AP Sem Final Exam King Lear

(3.1) Where is the king and what is he doing, according to the Gentleman’s description? Lear is on a mountain shouting at the sea to flood the earth. He wants to see the world to turn to chaos. He is continually calling for the end of the world
(3.1) In addition to the split forming between Albany and Cornwall, what other event of military significance is happening? What does Kent ask the Gentleman to do, and what does he give him? Where will Kent go? Kent tells the Gentleman that the King of France has sent troops to Britain. Kent asks the Gentleman to go to Dover and tell the people about Lear’s madness and suffering, specifically Cordelia. He continues to tell the Gentleman that if he sees Cordelia, to give her a ring that represents Kent’s identity. Kent separates from the Gentleman to find Lear.
(3.2) What is Lear doing when we first see him on the heath in the storm? What is Lear asking from this version of nature? In the beginning on Scene II, when we first see Lear, he is screaming and yelling at the storm. Lear is asking the storm to flood and destroy the earth.
(3.2) In 3.2.65 Lear says “My wits begin to turn.” Does he mean to madness or from madness? When Lear says, “My wits begin to turn”, he means his wits are turning TO madness. He is going mad and he is aware of it.
(3.3) What news and opinions does Gloucester confide to Edmund? Is it a good idea to do so? Why? What will Edmund do, and what does he expect to get as a result? Gloucester tells Edmund about the letter he got and he’s going to tell Lear. He’s trying to get Edmund to swear he’ll help Lear if anything happens to him. It was not a good idea to do this because Edmund ends up ratting him out to Cornwall in order to (1) inherit everything in a more timely manner, compared to if he were to just wait for Gloucester to die, and (2) to make himself look better in Cornwall’s eyes because he ratted his own father out for the good of the Kingdom
(3.4) What sort of person does Edgar/Poor Tom pretend to be? (Remember throughout his appearances that he is playacting madness.) What does Lear immediately assume was the cause of Edgar/Poor Tom’s madness? What does Edgar/Poor Tom say he was before his madness? Edgar/Poor Tom pretends to be a Bedlam Beggar. He says that he used to be a servant who was full of vain, and that he committed adultery with the lady of the house. He said he was dishonest, lustful, sneaky, greedy, and an overall terrible person. At the end of this, he says something about his “horse,” even though he doesn’t have a horse. Lear immediately thinks that Poor Tom is insane because he, too, must have given everything he had for his daughters.
(3.4) Why has Gloucester come? Gloucester has come to tell Lear about what’s happening (the war and the letter that he received) and to take him back home. He even says to Kent (who is in disguise) essentially: “Do you blame him for acting this way? His daughters betrayed him and this is how he reacted. I would too.” They try to take him inside but he wants to stay outside with Poor Tom.
(3.4) Whom does Edgar/Poor Tom seem to be replacing in Lear’s attention? In this scene, Lear turns his attention from the Fool to focus on Poor Tom. Fool gets jealous because he has been at the king’s side for many years, and now he is paying him no mind.
(3.5) What does Edmund give to Cornwall? What does he get in return? Whom are they trying to apprehend? Edmund gives a letter to Cornwall, one that Gloucester received that contained the news of the tensions between Albany and Cornwall. Edmund then gets the trust of Cornwall. They then want to hunt down the traitor Gloucester.
(3.6) What happens as soon as Lear finally gets to sleep? What warning does Gloucester bring? As soon as Lear falls asleep the message is brought by Gloucester that he should leave for Dover because Regan and Goneril’s troops are out searching for him, and he would be safer with Cordelia’s troops.
(3.7) What letter is Cornwall sending to Albany with Goneril? What is the military situation now? Who will go with Goneril? Why? Cornwall is sending the letter about the invasion of France and where they are currently. Edmund will go with Goneril because Goneril wasn’t with her husband and a woman should always be escorted by a man so Edmund escorted Goneril.
(3.7) What happens in the trial and punishment of Gloucester? Why does the servant intervene? What happens to the servant, to Cornwall, and to Gloucester? He is taken out into the wilderness to the old farm dude, and the poor farm dude goes on and takes him to poor tom “the mad leading the blind”
(3.7) How do the other servants respond to what has happened? Whom will they get to help Gloucester? Why is this ironic? The other servants respond by backing off and then cleaning him up and bandage his eyes, then they take him 2 the old dude. This is ironic because it’s his literal son…. He’s getting kicked out and being lead to his son who also got kicked out… wised up once he was blind.
(4.1) What further anguish is Edgar/Poor Tom going to have to face? Where does Gloucester ask him to lead him? Why? What will Edgar/Poor Tom get for it? Edgar is going to have to keep playing the role of a beggar or Poor Tom which is becoming difficult for him since his father is always with him. Gloucester asks him to lead him to a top of a cliff so that he may jump off and kill himself. He wants to do this because he is living with the guilt of banishing Edgar and he has nothing to live for anymore. He is blind and unhappy.
