William Shakespeare uses his play, King Lear, to explore the consequences of a monarch making a poor political decision in choosing their heir. The recent events within England associated with the passing of Queen Elizabeth I and the uncertain future the kingdom faced with their new ruler, King James I, can be compared and contrasted with the choosing of an heir within King Lear and the outcomes each situation. King Lear is meant to display the drastic negative consequences of such an important decision that weaken a kingdom while the real world situation turned out to be not nearly as morbid and displayed how a wise ruling choice could strengthen multiple kingdoms.
King Lear was written in 1604, one year after the death of Queen Elizabeth I of England and Ireland. Despite the turmoil brought to the kingdom by her father and elder half-sister in their reigns through their religious persecutions of Protestants and Catholics respectively, Elizabeth was a steady and strategic monarch who led England through many years of peace. Most amazingly, she led England through this peace alone with no man at her side. To Elizabeth relationships with the male population seemed to be more political tools used to create alliances than prospects for marriage. As a result of her views Elizabeth was never wed and never gave birth to any children. When she died she had no heir to pass the kingdom on to, which was a very worrisome idea for her subjects. Traditionally the throne would be passed down from each monarch to their firstborn son, and only to daughters when no sons were left, but Elizabeth had no family whatsoever to naturally succeed her. The only thing that was certain before an heir was announced was that the throne would be leaving her f...
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...es would not dare attack England and Ireland as they had attempted in her rule because they would know that King James would have Scotland to bring further support. Likewise Scotland was safer with the support of England and Ireland. Divided they were vulnerable, but united they were protected.
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King Lear has been in a position of authority and superiority. This position shapes King Lear into a man full of pride. However, as King Lear’s age grows, his emotional needs also grows. It is the false pride of Lear that blinded him with his emotional needs. King Lear behaved rashly and irresponsibly at the start of the play. Deep within Lear, he realizes that it is time for him to retired from this position of honor. Despite this realization, Lear’s pride keeps him from letting go of his power. King Lear wants the title and treatment of a king, but he does not want the work and obligations of the position. Therefore, when he makes the choice of letting his daughters to govern the kingdom, it foreshadows the strapping away of his p...
In conclusion, the social hierarchy in King Lear is one that values land and royalty by marriage. The desire to obtain either of the two was so great in the characters of Edmund, Goneril, Reagan and Cornwall that they were willing to go against the hierarchy itself and abandon all notions of morality. It was the actions of these four characters combined that brought about the destruction of the royal family and the downfall of Lear’s kingdom.
Crawford, Alexander W. Hamlet, an ideal prince, and other essays in Shakesperean interpretation: Hamlet; Merchant of Venice; Othello; King Lear. Boston R.G. Badger, 1916. Shakespeare Online. 20 Aug. 2009. (April 30 2014) < http://www.shakespeare-online.com/plays/othello/othelloessay2.html >.
She is ruthless, impatient and power thirsty. She manipulated Macbeth and ate away at his weak mind until he could take no more.... ... middle of paper ... ... He was blinded by the idea of him being untouchable and having everlasting power.
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middle of paper ... ... yman, Norfolk Marsh, Nicholas, “Shakespeare: The Tragedies” 1998 Macmillan Press, London Rehder, R.M, “York Notes: William Shakespeare: King Lear” 1980 Longman Group, Essex Websites and Online Resources BBC Education – King Lear (various authors, none cited.) http://www.bbc.co.uk/education/bookcase/lear/info.shtml#from Revolinski, Elaine 2002 http://drama.pepperdine.edu/shakespeare/lear/elaine/cordelia.htm RSC – Online Play Guides, King Lear (various authors, none cited.) http://www.rsc.org.uk/home/344.asp Schneider, Ben Ross, Jr.
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... any children at all in Shakespeare’s version of the play. Rather than killing herself later as a result of imprisonment by the new dukes of Albanie and Cornwall, Shakespeare omits several years and her two nephews, and Cordelia still meets the same end, but at the hands of her own generation. Shakespeare’s King Lear takes the story told by Holinshed and adapts it to his needs to create a more thoroughly tragic story.
King Lear, the protagonist of the play, is a truly tragic figure. He is driven by greed and arrogance and is known for his stubbornness and imperious temper, he often acts upon emotions and whims. He values appearances above reality. He wants to be treated as a king and to enjoy the title, but he doesn’t want to fulfill a king’s obligations of governing for the good of his subjects.
No tragedy of Shakespeare moves us more deeply that we can hardly look upon the bitter ending than King Lear. Though, in reality, Lear is far from like us. He himself is not an everyday man but a powerful king. Could it be that recognize in Lear the matter of dying? Each of us is, in some sense, a king who must eventually give up his kingdom. To illustrate the process of dying, Shakespeare has given Lear a picture of old age in great detail. Lear’s habit to slip out of a conversation (Shakespeare I. v. 19-33), his brash banishment of his most beloved and honest daughter, and his bitter resentment towards his own loss of function and control, highlighted as he ironically curses Goneril specifically on her functions of youth and prays that her
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Bradley, A.C. “King Lear.” Shakespearian Tragedy. Lectures on Hamlet, Othello, King Lear, and Macbeth. Macmillan and Co., London, 1919. Project Gutenberg. Web. 26 Apr. 2015.