King LearKing Lear

Images of the unutterable Images of the unutterable and the failure to and the failure to

communicatecommunicate

'See Better Lear''See Better Lear' Act 1 initiates the theme of blindness and sightAct 1 initiates the theme of blindness and sight Lear's blindness is that of self-deception and Lear's blindness is that of self-deception and

moral mis-judgementmoral mis-judgement acts of deception and evil intention are aided by acts of deception and evil intention are aided by

their linguistic counterparts: their linguistic counterparts: letter of treason feigned by edmundletter of treason feigned by edmund orders for lear and cordelia's hanging on paperorders for lear and cordelia's hanging on paper letter of infidelity from Goneril to Edmundletter of infidelity from Goneril to Edmund

In all cases the letters lead to death.In all cases the letters lead to death. Violence is contained within the language as an Violence is contained within the language as an

agent of torture (CF Elaine Scarry The Body in agent of torture (CF Elaine Scarry The Body in Pain)Pain)

Thankless childThankless child

the severance of natural bonds the severance of natural bonds betweenbetween bloodtiesbloodties state and populacestate and populace

Causes in natureCauses in nature reciprocationreciprocation

The Five WitsThe Five Wits

MadnessMadness BlindnessBlindness DeafnessDeafness Isolation Isolation SilenceSilence

ForgivnessForgivness

disbeliefdisbelief revengerevenge actionaction prayerprayer mutual respectmutual respect

This great stage of foolsThis great stage of fools

play actingplay acting invocationinvocation self-pityself-pity NatureNature The GodsThe Gods

'He hath ever but slenderly 'He hath ever but slenderly known himself 'known himself '

understandingunderstanding relationships and bondsrelationships and bonds duty duty acceptanceacceptance irrationalityirrationality

supplicationsupplication

the 'awaking' scene in Act IV: Lear the 'awaking' scene in Act IV: Lear follows Cordelia in making bow of follows Cordelia in making bow of supplicationsupplication

its importance in Homer (Iliad) and its importance in Homer (Iliad) and Virgil (Aeneid), forerunners of tragic Virgil (Aeneid), forerunners of tragic modemode acceptance of common fate/fellow human acceptance of common fate/fellow human

being, participating in the same human being, participating in the same human conditions-part of a universal conditions-part of a universal suffering.Therefore recognition occurs.suffering.Therefore recognition occurs.

thy elements belowthy elements below

repression of emotions that repression of emotions that compress rational mind (numerous compress rational mind (numerous attempts to prevent insanity)attempts to prevent insanity)

issues of what is correct behaviour issues of what is correct behaviour forfor women and men women and men King and subjectsKing and subjects human being and human being and

animal/beggar/madmananimal/beggar/madman

LearLear MacbethMacbeth the kingdom the kingdom

already in disarrayalready in disarray children usurping children usurping

parentsparents madness from lack madness from lack

of actionof action torturous acts on torturous acts on

stagestage irreparable irreparable

kingdomkingdom

the kingdom stablethe kingdom stable parents/elders parents/elders

killing childrenkilling children madness from a madness from a

consequential path consequential path of actionof action

agents to carry out agents to carry out torturous actstorturous acts

ill kingdom with ill kingdom with potential for potential for recoveryrecovery

Tragic ImplicationsTragic Implications human interaction breaks down into human interaction breaks down into

purely selfish means and endspurely selfish means and ends lack of compassion, sympathy, lack of compassion, sympathy,

understanding and recognitionunderstanding and recognition lack of causes for actions-why good or lack of causes for actions-why good or

evil? no explanations for innate propertiesevil? no explanations for innate properties Cannot fully comprehend own action until Cannot fully comprehend own action until

it had led to self-destruction it had led to self-destruction

in the case of a king this affects the entire in the case of a king this affects the entire kingdomkingdom

Reason and needReason and need

basic human need -a need to basic human need -a need to comunicate and consequently to be comunicate and consequently to be understoodunderstood

cannot reason a need for evilcannot reason a need for evil

The Wheel is come full The Wheel is come full circlecircle

aptness of actions to complete their aptness of actions to complete their coursecourse

evil eventually consumes itselfevil eventually consumes itself

Fate, Will and the GodsFate, Will and the Gods

All the characters at some point All the characters at some point invoke the gods as some point of invoke the gods as some point of reference for an arbitrary justice reference for an arbitrary justice system beyond the realm of human system beyond the realm of human existence.existence.