(4.2) What has apparently passed between Goneril and Edmund on the journey? Why is Edmund returning to Cornwall (from where he was sent with Goneril, remember, so that he would not be there for the torture of his father) Apparently they had a conversation about their vows in the carriage involving suspicious activity between Goneril and Edmund. Edmund is returning to Cornwall because Goneril did not want him to stay at his castle because Albany was there.
(4.2) What does Albany accuse Goneril of, and in what tone? How does she respond? He accuses her of being part of the evil scheme of blinding Gloucester and Goneril denied it.
(4.2) How does Goneril respond to the death of Cornwall? Goneril seems worried because now she sees her sister (Regan) as competition for Edmund Despite the fact that she is technically still married to Albany.
(4.3) What has happened to the King of France? Has Cordelia gone back with him? The king of france had to return back to France to take care of some business and Cordelia did not go back with him. Cordelia stayed with the army.
(4.3) What sort of picture of Cordelia do we get from the Gentleman’s description in 4.3.10-on? The Gentleman describes Cordelia as a saintly figure. He compares her to Mary and says she only shed one tear, which is very queenly of her. Not showing emotion in public is very proper when it comes to royalty and she is very brave and courageous.
(4.3) Where is Lear? Why won’t he see Cordelia? Lear has disappeared and has gone missing. He will not see Cordelia because he is ashamed of how he has treated her and has been fooled by his other two daughters when he thought the real problem was Cordelia.
(4.4) Where, according to Cordelia, is Lear now? What is he doing? How does she propose to help him? Lear is chilling and playing w seashells wearing a WEED crown…. She thinks sleep will help him.
(4.5) Why has Oswald come to Gloucester’s house (where Regan still is)? Whom is he looking for? Where has Edmund gone? Oswald goes there cuz he has a letter 2 deliver 2 Edmund from Goneril…. Edmund went to find and kill Gloucester.
(4.5) What does Regan want Oswald to let her do? What message does she tell Oswald to give to Edmund? Regan wants Oswald to let her read the letter. Regan intends to put a ring on it with Edmund.
(4.6) What happens in the Gloucester “suicide” scene? How has Edgar/Poor Tom changed (4.6.7-8)? Are they really at the cliffs of Dover? Gloucester believes that he is standing at the edge of a cliff in Dover but he is in fact just standing a few feet of the ground above a small drop. After his “fall” he is unharmed and demands that Poor Tom who has now become a new “character” to leave him to die, and this “new man” (Poor Tom) convinces Gloucester that he survived for a reason, he does this to show him that there is a reason he is alive.
(4.6)Why is Edgar doing this to his father? As the person at the bottom of the cliff, how does Edgar describe the person who was with Gloucester? Why? Edgar is trying to make his father believe that life is worth living. Describes the person as a demon.
(4.6) How well does Lear seem to recognize Gloucester? What is the topic they talk about? What is Edgar’s response? Lear doesn’t recognize him very well. They talk about girls seeming innocent but are not. Edgar responds with “omg this is the saddest thing” and responds with pity.
(4.6) How does Lear respond to Gloucester, and what advice does he have for him? Does this mean Lear is now sane? Lear wants gloucester to read the letter but he cannot obviously because he’s blind. He tells him to “look” feelingly and that life isn’t worth seeing for what it is. People are hypocritical and mean. Lear is not sane when he is saying this although he is being a little wise.
(4.6) Who comes for Lear? Whom do they come from? How does Lear treat them? The Gentleman and his men come to get Lear they are sent by Cordelia. Lear is still going crazy and he thinks they are trying to capture him and take him to prison, so he runs away from them yelling catch me if you can.
(4.6) What does Edgar gain in killing Oswald? What does he learn from reading the letter Oswald was carrying? What will Edgar do with the letter? What does Edgar gain in killing Oswald? What does he learn from reading the letter Oswald was carrying? What will Edgar do with the letter? He now has access to the letter which is a love letter from Goneril to Edmund to kill Albany so Edmund can get with Goneril.
(4.7) How does Kent respond when Cordelia asks him to change into clothes more fitting to his station (that is, to get out of his disguise)? Kent tells Cordelia he would rather stay in his clothes (disguise) because he still has some business to take care of with some people.
(4.7) How are Lear and Cordelia reunited, and what happens? How has Lear’s way of referring to himself changed? Lear and Cordelia are reunited because Lear is taken to his castle which is where Cordelia is. Lear has referred to himself now as old and foolish because he had, not knowingly let Regan and Goneril fool him. He is also aware that he is going mad.
(4.7) What is the military situation by the end of this scene? The troops for the English army are approaching fast. The troops are coming in close, and Edgar is leading the troops of Cornwall because he had died.
