King Lear Set A’s second text depicting Regan’s words and Set B’s passage concerning Goneril and Regan’s dialogue are the context from which this comparison essay is based on. The passages in question as written by Shakespeare illustrate a variation of dramatic situations where they each invoke a different kind of empathic response from the readers. However, despite their being in the same excerpt, they have various differences and similarities according to the language use, what they reveal concerning the orator, their contexts, meanings, as well as how they affect the readers. As such, the following essay is an analytical outlook on what and how these differences and similarities function to improve the story. Firstly, the two essays despite …show more content…
For instance, if we were to take the first passage between King Lear and Regan’s dialogue at face value, then the fact that Regan is subservient would be the only thing that is clear. In hindsight, it would be a false observation since in truth, Regan is conniving and sly as he showers the king with flattery when he hides ulterior motives. The aspect that is clear in Regan’s words in this part of the passage is his modesty. It is further emphasized in the same passage by the reactions he gives when King Lear gives land to him and Cordelia is all that would be seen. In contrast, the second passage in which Goneril and Regan are in discourse, some aspects of the deeper meaning would be lost to the reader if it were to be taken at face value. From a straightforward perspective, the statements by Goneril concerning his own father could be seen as basic perpetration of actual facts. These are: his old age, his irritable behavior and his love for Cordelia more than he did …show more content…
The contexts under which these issues are raised shows Shakespeare’s understanding of human emotion and conduct through actions, which he does through vibrant three dimensional characters who have their own wants and beliefs. Each character has been made relatable to certain audiences and as such, the novelty of the play is not lost to the reader as a passive play would have been; passive in the sense that the characters would not be developed in a deep way that would make readers think and try to solve the plot’s mystery and characters’ plans themselves. Both passages tackle the thematic concerns of the play albeit in different ways. The themes of devotion, selfishness and false love are clear in the words and actions of the characters in question from both passages. Regan’s false devotion to King Lear through his words where he pledges his happiness to the king’s actions and emotional state is clear throughout the passage as well as in the rest of the
Shakespeare creates a tragic tone through characterization and juxtaposition. He defines natural law and sets it apart from social law, but Edmund mistakes one for the other and falls from power, revealing his hamartia. Shakespeare establishes Edmund’s motives by highlighting his bastardy. Both of Gloucester’s sons are his by nature, but society has made the difference between the two.
...ough dishonesty that Lear finally has an epiphany and acknowledges to himself that he is “old and foolish” when he banished Cordelia but the tragedy is that the errors of his ways comes too late. In the play, Shakespeare’s message to the audience is that being dishonest is a human trait but can lead to tragic consequences. In both Williams’ plays, the playwright uses symbolism such as a Chinese lantern and the “old dress” to present the issues of dishonesty and its aftermath. However, in contrast to Shakespeare, Williams does not give his characters an opportunity to redeem themselves of their falsifications and the audience is aware of dishonesty having a negative impact on others. Therefore, the authorial intention in all three texts is relevant today as it was in their time and presents the idea that in the long run, dishonesty does not lead to any gratification.
King Lear, a tragedy in which Shakespeare exhibits most fully his literary complexities, is surprisingly the least popular of the famous four. In spite of this, it is indefinitely the most talked about. For many this is Shakespeare's most profound tragedy, one of the greatest plays ever written in any language at any time. It throws up questions, which remain as perplexing now as they were to Shakespeare's earlier critics. And although thoroughly studied, the original story line has remained unchanged for centuries, even though many attempts have been made to alter it. In the twentieth century a range of conflicting views on King Lear emerged, a major development in Shakespearean criticism came with the publication of A.C Bradley's Shakespearean tragedy in1905. He focused on character and motivation and worked new angles previous critics never imagined and this set him apart from the rest. For Bradley a Shakespearean tragedy is the tragedy of an individual who suffers as he comes to terms with his personality.
These mistakes leave The King in a highly vulnerable position, and surrounding characters, particularly Goneril and Regan, mani... ... middle of paper ... ... e appropriate action. Even so, he certainly suffers more than Lear. One cannot help but feel sympathetic towards King Lear in his times of misery and madness, but there is always the shadow of his earlier egotistical antics that resulted in carnage.
