3.2-3.4 Review 3.1 take notes Read 3.5-3.7 for tomorrow (skip 3.6) Quiz Act 2-3 is Thursday (late start) Similar format as first quiz There will be specific questions on O Reason Not the Need Speech Blow Winds and crack cheeks

How does the storm mirror Lear’s emotional state? Find metaphors that reveal the personal storm brewing in his mind. -oak-cleaving (storm that destroys) Sulph’rous and thought-executing fires Storm destroys throught (reason?) Crack (sanity?) Rage (obvious) Comparing the destructive power of the storm to his own destruction and that of the world.

Storm as Metaphor fighting against him Represents turbulence in Lear’s own mind and the unbalance of the natural order King has abandoned post, daughters have betrayed their father Sub plot mirrors growing chaos Politcial storm; strife between Cornwall and Albany France planning to invade Asks the storm to “strike flat the thick rotundity of’ the world” (destroy world) (9)

Personification? Personifies the storm as “servile ministers” or agents set out to destroy him: ‘I call you servile ministers, That will with two pernicious daughters join Your high-endangered battles’ ‘gainst a head…” (23)

“More sinned against than sinning?” (60) What does this reveal about his development as a human being? Recognizes he has made mistakes His beliefs about human nature and relationships are invalid, meaningless But.. He doesn’t believe that he deserves to be in the wilderness exposed to the storm His daughter’s sins and disrespect are greater than the mistakes he has made.

“More sinned against than sinning” Do you still agree with your original response? If not, what changed your mind?

Self Pity But shifts…. Where/ “Come on, my boy. How dost my boy? Art cold? Realizes that necessity makes all human conditions relative.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q910HEkDOmE He that has a tiny little wit With heigh-ho, the wind and the rain- Must make content with his fortunes fit For the rain it raineth every day. those who are stupid, must take what they can get, for misfortune rains upon us every day. How does this apply to Lear?

Summary Gloucester receives letter about France invading on behalf of the King “There is part of a power already footed.”

3.3 What is unnatural and savage here? How does Edmund conspire against his father?

3.3 irony “Most savage and unnatural” (6) In response to his father’s complaint that the Duke would not let him allow Lear in the castle. His father trusts him not to tell the Duke where he is going, but Edmund does just the opposite. He hopes to gain what his father loses; “The young rises when the old doth fall”

3.4 Climax and Epiphany . Climax: the turning point in the play or story. Usually the most exciting part of the play…. But also occurs when the character has his epiphany Epiphany: the moment the character realizes that nothing will ever be the same again. .

3.4 What is going on here? 137- “This tempest in my mind /Doth from my senses take all feeling else Save what beats there.” (The storm in my mind takes precedence over everything else) What does Lear mean at the end of speech: “O that way madness lies. Let me shun that. (He realizes that if he continues to think about his daughters’ treatment of him and his loss of authority, he will indeed go mad.)

3.4 Why doesn’t he mind the storm? Line 10: where the greater malady is fixed, / The lesser is scarce felt. (the larger pain – daughters- makes the smaller pain –the storm- disappear) “”

Your old kind father whose frank heart gave all Your old kind father whose frank heart gave all! O, that way madness lies. Let me shun that (24)

Lear’s Prayer “Poor naked wretches… (p. 137) O I have ta’en Too little care of this. Take physic, pomp Expose thyself to feel what wretches feel.” (I haven’t taken care of the poor. Heal thyself and feel what the poor do feel.)

p. 139 Edgar’s lines Lear thinks that only the betrayal of daughters could bring a wretch so low What do you note here: Prose (no verse) Imagery of devil, betrayal

Agenda Review quiz Finish act 3 Quiz act 2-3 Thursday Finish reading Act 4 for Friday.

p. 141 Epiphany cont. This cold night will turn us all to fools and madmen. (85) Thou art the thing itself; unacommodated man is no more but such a poor, bare, forked animal as thou art (115)

Why does Lear strip? “thou art the thing itself” he recognizes That Tom (Edgar) represents man without possessions…a basic man with no friends, or family. He realizes that Tom no better than an animal. He also realizes that he is the same. He has this in common with Tom: they both have nothing.

What does Lear learn here? He identifies with the common person compassion

145 enter Kent What is the irony here?

Edgar 3.4 p. 145 What type of irony is present at the end of the scene? Gloucester too blind to recognize his son The sane are acting mad The mad are acting…. ? Natural?

Edgar What type of irony is present at the end of the scene? Gloucester too blind to recognize his son The sane are acting mad The mad are acting…. ? Natural?

3.5 Edmund’s betryal of father almost complete. He shows the letter

3.5 Edmund shows Cornwall the letter that reveals France is ready to fight for king. More irony: I will lay rust upon thee, and thou shalt find a dearer father in my love (25)

3.6 Trial 155: Gloucester plans to take King to Dover Edgar (157) enters LAST TIME WE SEE THE FOOL (why? What is his purpose?)

3.6 enter Gloucester read 99-end (p. 146-147) Edgar’s soliloquy What is he saying? Why in verse? HE CHILDED AS I FATHERED?

3.7 “OUT VILE JELLY” What is the purpose of this scene? is Shakespeare resorting to sensationalism for entertainment or is there justified symbolism in the scene?

Watch scene 1. Who suggests hanging? Blinding? 2. Listen for eye references 3. What does Gloucester discover about Edmund? 4. Why does blinding seem the only possible punishment? 5. What does the action of Cornwall’s Servant and the conversation between the two servants at the end add to the meaning of the play.

3.7 How have the sisters changed from the beginning? What is significant about Cornwall’s servant killing him?