(5.1) What is the relationship between Edmund, Regan, and Goneril, as shown in 5.1? Why is Albany fighting? They have a love triangle. Edmund wants to rise in the ranks and both Regan and Goneril have the hots for him. Albany is fighting the French army because he wants to get the kingdom back together by saving Lear and Cordelia.
(5.1) What do we learn from Edmund’s soliloquy? What plans does he have for Lear and Cordelia if they are captured? How does this differ from Albany’s plan? Why? Edmund talks of how he is unsure about what to do with his new love triangle. If both lives his plan won’t work. He plans to kill Lear and Cordelia whereas Albany wants to save them.
(5.2) Who has won the battle? What has happened to Lear and Cordelia? The British won the battle against the French and Lear and Cordelia were taken to be imprisoned.
(5.2) What message does Edgar give Gloucester? What is Gloucester’s response? Edgar tells Gloucester that the British won and they must leave because Cordelia and Lear were taken. Gloucester’s response is “No further, sir. A man may rot even here” which is showing he is having thoughts about dying again.
(5.3) How do Lear and Cordelia anticipate their imprisonment? Except for prison, how different is this arrangement from the retired life with Cordelia Lear looked forward to before his falling out with her in 1.1? Lear tries to remain very hopeful for their imprisonment telling Cordelia that they will live their lives as happily as possible within the prison (make the most of it and just be okay and content with what happened and the way their lives are now). At the beginning of 1.1 he wanted his daughters to take care of him, the only difference from how this play seems towards the end is that Lear ends up in prison but is still cared for.
(5.3) What does Edmund ask the Captain to do? Edmund asks the Captain to kill Cordelia and Lear (stage a suicide) once he has them before Albany has the chance to get them from prison.
(5.3) What argument develops out of Albany’s claim that Edmund is not his equal in the war? Why do Goneril and Regan fight? What has Goneril done? The argument that develops out of Albany’s claim that Edmund is not equal in the war is that Albany wants lear and Cordelia. Albany is higher than Edmund. This will then lead to Goneril backing up Edmund and Regan will then get mad and propose to Edmund. Goneril and Regan fight because they both want to get with Edmund. Goneril will end up poisoning Regan.
(5.3) What two people does Albany arrest? What is Albany saying ironically to Regan? Albany arrests Edmund and Goneril. Albany says to Regan that it seems Edmund is already taken (by his wife Goneril) so Regan might as well marry him.
(5.3) Who answers the trumpet to challenge Edmund? Who wins the fight? Edgar responds to the trumpet. He appears as a knight and is ready to fight Edmund. Edgar wins the battle. Edmund is severely wounded.
(5.3) What is Goneril’s response to the accusation? Goneril got upset/angry and tried acting innocent like she could never do anything like that
(5.3) What happened to Gloucester? What almost happens? Gloucester dies of a heart attack from not being able to take the grief anymore. He is near the battle field so he is almost captured but does not end up being taken.
(5.3) What has happened to Goneril and Regan? How does Edmund respond? How does Albany respond? Goneril poisoned Regan causing her death and Goneril has killed herself afterward. Edmunds response is that they will all be united in marriage through death because Edmund is dying also. Albany’s response is to see the bodies even if they are dead or alive.
(5.3) What does Kent remind the others (and us) of? What were Edmund’s plans, and why does he change? Kent reminds the others of Edmund’s plans and that Lear and Cordelia are still stuck in prison. Edmund’s plan was to bribe the prison guard to kill Lear and Cordelia and make it look like a suicide. Edmund changed after he lost the battle to Edgar when he realized what he had done.
(5.3) What is Lear’s state after he enters with Cordelia’s body? Why does he alternate between knowing she’s dead and thinking she’s alive? Leer is in disbelief and denial and wants to believe she is still alive so when he holds the feather to her mouth he hallucinates that it moved leer is in shock and is assumed to die of a heart attack after all three of his children die, but he is not set back by the other two deaths only Cordelia’s because that is the only child that loved him back
(5.3) What is the effect of ending the play this way? Is this the way it was “supposed” to end? What does this say about the nature of the universe, about which so many characters have had so much to say? The play ended this way because Cordelia was too innocent for the world, Edmund could never be legitimate Lear and Gloucester had children that betrayed them and they couldn’t live with the fact that they weren’t loved, Goneril and Regan were too crooked. This shows that the nature of the universe needs to be balanced and the outliers gotta get-get; the pure, and evil got to die. People in the play talked about fortune (the wheel) and how it controlled everything and your outcome is already determined even if you try and change it, and this is shown through the innocent characters and how they even die.
(5.3) Side issues: What happens to Edmund? How successful is Kent’s reunion with Lear? Edmund is killed in the duel against his brother Edgar; he realizes that he did many wrong things, and he reveals where lear and Cordelia are about to be killed on his orders. Kents reunion with lear is unsuccessful because lear dies after his great sorrow over Cordelia’s death and kent goes and kills himself.
July 28, 2019