1. KING LEAR AND OEDIPUS REX

2. ASSESMENT OBJECTIVES 10 MARKS 10 MARKS AO1 RESPONSE TO TEXT
TERMINOLOGY AND CONCEPTS
ACCURATE AND COHERANT EXPRESSION
AO2
CRITICAL UNDERSTANDING IN ANALYSIS
COMMENTING ON STRUCTURE, FORM AND LANGUAGE
10 MARKS
10 MARKS
AO3
CONNECTIONS AND COMPARISONS
INTERPRETATIONS OF OTHER READERS
AO4
UNDERSTANDING THE SIGNIFICANCE AND INFLUENCE OF CONTEXTS
Total 40 MARKS

3. INTRODUCTION STYLE Example-
The issues of ‘right and wrong’ or ‘good and evil’ are never really truly settled by William Shakespeare within King Lear. The characters within the play are mostly three dimensional and have different sides to their personas, making the definition between ‘right’ and ‘wrong’ difficult to distinguish. This is also the case in Oedipus Rex, where Oedipus is punished for events mostly outside his control.

4. INTRODUCTION STYLE Analysis
It is important to clearly state what question you are answering.
You should be able to write the conclusion based on what has been written in your introduction so remember to be firm and concise.
Are you agreeing with the statement or disagreeing.
Using the previous, then state a clear line of argument.
Make a comparison between King Lear and Oedipus Rex. (Are both similar in dealing with the question or do they differ).

5. CONCLUSION STYLE Example of-
King Lear and Oedipus Rex both present the issue of ‘good’ and ‘evil’ in an unclear fashion. In Lear, both ‘good’ and ‘evil’ characters die, and others like Lear and Gloucester also suffer the same fate despite showing themselves to have a correct moral compass. Oedipus’ fate is guided by the Gods, and since for the most part he is displayed as a ‘good’ king, despite his rashness, his sufferings seem to lack a since of justice.

6. CONCLUSION ANALYSIS
Re-focus on the question set- using the introduction
Summarises the points made in the previous paragraphs.
Come to a concise conclusion about why your line of argument is correct
Include both King Lear and Oedipus Rex, however be sure to have 70% Lear and 30% Oedipus.
Should be a small paragraph
BE SURE NOT TO WAFFLE!!!

7. Blending Quotations and how to unpack-part 1 The comparisons
King Lear
Oedipus Rex
“See better, Lear, and let me still remain the true blank of thine eye”
“The quality of nothing hath not such need to hide itself. Let’s see”
“Pluck out his eyes!”
“How terrible – to see the truth when the truth is only pain to him who sees!”

8. Analysis of Quotations
Foreshadows- the pain the characters (and in particular the protagonist)will feel when the truth in Oedipus’ prophecy is revealed.
Repetition of “truth” could emphasise a lack of in the play
In the quotation Tiresias implies that by seeing the truth it only bring pain.
“How terrible – to see the truth when the truth is only pain to him who sees!”
The citizens of the kingdom will also feel pain as their King is the murdered of the previous ruler.
Exclamatory sentence- shows emotion and desperation
Blindness quotation
Knowledge quotation
Critical Interpretation- D-Rock- “Not just physical blindness, but intellectual blindness as well”

9. Analysis of Quotations
Ironic as both Lear and Gloucester will end up to ‘see better’.
Foreshadow that Lear will Learn to see better.
“See better, Lear, and let me still remain the true blank of thine eye”
Repetition of sight imagery
‘Blank’ spot in the centre of a target. Implies Kent aids Lear/ is his advisor
Blindness Quote
Use of the name of the king rather than proper address suggests closeness between Lear and Kent.
LINK- Because Lear does not ‘see better’ he causes himself pain in banishing his most loyal daughter and friend.

10. Analysis of Quotations
Ironic as it is anything but ‘nothing’
Ironic as by seeing the letter it causes Gloucester pain
Echoes Cordelia’s speech- ‘nothing’. Also indicating that Edgar is just as innocent as Cordelia
“The quality of nothing hath not such need to hide itself. Let’s see”
Shows both fathers are blind
Theme of Appearance and Reality
This could be considered the catalyst for the sub plot. As soon as Edmund presents this forged letter, trust between Edgar and Gloucester is broken.
LINK- By insisting to see the letter he plays into Edmunds trap and refuses to see the goodness inside Edgar. Therefore he causes himself pain by banishing his eldest son, Edgar.

