Substance & Nothingness

Substance & Nothingness

1. moral structure of play has many parallels to biblical themes from OT - parable stating it is difficult for a rich man to enter heaven. only after L is stripped of his wealth, family and piece of mind is he able to find redemption.- through suffering - L is moved to feel compassion for others and he has a revelation about the imbalance of wealth inherent in a monarchy.

2. K & Edg also undergo this transformative process - gradually become dispossessed of material wealth & gain ability to appreciate the truly important things in life. They aksi gain an existential fortitude and a deeper connection to empathy.

3. 'Nothing, my Lord' - L mistakenly interprets C's modest claims as disrespectful and is unable to see the substance in her response, whilst her sister's flowery phrases mean nothing.

4. "Nothing will come from nothing" - (famous proverb) L echoes his admonitions of C at the beginning of the play, demonstrating that he still has not learned to differentiate between true substance and the illusory gratification of wealth and power. - once stripped of his outward trappings, L is reduced to his essence, F uses 'nothing' as both a negative and a positive concept. - ironic.

   • L takes away C's dowry in first act, leaving her with nothing - subsequently L is left with nothing later on in the play - he has no where to stay - example of 'nothing will come from nothing'.
     • Fool - often uses word 'nothing' to give advice to L. F asks L - 'can you make no use of nothing nuncle?'

5. To R & G - L was valuable when he controlled their inheritance and not that he has given i tot them he is worth nothing.

6. Once L has been reduced to poverty, L is able to have compassion for others for the first time; he begins to see what really matters. We gain a new appreciation of him.

7. L - moment of epiphany - 'O i have taken too little care of this!' - L challenges the notion that wealth is distributed according to merit/divine will. L urges the powerful to examine their own lives and reach out to those less fortunate. - tragedy and 'nothingness' made him aware of his own privileged position.

8. 1st scene - 'nothing' used by C & L in different ways causing a misunderstanding which advances the plot.

9. 'nothing' - also used to introduce subplot with G, Edm & Edg. When G questions Edm about the letter he's reading, he replies "nothing" - makes G want to read it more.

   • what Edm calls 'nothing' is what makes Edg forgo all his possessions, forsake his identity and become nothing in order to evade capture.

10. When does L stop being 'nothing' and become something again? - when he is left with nothing and comes to a point of realisation/epiphany? - too late? maybe he doesn't? - nothing is turned in to something with great constancy.

11. by becoming nothing = better person? yes for L and G, but not necessary for characters such as Albany, Edg. - Edg was reduced to nothing but has no epiphany. already good and 'seeing'.