Because of this our initial disapproval of Lear's character turns to sympathy as we witness his extreme personal suffering throughout the play.
    1. the audience ultimately sees Lear as ' a man more sinned against than sinning'
Pain and Suffering
1. Mistreatment by Goneril
  1. told her servants to disrescept him
    1. 'If you shall come slack of your former services , you shall do well'
  2. Disrespects him : gives out about the knights' manners and how Lear of his knights are disrupting the peace in her home
    1. Lear's response: 'are you our daughter?'
2. Mistreatment by Regan
  1. Leaves her house so she wont have to have him there
    1. The audience becomes extremely sympathetic for Lear here, because he is an old man left to wander out in the wilderness in the midst of a wild storm
3. Cordelia
  1. the audience carries immense sympathy for Lear when he is seen holding Cordelia's dead body in his frail arms
    1. Lear refuses to believe that she has died
      1. 'Cordelia, Cordelia, stay a little'
Lear's Transformation
1. Recognises his mistakes
  1. Banishing Cordelia
    1. 'I did her wrong'
  2. Dividing the kingdom
2. Becomes aware of the immorality around him
  1. becomes aware of corruption in high places
    1. 'Robes and furred gowns hide all'
3. Becomes wiser
  1. Finally sees his true self
    1. 'I am a very foolish, fond , old man'
4. Becomes kinder
  1. Regrets his failure to not look after the poo
    1. 'Expose thyself to feel what wretches feel'
Conclusion
1. Loyalty
  1. Kent: Returns to continue serving Lear even after being banished
    1. He even chooses to serve Lear in the afterlife: 'My master calls me I must not say no.'
  2. The Fool: Remains with Lear throughout his descent into insanity
  3. Gloucester: Risks his life to help Lear
    1. 'I would not see thy cruel nails pluck out his poor old eyes'
2. Sympathy
  1. The audience ultimately feels that Lear has paid the price for his personal failings early on in the play
  2. Shakespeare ensures by the end of this tragedy that the audience sees Lear's in the same light his most loyal would.
  3. We realise that ultimately Lear is the author to his own demise and because of this we view him as the victim not the villain.

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Theme of King Lear

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	Created by jaine nolan almost 7 years ago