11. Analysis of Quotations
‘Pluck’- verb is repeated when in reference to blinding. Could have connotations of birds- to pluck- linking with the references to Goneril and Regan being ‘Pelican daughters’
It is Goneril’s suggestion- making her appear heartless- because they are punishing an innocent man.
“Pluck out his eyes!”
Ironic as both Lear and Gloucester will end up to ‘see better’.
Exclamatory sentence- indicates anger/frustration/excitement
It was considered an appropriate punishment for men who committed adultery as it was their eyes that attracted them to beauty.
Sympathy for Gloucester as he is being punished for aiding the King.
One of the most gory parts of the play- sheep’s eyes are often used

12. BLENDING QUOTATIONS AND HOW TO UNPACK- PART 2 CRITICAL INTERPRETATIONS AND CONTEXT
As explored briefly in the previous slides here are some interpretations and context that can be used alongside the quotations:
Critical Interpretation- D-Rock- “Not just physical blindness, but intellectual blindness as well” (for quotation on slide 8)
Critical Interpretation- Tolstoy- Lear is “wilfully blind” (for quotation on slide 9)
Critical Interpretation- Samuel Johnson- “There is no scene which does not add to the aggravation of distress” (for quotation on slide 11)
Critical Interpretation- A.C Bradley- Lear and Gloucester are tragic heroes who each have a “fatal flaw” (for quotations on slide 9 and 10)

13. BLENDING QUOTATIONS AND HOW TO UNPACK- PART 2 CRITICAL INTERPRETATIONS AND CONTEXT
As explored briefly in the previous slides here are some interpretations and context that can be used alongside the quotations:
Context- It was considered an appropriate punishment for men who committed adultery to be blinded as it was their eyes that attracted them to beauty. (link with slide 11)
Context- The Gods were thought to process unearthly powers and could affect the peoples fate. There was a belief that a minority of the population were ‘seers’- someone who could predict the future of individuals based on the messages they received by the Gods. (link to slide 8)

14. BLENDING QUOTATIONS AND HOW TO UNPACK- PART 2 ADVISE AND GUIDENCE
When planning be sure include context and critics and attach them to the correct and relevant quotations
When revising/preparing make sure to practice pairing the Oedipus quotations with the Lear. This will make it a lot easier to decide what line of argument you will take and which quotations you shall select. It may also help to note what quotations link to which theme (as this also helps with selecting relevant quotations)
Try and make revision fun by using Flash cards, quizzes etc

15. BLENDING QUOTATIONS AND HOW TO UNPACK- PART 3 PUTTING IT TOGETHER
The theme of blindness often causes pain for the characters involved. When Kent asks Lear to “see better, Lear , and let me still remain the true blank of thine eye”, it creates an ironic tone and could also foreshadow how both Lear and Gloucester will end up ‘seeing better’, by Gloucester in his physical blindness and Lear in seeing the lies his daughters, Goneril and Regan, set out for him in the ‘love trial’. The use of the proper address, “Lear”, rather than the formal address of a king (my lord etc) could suggest a closeness between Lear and Kent. This is also indicated by the imagery used for a target as a ‘blank’ spot is the centre of a target, implying that Kent’s job is to advise and has done successfully in the past. Lear has been described as being “wilfully blind” by Tolstoy in the love trial, and this metaphorical blindness within the ‘love trial’ will be used, by Shakespeare to cause him pain later on in the play, especially when his faithful daughter, Cordelia, dies. Tiresias could be said to best describe the effect of blindness on characters; “How terrible- to see the truth when the truth is only pain to him who sees!” In the quotation, Tiresias implies that by seeing the truth it only brings pain. The exclamatory sentence could have been used to show emotion and desperation, whereas the repetition of “truth” could have been used to emphasise a lack of in the play. It could also foreshadow, like in King Lear, the pain the characters (and in particular the protagonist)will feel when the truth in Oedipus’ prophecy is revealed. The theme could then be said to effect other characters as it has done in King Lear, as Lear’s blindness causes the fall of all characters, and in Oedipus as the citizens of the kingdom will also feel pain as their King is the murdered of the previous ruler. D-Rock calls Oedipus a play of “not just physical blindness, but intellectual blindness as well”. Establi8shing that the theme encompasses several meanings.

16. BLENDING QUOTATIONS AND HOW TO UNPACK- PART 3 PUTTING IT TOGETHER
(Continued)
Gloucester could also be said to ‘see better’ toward the end of the play. When Goneril suggests to “pluck out his eyes” not only makes her appear heartless, by punishing an innocent man but the exclamatory sentence indicates her possible anger, frustration or even excitement at the prospect. This is one of the most gory parts of the play, sheep’s eyes are often used in reproductions, and could be what Samuel Johnson is referring to when he comments that “there is no scene which does not add to the aggravation of distress”. This also creates Sympathy for Gloucester as he is being punished for aiding the King and has also been betrayed by his son ,Edmund, who tells Cornwall of his father’s plans. Alternatively, the contemporary audience would have considered this an appropriate punishment for men who committed adultery as it was their eyes that attracted them to beauty.

