King Lear quiz

Why does Lear favor Goneril and Regan’s love professions over Cordelia’s? Lear is prideful and does not want to hear the truth from Cordelia.
How is favoritism related to the exiling of the king of Kent? Kent told Lear that Cordelia is the only daughter that truly loves Lear becasue she was the only one who respected him enough to speak honestly.
Why does Edmund want to overthrow Edgar’s claim to his father’s title? He feels like he was wronged because he is the oldest and should inherit his father’s position, but instead Edmund is recieving everything from his father that he wants, land, money, power, and love.
How did Lear offend Goneril and her household? His knights were rowdy and disruptive and made it difficult for Goneril and her servants to run a smooth household.
How is Goneril justified in her anger toward her father? She is being forced to house him and his rowdy knights for a long period of time while they were being rude to her and her servants. Lear should have been more respectful to her and her house.
According to the Fool, why did Lear deserve poor treatment from Goneril? Goneril was bound to snap at some point due to the rowdiness and unrest brought to her house by Lear and his knights.
How does Edmund make himself look better than Edgar in Gloucester’s eyes? He makes it look like he was injured protecting Gloucester’s life from Edgar.
Why are we not surprised that Regan decides to side with her sister rather than her father? Both sisters lied about their love for their father in order to gain wealth and land. They are both plotting to remove the remaining power Lear has in the kingdom and siding with Goneril helps them do this.
Why does Edgar play the part of Poor Tom? Playing this part serves not only to help Edgar stay hidden from his father who is out to kill him, but also to keep tabs on his father as well.
How do Goneril and Regan assert power over their father, driving him into a raging storm? They slowly make him get rid of his troops until he has none left in their land and once that is done they make him leave as well.
How does the news of advancing French troops impact the political strife that is beginning in England? It plays on the legitimate fears of the people living in England during that time.
How has Lear caused all the strife that occurs between him and his daughters? Lear is the one who made his daughters lie about their love to him in the first place. He is the one who slighted the only daughter who loved him enough to tell him the truth. If he had not slighted Cordelia, France wouldn’t be attacking England either.
How are the things the Fool tells Lear when it is just the 2 of them true? Lear has been lowered to a level in which he can’t banish the fool for “insulting him” so the fool can tell Lear what he needs to hear without punishment. The fool tells Lear that one can’t go back in time and change what went wrong, and therefore Lear needs to learn to live with the consequences of his actions.
What does the fool say that is false? He warns of an apocalypse, which isn’t exactly the case.
How can Lear’s madness be compared to that of Poor Tom’s? Poor Tom chose to take on the disguise that he did in order to keep tabs on his father and stay hidden, his craziness is the result of his brother framing him, Lear was forced out of his and his daughter’s homes and became crazy as the result of his own actions. Both of them lost positions they were promised along with wealth and love, both of their craziness is from the same type of loss.
How does Edmund get rewarded for framing his brother? Edmund is promised everything great that was once promised to his brother.
What are the judgements of mankind issued against Goneril and Regan in Lear’s court? Lear broods on Regan’s and Goneril’s ingratitude and tom refers to them as dogs.
How is Gloucester’ blindness symbolic of Lear’s blindness? Gloucester’s blindness is symbolic of Lear’s blindness to his daughters – what was going on behind his back and how he chose not to pay attention to it. Gloucestor is blind to what his son Edmund is doing and Lear is blind to what his daughters are doing.
July 24, 2019