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E211: British Literature to 1760 Shakespeare's King Lear Study Questions Alfred J. Drake | 423 UH | TW 12:45-1:45 | ajdrake@ajdrake.com General Questions 1. How many different meanings for the term "nature" are developed in this play? Who articulates the various meanings? Are these significations kept distinct? Do they remain stable throughout the play? 2. The various characters try to assert control over the events of the play by using a number of different linguistic strategies. Try to keep track of these strategies. Act One 3. Does Lear's division of his kingdom in I.i remind you of a fairy tale? How so? Ignore the word "tragedy" in the play's title for a moment, and describe your expectations about how the story might end based on its beginning. 4. What, if anything, is the problem with Lear's early division of his kingdom? Does his behavior make sense? Why is he putting on such a public "show" in I.i? 5. And what about "poor Cordelia" in I.i--is her bearing towards her father the king appropriate? 6. Is Kent's comportment towards Lear proper? How would you charac-terize his language? Is it very effective in allaying the king's wrath? 7. As for Regan and Goneril--when they confer in I.i.280-98 about their father's actions, do they have a point? 8. The Edmund/Gloucester plot also begins in Act One. How are the Lear/Daughters and Edmund/Gloucester plots related? 9. Let's consider the Fool. What is the Fool's function? What does he do for Lear? How helpful to the king (or to us) are the Fool's "insights?" What sort of language does he use? 10. Oswald--observe how he behaves towards Lear after the latter has given away his kingdom. Why do we need to think about the actions of such a "three-suited, action-taking knave?" Act Two 11. Well, at the opening of Act II, Edmund's plot succeeds, and Edgar is forced to run for his life. Examine the theme of "nature" in II.i. How do Edmund and Gloucester, respectively, understand this concept? 12. In II.ii, Kent comes across Oswald and tells him just what he is, down to the very syllable. Observe Kent's attempt to explain to Regan and Cornwall why he has been thrashing their sister's messenger. Obviously, Kent fails to placate these two. Why? 13. What do you make of Edgar's speech (II.iii) in connection to the themes with which the play has been concerned so far? 14. Lear is furious in II.iv when he learns of Kent's punishment. He blames Goneril but quickly learns that Regan, too, is against him. Explore what leads up to Lear's frenzied "O, reason not the need!" speech (II.iv.256-78). What is the importance of all that haggling about the need for a certain number of servants? Why does Lear come unhinged at last? 15. A simple question: how does Act II advance the plots set up in Act I? Act Three 16. Scenes ii, iv, and vi are concerned with the actions of King Lear and others during a raging storm. What is the significance of this setting? Is the storm metaphoric for one or more things? 17. What does the storm seem to mean to Lear himself? How does he "address" the storm in scene ii? 18. Can you make anything of the Fool's "prophecy" in scene ii.75-90? 19. What does Edgar (as Poor Tom) mean to the mad King Lear? Look at the various titles and descriptions that Lear accords him in scenes iv and vi. 20. One of those titles is apparently that of "judge" in scene vi. What is Lear trying to accomplish by putting his daughters on trial? 21. Scene vii is downright ugly. Why does Regan pick this specific punishment for Gloucester? Does the punishment fit the alleged "crime?" Act Four 22. At the beginning of scene ii, Goneril plots with Edmund to have him replace Albany as her husband. Do you notice the sexual innuendo and tension in the dialogue between Goneril and Edmund? Might this emphasis on the sexual nature of Goneril and Edmund's relationship comment on or illustrate the disorder that Lear's abdication has created? One could ask the same question about the vicious competition implied in scene v between Regan and Goneril over Edmund. 23. In scene vi.1-81, Gloucester tries to make his wretched "final exit" from the play, but as it turns out, he is--or rather isn't--in for a real letdown. What is Edgar trying to accomplish with his artistic, but misleading, treatment of Gloucester? Also, would it make sense to compare Edgar's handling of Gloucester to his participation in Lear's madness (i.e. Act III.vi)? 24. In scenes vi.82-196, Lear rages. Try to draw as much from his words as you can about the "causes" that Lear assigns to his troubles. 25. In scene vi.227-70, Edgar catches our favorite worsted-stocking knave (et cetera), Oswald, in the act of attempting to kill old Gloucester. Edgar kills Oswald and reads a damning letter from Goneril to Edmund. Why does Edgar confront Oswald in rustic dialect? Act Five 26. By the way, what happened to the fool? 27. On his way to prison with Cordelia is scene iii, Lear lays out his vision of the "future" the two will share. What predictions or promises does Lear make? Is he making sense? 28. Again in scene iii, Regan and Goneril argue over Edmund. Where do they do so? Is this setting important? 29. From scene iii.83-150, Edmund is forced to defend himself against the accusation of treason that Albany (on Edgar's evidence) has leveled against him. Why is it ironic that the fight with Edgar is Edmund's undoing? 30. Well, with all those royal bodies lined up neatly on the stage, someone has to accept the power of the state. What do you think of the attitudes that Albany, Kent, and Edgar display towards this responsibility? And what do you make of Edgar's last four lines (iii.324-27)? Do these lines "sum up" the play? Edition: Abrams, M.H. et al. The Norton Anthology of English Literature, Vols. 1A, 1B, 1C. 7th. edition.
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