Nathan Alison Hilary Reeves Alyssa Villanueva Adam Zook

#1 Banished Cordelia and Kent Act 1 Scene I Lear: “Let it be so,—thy truth then be thy dower: For, by the sacred radiance of the sun, the mysteries of Hecate, and the night; By all the operation of the orbs, from whom we do exist and cease to be; here I disclaim all my paternal care, Propinquity, and property of blood, And as a stranger to my heart and me Hold thee, from this for ever.” Kent: And in thy best consideration check this hideous rashness: answer my life my judgment, Thy youngest daughter does not love thee least; Nor are those empty-hearted whose low sound Reverbs no hollowness.” Lear: “Kent, on thy life, no more.” Kent: “My life I never held but as a pawn To wage against thine enemies; nor fear to lose it, Thy safety being the motive.” Lear: “Out of my sight!” Kent: “See better, Lear; and let me still remain The true blank of thine eye.”

#2 Acted disorderly towards Goneril and Regan Act 1 Scene iv Lear [To Goneril]: “I'll tell thee.—Life and death!- I am asham'd That thou hast power to shake my manhood thus; That these hot tears, which break from me perforce, Should make thee worth them.—Blasts and fogs upon thee! Th' untented woundings of a father's curse Pierce every sense about thee!—Old fond eyes, Beweep this cause again, I'll pluck you out, And cast you, with the waters that you lose, To temper clay.”

#1 Goneril and Regan lock him out in the storm Act 2 Scene iv Gloucester: The king is in high rage. Cornwall: Whither is he going? Gloucester: He calls to horse; but will I know not whither. Cornwall: 'Tis best to give him way; he leads himself. Goneril: My lord, entreat him by no means to stay. Gloucester: Alack, the night comes on, and the high winds do sorely ruffle; for many miles about there's scarce a bush. Regan: O, sir, to wilful men The injuries that they themselves procure Must be their schoolmasters. Shut up your doors: He is attended with a desperate train; And what they may incense him to, being apt To have his ear abus'd, wisdom bids fear.

#2 Lear goes mad Act 3 Scene vi Lear: I'll see their trial first.—bring in their evidence.[To Edgar.] Thou, robed man of justice, take thy place;—[To the Fool.] And thou, his yokefellow of equity, bench by his side:—[To Kent.] you are o' the commission, sit you too.”

#3 Lear is captured and Cordelia is executed by Edmund Act 5 Scene iii Lear: “Howl, howl, howl, howl!—O, you are men of stone. Had I your tongues and eyes, I'ld use them so That heaven's vault should crack.—She's gone for ever!—I know when one is dead, and when one lives; She's dead as earth.”

#4 LEAR DIES Act 5 Scene iii Lear: “And my poor fool is hang'd! No, no, no life! Why should a dog, a horse, a rat, have life, And thou no breath at all? Thou'lt come no more, Never, never, never, never, never!—Pray you undo this button:— thank you, sir.—Do you see this? Look on her!— look!—her lips!—Look there, look there!—”

Lear is a man more sinned against than sinning

By acknowledging some responsibility for his situation, Lear puts himself above hypocrites who do not take responsibility for their actions Fate is cruel: in a way, ‘karma’ goes overboard and Lear’s punishment is much more than he deserved If Lear was a little mad in the beginning, then his responsibility is further reduced; Regan, Goneril and Edmund, on the other hand, bear the full brunt of responsibility of their actions

Abdicated his throne to escape responsibility (Act 1 Scene i) -Lear had a few more years left in him; indeed, the good guys try to restore him to the throne, showing they believed in his leadership Banished his most loved daughter and most loyal servant out of anger (Act 1 Scene i) -Both would have provided better care and treated him with respect Prevented by pride from returning to Cordelia when shown the sisters’ true intentions (Act 4, Scene vii) -When he later meets Cordelia, she forgives him, thus making his worries unnecessary Then again: -Lear was pretty old, and according to some interpretations, already a bit mad in the beginning

Broke agreement with Lear and forced him to give up knights or leave (Act 2, Scene iv) -Then again: those knights were pretty loud Plotted to control the country through Edmund -Then again: Perhaps this was the only way a woman could gain power?

Reacted too strongly after being called a whoreson (Act 1, Scene i) -After his soliloquy in the second scene, there is little mention of Edmund’s origin for the rest of the play -Other characters treat him just like any other guy -Even Gloucester treats him well after he demonstrates his “loyalty”; maybe there was another way to win his father’s love?