| Act 1, Scene 1Key quotes: . “Sennet. Enter one bearing a coronet.” – Aristotle – “Pity is induced by undeserving misfortune, and fear by the misfortunes of normal people.”. ‘Tis our fast intent to shake all cares and business from our age.” – Use of royal pronoun and blank verse.”Unburthened we crawl toward death.”.”Which of you shall we say doth love us most?That we our largest bounty may extend.”.Sir, I love you more than world can wield the matter.” – Goneril. (Aside) What shall Cordelia speak? Love, and be silent.”. “I am made from that same self-metal as my sister.”. “Our joy”. “Nothing, my lord. – Nothing?”. You have begot me, bred me, loved me: I… obey you, love you, and most honour you.”. “Why have my sisters husbands if they say they love you all?”. “Come not between the Dragon and his wrath.”. Only we shall retain the name and all th’addition to a king; the sway, revenue, execution and the rest, beloved sons.”. Let it fall rather, though the fork invade the region of my heart.”. “My life I never held but as a pawn/ To wage against thine enemies.”. “See better, Lear.”.Sir, there she stands: If aught within the little – seeming substance.”. “A still – soliciting eye.”. “Hadst not been born than not t’have pleased me better.”. Fairest Cordelia, that art most rich, being poor;Most choice, forsaken; and most loved, despised!”.”The jewels of our father, with washed eyes Cordelia leaves you.”. We must do something, and i’th’heat.” | . Gloucester introduces Edmund to Kent as his illegitimate son.. Lear presents the love-test: Whilst Goneril and Regan profusely express their love for Lear in an ingenuine manner, Cordelia refuses to speak as her actions should suffice – an indication of her virtuous character.. Cordelia is banished, as is Kent after he challenges Lear to evaluate his actions. . France takes Cordelia’s hand in marriage.. Goneril and Regan plan to over-throw their father, and gain his power. Themes: Inversion of the natural order – L’s abdication of the throne – Fails to adhere to the Divine Right of Kings – Why? – Suggests that his trajectory is a result of his failure to adhere to the DRofK, subsequently allowing him to promote James 1st thoughts, – a necessity as he was writing for the King’s Men. |
| Act 1, Scene 2Quotes. Apostrophe – “Thou, Nature, art my goddess.””Why brand they us with base? with baseness? bastardy? base, base?”. “Legitimate Edgar, I must have your land.”. Putting up the letter – “I know no news, my Lord.” – Epitomised as a Machiavellian villain.. “Let’s see: come if it be nothing I shall not need spectacles.” – Dramatic irony considering imminent event of the gorging of his eyes.. “Sons at perfect age, and fathers declined, the father should be as ward to the son, and the son manage his revenue.” – Mirrors his own words “The younger rises when the old doth fall.” – Dramatic irony, ‘Edgar’s’ words are indicative of his own intentions. . “Unnatural, detested, brutish villain!… I’ll apprehend him.” – Mirror with Lear – Swift rejection of virtuous and most importantly, innocent, children correlate. – Gloucester – Established as a tragic hero due to the exposure of his hamartia – Impulsive and quick to judge. . “Frame the business after your own wisdom.” – Gives his son his power – Mirrors Lear’s actions, in which he handed his power to Goneril and Regan. . “I will seek him, Sir, presently; convey the business as I shall find means, and acquaint you withal.” – Continual employment of active verbs – Initially considered as an indication of his subserviency, however, reinforces his position as a Machaivellian villain, actively seeking to gain power. – Increases the pace of the line – Sibilance.”These late eclipses in the sun and moon portend no good to us” – Gloucester = tragic hero, due to his hamartia – blindness – unable to see that he is partially responsible for the imminent anarchy – Blames nature. Is Sh. criticising the Jacobean Era’s superstitious beliefs? . Love cools, friendship falls off, brothers divide: in cities, mutinies; in countries, discord.” = Syntax of the sentence, suggestive that the anarchy precipitates from domestic issues to political issues. – Both a domestic and a political drama.. “Some villain hath done me wrong.” – Characterised as a foil to Cordelia – Immediately gains insight to the truth of the matter – Reinforces his virtuous nature. | .Soliloquy – Edmund offers his views on life, reflecting and condemning his position as an inferior, due to his illegitimacy. – Writes a letter supposedly from Edgar, suggesting that he plans to kill his father in order to gain his revenue. Epitomised as a Machiavellian villain, as he lies profusely, in order to gain