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King Lear. Tragic-Comedy. Shakespeare considers it a tragedy for the reasons that the main character leads to his own downfall. But – it has so many sections of comic relief - Audiences can laugh at Lear for awhile because he causes his own downfall from his own greed or vanity. Gore.
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Tragic-Comedy • Shakespeare considers it a tragedy for the reasons that the main character leads to his own downfall. • But – it has so many sections of comic relief - Audiences can laugh at Lear for awhile because he causes his own downfall from his own greed or vanity
Gore • Like in The Scottish Play – the gore is almost overwhelming and reminds the audience that this is a tragedy. Even though we have men running around naked with branches in their hair and fools are twisted to be the wise ones, the tragic elements make it more so.
Women • Again – offering an extremely harsh look at the women in the play. They end up being villainous on a new level that rivals Lady Macbeth. They add to the unnaturalness of the chaos in the middle of the play.
Lear • An easy tragic hero for his downfall, and he falls so low, truly becomes a pitiful situation. • Lear causes this himself • Lear leaves the audience in sadness
Nothing • The motif – nothing – is important in the play • Lear is the epitome of being left with nothing • From nothing comes a lesson in morality
The Fool • The wise fool – the fool is the one who knows the most in the play and he is who can be trusted.
Edmund – the bastard • Symbol of revenge • Almost understand his motives
Edgar – the good son • Trusting and dupped by the villains
Gloucester • Probably the character, excepting Cordelia, who is granted the most sympathy in the play. • Horribly mistreated at the hands of Goneril and Regan.
Stage Directions • Many stage directions so that the audience can understand Lear’s dissent into madness. • Shakespeare doesn’t usually exert control over his plays by providing indepth stage directions
Arouse Response • All emotions are involved in King Lear • The response is aroused through several characters and events – from the beginning sympathy is created for the character of Cordelia as she does the correct thing and doesn’t merely flatter her father. • Then as Lear descends – sympathy and laughter and a bit of comeuppance are created through his situations
Arouse Response II • Gloucester is used as a device to bring the audience back to the point of the play and also to arouse further sympathy. • Several aspects of human nature are explored and make King Lear a more encompassing play than many others.
Ask Yourself • How do characters reflect human nature in plays? • Are some dramatic productions one-sided or do they explore many sides of human nature? • How are they explored – shock, pity, fear, gore, etc… • Do they uphold values that people want to believe in?
How is drama a great vehicle to communicate the human condition? • Why do we like dramatic productions? • What is the inner meaning of life that the productions try to expose?
For Act I – As you read • Write down six aspects of human nature that are revealed in Act I – think about the different characters motives • Through what characters • How are these revealed – what does the character do or what is said about him or her • What one character makes the most pronounced or memorable statement of the way people behave and why • What one character will you remember from this act and why
