King Lear

King Lear-Based on mythology about an 11th century, pre-Christian, warrior-king living in SW England.

In the play

Lear is a successful, semi-retired warrior king

We hear stories about his valor-his reputation proceeds him, as it did Othello. Though he find out near the end that the old man still has it …

Play/legend

Lear is about to retire. In order to decide how to split up his kingdom he asks his 3 daughters how much they loved him…

In the legends

First two responded they loved him exceedingly. The 3rd only as much as a daughter should. Other legends state that he went to live with his oldest daughter with 50 men, she allowed him 25, then he went to daughter 2 who only allowed 12 and then back… until he was alone. Later, his youngest daughter raised an army and took the throne after Lear’s death.

In the play

Goneril says she loves her father more than she can say. King Lear thanks her and gives her Third Prize. Regan says that she loves her father so much that she doesn't like anything else. King Lear thanks her and gives her Second Prize. Cordelia says that she loves her father exactly as a daughter should. King Lear goes ballistic and disinherits her, and banishes the Earl of Kent for speaking in her defense. First Prize is divided between the other two daughters.

Is Lear Mad?

Why have the contest?

There are political reasons that we will get into… (Cordelia has been courted by several nobles who will only marry her if she has land)

In order to prevent Civil War

King Lear has decided to retire and to divide his kingdom among his three daughters and their husbands. His stated intention is to prevent future conflict.

Oops

Guess what? It doesn’t work!

Zeitgeist

Problem of Lineage

Queen Elizabeth ---------> ??????No direct descendent to the throne of

England!

One possible event that may have influenced this play is a lawsuit that occurred not long before King Lear was written, in which the eldest of three sisters tried to have her elderly father, Sir Brian Annesley, declared insane so that she could take control of his property.

Following the Union of the Crowns, James VI of Scotland becomes James I of England. (Mary Queen of Scots?) One of his defining acts was to unify the United Kingdom. Fear and expectations of this diplomacy would have been heavy on the minds of Elizabethaners.

Pandemonium

The country is thrown into panic…

Imagine?

Themes…

Madness, Loyalty, War, Death, Family, Honor…

“Only a fool looks for logic in the chambers of the human heart”