KING LEAR For DUMMIES

INTRODUCTION This guide will help you understand and learn how to… The different plots of King Lear The characters of King Lear The themes of King Lear Which quotes are best to learn Critics Context And exam techniques and practice

KING LEAR STUFF…

PLOT AND SUB PLOT

CHARACTERS KING LEAR – main protagonist CORDELIA, GONERIL, REGAN – Lear’s daughters KENT – Lear’s advisor and friend CORNWALL AND ALBANY – Earls THE FOOL – Lear’s fool OSWALD – Goneril’s handyman GLOUCTER – Earl EDGAR AND EDMUND – Gloucter’s sons MAIN PLOT SUB PLOT

THEMES Justice Blindness Nature/Astrology Deceit/Betrayal Madness Reconciliation

ACTS OF KING LEAR – A1/S1 Find out that Lear has had a change of heart Love trial takes place Cordelia is banished Kent is banished Lear hands his responsibilities over to Regan and Goneril

ACTS OF KING LEAR – A1/S2 Sub plot takes place Edmund starts to plot against Edgar Introduction of the letters Edgar is made to run

ACTS OF KING LEAR – A1/S3 Takes place at Goneril’s home Goneril has become fed up with Lear and his knights behaviour Tells Oswald to treat Lear badly

ACTS OF KING LEAR – A1/S4 Kent returns in disguise Kent stands up against Oswald – Lear takes him on as a servent Goneril confronts Lear about his subjects behaviour Lear leaves for Regans residence

ACTS OF KING LEAR – A1/S5 Lear sends Kent with a letter for Glouscter Fools warns that Regan will act the same as Goneril Lear prays to not become mad

IMPORTANT QUOTES “Do you smell a fault?” – A1/S1/pg158 “nothing will come of nothing.” – A1/S1/pg164 “Old fools are babes again” – A1/S3/pg 191 “I confess that I am old;” – A2/S2/pg 249

IMPORTANT QUOTES “Here I stand your slave, a poor, infirm, weak and despised old man.” – A3/S2/pg 264 “I am a man more sinned against than sinning.” – A3/S2/pg 267 “When that which makes me bend makes the King bow,” – A3/S7/pg 294

IMPORTANT QUOTES “Out, vile jelly,” – A3/S7/pg 301 “As flies to wanton boys are we to gods, they kill us for sport.” – A4/S1/pg 306 “Reason in madness.” – A4/S6/pg 340 “kill, kill, kill, kill, kill, kill!” – A4/S6/pg 341

IMPORTANT QUOTES “To know our enemies’ minds we rip their hearts,” – A4/S6/pg 347 “but I am bound Upon a wheel of fire” – A4/S7/pg 353 “My master calls me, I must not say no.” – A5/S3/pg 392

CONTEXT Jacobean period – March 24th 1603 till March 27th 1625 James VI King of Scots ruled Golden age of Elizabethan Literature

CONTEXT – DIVIGN RIGHT OF KINGS Kings gained the right to rule directly from God Only God can judge and unjust King THE GREAT CHAIN OF BEING Strict religious hierarchal structure of all matter and life, believed to have been decreed by god

CONTEXT - BELIFES RELIGION ASTROLOGY Conflict between Catholics and Protestants Jacobeans were extremely religious and God fearing Study of position of the stars and aspects of celestial bodies Believed they had great influence over humans

THE ANNESLEY LAW SUIT WILLIAM ALLEN Sir Brian Annesley, declared insane by the eldest of his three daughters to take control of his property – youngest daughter defended him WILLIAM ALLEN A mayor of London, who was treated poorly by his three daughters after dividing his wealth among then

CRITICS ORWELL King Lear is too drawn out and has too many characters and sub-plots To fool is integral to the play / acts as a chorus Social criticisms are made by the Fool/Egdar pretending to be mad or in Lear’s bouts of madness

CRITICS COPPELIA KAHN Play was about female anxiety G.WILSON KNIGHT Mankind are deliberately tormented by the Gods WILLIAM HAZLITT - Lear is the reason to all his own problems

EXAM STUFF…

AOs THE AOS WHAT THE SPECIFICATION SAYS SIMPLIFIED MARKS AO1 Articulate creative, informed and relevant responses to literary texts, using appropriate terminology, and concepts, and coherent, accurate written expression. Quotes and terminology 10 AO2 Demonstrated detailed critical understanding in analysing the ways structure, form and language shape meanings in literary texts Structure and unpacking AO3 Comparisons between different literary texts informed by interpretations of other readers Critical interpretations AO4 Demonstrate understanding of the significance and influence of the contexts in which literary texts are written and received. Context

HOW TO WRITE AN ESSAY AND BUILD AN ARGUMENT MAIN IDEA Here’s what I think… Here are my reasons… COUNTER ARGUMENTS ______________________________________________________________________________ EVIDENCE … but here’s the weakness… _________________________________________________________________________________ STRONG FINISH! ______________________________________ PRO CON When you weigh all the evidence you conclude that…