1. William Shakespeare’s King Lear

2. Date of Composition and Source Most difficult play to pin down Most difficult play to pin down Written after Hamlet and Othello Written after Hamlet and Othello Winter of 1605-1606 Winter of 1605-1606 Elizabethan Tragedy Elizabethan Tragedy Published during his life time Published during his life time

3. Lear and European History One of the few plays to take place in Britain One of the few plays to take place in Britain Similar to other tragedies- nobility Similar to other tragedies- nobility Believed to be during the Hundred Years War (1337-1453) Believed to be during the Hundred Years War (1337-1453) France loses the battle France loses the battle

4. Characters King Lear-Aging King of Britain King Lear-Aging King of Britain Cordelia-Lear’s youngest daughter, disowned for refusing to flatter him Cordelia-Lear’s youngest daughter, disowned for refusing to flatter him Kent-Nobleman who is loyal to Lear, but outspoken Kent-Nobleman who is loyal to Lear, but outspoken Gloucester-Nobleman to Lear, suffers a parallel fate Gloucester-Nobleman to Lear, suffers a parallel fate Edgar-Gloucester’s older legitimate son Edgar-Gloucester’s older legitimate son Fool- Lear’s court jester who gives important advice Fool- Lear’s court jester who gives important advice

5. Characters- Evil Edmund-Gloucester’s Bastard Son who resents his position; cunning in his schemes Edmund-Gloucester’s Bastard Son who resents his position; cunning in his schemes Regan (wife of Cornwall) and Goneril (wife of Albany)- Lear’s daughters who are interested in power and do not care about their father Regan (wife of Cornwall) and Goneril (wife of Albany)- Lear’s daughters who are interested in power and do not care about their father

6. What Kind of Play is This? Even though King Lear is classified as a chronicle play (a type of drama which draws its English historical materials from the sixteenth-century chronicles) Shakespeare uses elements of Senecan tragedy sometimes called Classical tragedy, and the morality play. Even though King Lear is classified as a chronicle play (a type of drama which draws its English historical materials from the sixteenth-century chronicles) Shakespeare uses elements of Senecan tragedy sometimes called Classical tragedy, and the morality play. Character before action. Character before action.

7. Senecan Tragedy Seneca’s plays were reworking's chiefly of Euripides’ dramas and also of works of Aeschylus and Sophocles. Probably meant to be recited at elite gatherings, they differ from their originals in their long declamatory, narrative accounts of action, their obtrusive moralizing, and their bombastic rhetoric. They dwell on detailed accounts of horrible deeds and contain long reflective soliloquies. Though the gods rarely appear in these plays, ghosts and witches abound. In an age when the Greek originals were scarcely known, Seneca’s plays were mistaken for high Classical drama. - britannica.com/art/Senecan-tragedy

8. Hamartia “King Lear is blind to the inner nature of love. He equates words and appearances with truth and reality, banishing the seemingly ungrateful, unloving youngest.” -Alan Chalk

9. Elements of the Play To enhance this chronicle with a tragedy of character, Shakespeare incorporates a few Senecan elements: – To enhance this chronicle with a tragedy of character, Shakespeare incorporates a few Senecan elements: – (1) the use of stock characters—a faithful male servant (Kent) (1) the use of stock characters—a faithful male servant (Kent) (2) the employment of sensational themes drawn from Greek mythology, involving much use of ―blood and lust (2) the employment of sensational themes drawn from Greek mythology, involving much use of ―blood and lust (3) stichomythia—dialogue that is conducted by two characters speaking in alternate lines (though strict regularity is not maintained). (3) stichomythia—dialogue that is conducted by two characters speaking in alternate lines (though strict regularity is not maintained).

10. Motifs & Themes Love, betrayal, revenge, loyalty, foolishness Love, betrayal, revenge, loyalty, foolishness Things are not as they appear Things are not as they appear Greed and lust for power corrupt Greed and lust for power corrupt Madness, blindness, old age Madness, blindness, old age Nature of good and evil Nature of good and evil

11. Suffering Suffering can transform a contemptible human being into a good person Suffering can transform a contemptible human being into a good person According to the Greeks, the role of suffering in human life is clear: Suffer to build character. The loving struggle as Heraclitus puts it. According to the Greeks, the role of suffering in human life is clear: Suffer to build character. The loving struggle as Heraclitus puts it. In King Lear, most of the characters suffer. They react to suffering in different ways: In King Lear, most of the characters suffer. They react to suffering in different ways: - Some harden their hearts - Some harden their hearts - Some indulge in violence - Some indulge in violence - Some try to alleviate others‘ suffering - Some try to alleviate others‘ suffering

12. Parallel Plots Each family centers on an aging father (patriarch) Each family centers on an aging father (patriarch) Lear: imperious tyrant Lear: imperious tyrant Gloucester: gullible Gloucester: gullible Each sees his children through a distorted lens, turning against the child who truly loves him, unleashing in the other children greed, lust, ambition. Each sees his children through a distorted lens, turning against the child who truly loves him, unleashing in the other children greed, lust, ambition.

13. Work Cited Lisa jolly King Lear presentation Lisa jolly King Lear presentation britannica.com/art/Senecan-tragedy britannica.com/art/Senecan-tragedy