17. BLENDING QUOTATIONS AND HOW TO UNPACK- PART 3 PUTTING IT TOGETHER
I have only selected some of the information explored previously, however it is about what YOU feel comfortable. This type of question about blindness can cover all aspects of the play therefore choose a line of argument that gives you a bit of room to ‘wiggle’.
The piece that you have just read is worth approximately 1 page hand written. That is apporximatly ¼ of what you are aiming for.

18. QUIZ This quiz aims to test your understanding of: The AOs
The quotations
The critical interpretations

19. WHAT DOES AO1 ASSESS?
Try to guess 3

20. WHAT DOES AO1 ASSESS? RESPONSE TO TEXT TERMINOLOGY AND CONCEPTS
ACCURATE AND COHERANT EXPRESSION

21. WHAT DOES AO2 ASSESS?
Guess 2

22. WHAT DOES AO2 ASSESS? CRITICAL UNDERSTANDING IN ANALYSIS
COMMENTING ON STRUCTURE, FORM AND LANGUAGE

23. WHAT DOES AO3 ASSESS?
Guess two

24. WHAT DOES AO3 ASSESS? CONNECTIONS AND COMPARISONS
INTERPRETATIONS OF OTHER READERS

25. WHAT DOES AO4 ASSESS?
Guess 1

26. WHAT DOES AO4 ASSESS?
UNDERSTANDING THE SIGNIFICANCE AND INFLUENCE OF CONTEXT

27. WHAT IS EACH AO WORTH?

28. WHAT IS EACH AO WORTH?
Each AO is worth 10 marks however AO3 is split in half- I is worth 5 and ii is worth 5

29. WHAT ARE THE MISSING WORDS IN THE QUOTATION
“See …, Lear, and let me still remain the ….…....……”

30. WHAT ARE THE MISSING WORDS IN THE QUOTATION
“See BETTER, Lear, and let me still remain the TRUE BLANK OF THINE EYE”

31. WHAT ARE THE MISSING WORDS IN THE QUOTATION
“The … of … hath not such need to … itself. …”

32. WHAT ARE THE MISSING WORDS IN THE QUOTATION
“The QUALITY of NOTHING hath not such need to HIDE itself. LET’S SEE”

33. WHAT ARE THE MISSING WORDS IN THE QUOTATION
“…. out his …!”

34. WHAT ARE THE MISSING WORDS IN THE QUOTATION
“PLUCK out his EYES!”

35. WHAT ARE THE MISSING WORDS IN THE QUOTATION
“How … – to see the … when the …. is only …. to him who ….!”

36. WHAT ARE THE MISSING WORDS IN THE QUOTATION
“How TERRIBLE– to see the TRUTH when the TRUTH is only PAIN to him who SEES!”

37. WHAT IS THE CRITICAL INTERPRETATION
By D-Rock-
(if unsure guess the key idea)

38. WHAT IS THE CRITICAL INTERPRETATION
By D-Rock-
“Not just physical blindness, but intellectual blindness as well” (for quotation on slide 8)
Key ideas-
Physical blindness is not the only type of blindness explored. There is also intellectual blindness

39. WHAT IS THE CRITICAL INTERPRETATION
By Tolstoy- Lear is… (if unsure guess the key idea)

40. WHAT IS THE CRITICAL INTERPRETATION
By Tolstoy- Lear is…
“wilfully blind”
Key ideas-
Lear does not want to see the truth because he consideres it too painful

41. WHAT IS THE CRITICAL INTERPRETATION
Samuel Johnson-
(if unsure guess the key idea)

42. WHAT IS THE CRITICAL INTERPRETATION
Samuel Johnson-
“There is no scene which does not add to the aggravation of distress” (for quotation on slide 11)
Key ideas
Each scene adds to the audiences uneasiness and adds tension

43. WHAT IS THE CRITICAL INTERPRETATION
A.C Bradley-
(if unsure guess the key idea)

44. WHAT IS THE CRITICAL INTERPRETATION
A.C Bradley-
Lear and Gloucester are tragic heroes who each have a “fatal flaw” (for quotations on slide 9 and 10)
Key ideas
Characters have fatal flaws