1. KING LEAR
For
DUMMIES

2. 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

3. KING LEAR STUFF…

4. PLOT AND SUB PLOT

5. 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

6. THEMES Justice Blindness Nature/Astrology Deceit/Betrayal Madness
Reconciliation

7. 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

8. 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

9. 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

10. 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

11. 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

12. 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

13. 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

14. 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

15. 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

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

17. 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

18. 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

19. 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

20. 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

21. 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

22. EXAM STUFF…

23. 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

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