Shakespeare, William. King Lear. As reprinted in Elements of Literature. Toronto: Oxford University Press. 1990.
have committed suicide by stabbing herself with a knife. This was not like every story that has a “happily ever after” ending. Cordelia had been killed by her own sister’s plots and so was her father King Lear. Goneril and Regan were both liars and scornful, they had planned to kill their own family members just to get what they pleased for.
King Lear is often regarded as one of Shakespeare’s finest pieces of literature. One reason this is true is because Shakespeare singlehandedly shows the reader what the human condition looks like as the play unfolds. Shakespeare lets the reader watch this develop in Lear’s own decisions and search for the purpose of life while unable to escape his solitude and ultimately his own death. Examining the philosophies Shakespeare embeds into the language and actions of King Lear allows the reader a better understanding of the play and why the play is important to life today.
“The image of family life in the play represents a different story of experience” (McFarland 3). There was not a happy ending to King Lear and I believe Shakespeare used this to show people that evil does exist in the world. He also shows that when the allocation of power arises, people will go to above and beyond to get what they want. Goneril’s lust for power was satisfied from scene one, but the lust she had for Edmund never was satisfied—even until her death. “Goneril and Regan are vicious and unfaithful to each other” and Goneril is the one who turns on her sister and the alliance they both had in scene one was destroyed (Cohen 5). Through reading King Lear the audience is able to see how Goneril was willing to give up her kingdom for the desires of a man that was not faithful to her. Shakespeare shows the reader that eventually, evil will turn upon
At first, Shakespeare portrays King Lear as an arrogant man whose only concern is himself; Lear has no problem relishing in his title and power as ruler, but has trouble carrying out the responsibilities of a king and doing good for his people. With this mindset, Lear manages to
TITLE When going through a deception by those that are close to an individual, the individual may undergo many changes. William Shakespeare depicts this idea through his tragedy, King Lear, where the main character King Lear goes through a deception by his daughters and is changed after realizing it. At the beginning of the play, King Lear is an old man who puts trust into his daughters to take over his kingdom and is blind to their true intentions, which do not include giving their father the respect he deserves. The speech King Lear makes in act three scene four depicts the change he undergoes by showing his social change and acceptance while he is in a storm with a group of homeless people and a fool.
The impeccable style and craft of Shakespeare’s writing has always been looked upon with great respect, and it continues to serve as an inspiration to writers and thinkers today even as it did when it was being first performed in London. Shakespeare’s modern audience, however, is far less diverse than the one for which he originally wrote. Due to the antiquity of his language, Shakespeare’s modern readership consists mostly of students and intellectuals, whereas in Shakespeare’s own time, his plays were performed in playhouses packed with everyone from royalty to peasants. Because of this, Shakespeare was forced to write on many different levels, the most sophisticated of which appealed to his more elite audience members, while the more straightforward and often more crude of which appealed to his less educated viewers, and the most universal of which still appeals to us.
Goneril and Regan won over the kingdom by lying and exaggerating their love for their father because of greed. Lear travels to spend his first part of his retirement with his daughter Goneril. With him travels his fool and Kent disguised as Caius to follow Lear because he knows he is making the wrong decision. Because Gonerils love for her father is fake and insincere, she does not want him there and makes it so that he is treated terrible by her servants. Lear begins to see the greed, dishonesty, and evil in his daughter, Goneril, and leaves, outraged, to visit his other daughter Regan believing...
...caused Lear to curse Goneril and Regan for not caring for him but for ruining his life. Goneril and Regan selfishness for power overwhelmed them leading to their lies of their love for their father and his power would never be returned so they could inherit all of his power.
As observed in the play, the presence of both morally ambiguous characters and downright evil characters work to create an interesting dynamic. Despite seeming rather one dimensional, the antagonists of King Lear still prove to be compelling characters due to their motivation towards their ultimate goal and their roles in the play’s primary conflict. Thus, not every fictional character is required to have a conscience for the sake of complexity. Even though the capacity to feel remorse is present in virtually every human, this ultimately need not be the case in fictional
Shakespeare, William, Barbara A. Mowat, and Paul Werstine. The Tragedy of King Lear. New York: Simon & Schuster Paperbacks, 2009. Print.