land (and subsequent power). Supports Italian author, Niccolo Machiavelli’s ideas regarding ruling, as he wrote in his political advice book, ‘The Prince’ that under some circumstances there is a need to lie to preserve power. – Deceitful children – Mirrors the main plot. . G sends Edm to find Edg and punish him accordingly. . Gloucester suggests that nature’s behaviour is an omen for this anarchy. – Tragic hero – His metaphorical blindness is reinforced. .Edmund = Soliloquy – Characterised as the malcontent – Malcontent definition: Typical stock character of Jacobean theatre – The malcontent character is presented as an outsider, who is dissatisfied with societal values, and therefore aims to intentionally destroy society and their values – Provides insight – Perhaps an instrument for authorial interjection?. Tells Edgar that Lear is angered by him, and encourages him to hide. . Edgar is confused. |
| Act 1, Scene 3 – Goneril complains to Oswald (her stewart) about Lear and his knights.. I’ll not endure it.”. His knights grow riotous and himself upraids us on every trifle.” | . Characterisation of Goneril here reinforces the power shift. Foreshadows Lear’s peripeteia. |
| Act 1, Scene 4.Enter Kent, disguised.. “Thy master, whom thou lov’st,/ shall find thee full of labours.”. “My lady’s father” – Reinforces his loss of power. – (Striking him). “No more of that, I hath noted it well.” – Lear – Realises his hamartia, but doesn’t take responsibility for his actions.. “Take heed, sirrah; the whip.”. “Truth’s a dog must to kennel; when Lady Brach may stand by th’fire and stink.’ – Provides insight as the malcontent – Reveals to him the detriment of his actions. . “Why, after I have cut the egg i ‘th’middle and eat up the meat, the two crowns of the egg.” – Nobility based on a clean moral conscience. . “Thou bors’t thine ass on thy back o’er the dirt: thou hadst little wit in thy bald crown.” – Allusion to Aesop’s fable – Hubris precipitates his peripeteia – Bald crown = Metaphor for his lacking of strong leadership qualities. . “Now thou art an O without a figure.” – Ironic – Told Cordelia that she would have nothing. – Insult appeals to L’s materialistic tendencies. . “So out went the candle, and we were left darkling.” – Metaphor for L’s abdication of the throne – l = light of state – Reinforces ‘King Lear’s’ status as both a political and domestic drama. . “This is not Lear: Does Lear walk thus? speak thus? Where are his eyes?” “Darkness and devils! I’ll not trouble thee: Yet have I left a daughter.” – Consonance . “Ingratitude is more hideous, when thou show’st thee in a child, Than the sea-monster.”. “O most small fault, How ugly didst thou in Cordelia show.” – Use of autonomous case – Not taking responsibility for his actions.. Apostrophe to nature – “Hear, Nature, hear! dear Goddess, hear!Suspend thy purpose, if thou didst intend/ To make this creature fruitful! – Places trust in Nature despite inverting its order – Metaphorical blindness.. “How sharper than a serpent’s tooth it is/ To have a thankless child!” – Animalistic imagery – Undermines their status – Biblical allusion to the Story of Creation – Reinforces the evil nature of women. . “This milky gentleness and course of yours.”. Albany – “How far your eyes may pierce I cannot tell.” | . Kent returns in disguise, (as Caius) to serve his King – Reinforces his subservience.- Lear finds him when returned from hunting. . Lear realises that Oswald is acting suspiciously towards him and his knights. . The Fool enters and provides insight to Lear, revealing the hypocrisy of his actions.. Goneril complains about Lear and his knights. – NB: Goneril’s use of the royal pronoun – Indicative of her gain of power.. Lear’s mental deterioration, as a result of his mistreament by Goneril becomes evident – Mental breakdown.. Note Shakespeare use of staging throughout this scene, Shakespeare enters and re-enters – Symbolic of his fleeting nature/ mental deterioration. . Tension between Goneril and Albany ensues. |
| Act 1, Scene 5 -“I did her wrong – “”O! let me not be mad, not mad, sweet heaven – ” – Is this a premonition? Foreshadwing – Ironic that in his fragile mental state (Minor sentences, interpolation “O!”, use of caesura creating broken speech.) | Setting outside – Symbolic – Establishes Lear as a helpless outcast, underlining the beginning of his deterioration.. Lear has sent Kent to give a letter to Regan, but tells him not to mention his feud with Goneril – Dramatic irony – Aud. aware of his foreshadowed negative reception, due to the sisters’ plotting at the end of scene 1. . Fool provides comical and often brutal insight. . |
King Lear – Summary – Act 1
July 12, 2019