Аnаlуsis оf the climаx оf the trаgedу оf Shаkespeаre. King Leаr

1.3. An analysis of Shakespeare's "King"Learning

King Lear is a tragedy by the big Billy himself, William Shakespeare. The play's action centres on an ageing king who decides to divvy up his kingdom between his three daughters (Goneril, Regan, and Cordelia) in order to avoid any conflict after his death⁵. This play then depicts the gradual descent into madness of King Lear, after he disposes of his kingdom giving bequests to two of his three daughters based on their flattery of him. The second plot line of the play consists of Gloucester and his sons, Edmund and Edgar. Edmund forges a letter stating that Edgar planned to betray his father. Gloucester believed the forgery, bringing tragic consequences for all characters involved.
Sight and blindness
Evidently, the prospect of sight and blindness bears relevance towards the play due to the way in which the binary pair is a constant factor within the play. For instance, this is emphasised through the way in which Gloucester loses his sight. After his eyes were removed he consequently began to gain more insight. This brings more complexity to the play and questions the position of authority and age since Gloucester clearly presents a notion of blindness to Edmond's intention, yet ironically he gains more insight after the loss of his eyes as he is shown to recognise the king. Consequently, this brings irony, insight and complexity to the play, therefore highlighting the significance of blindness and sight.
King Lear Banishing Cordelia (John Boydell, 1803)
Words vs actions
Words and actions bring irony, complexity, and insight to the play. This is through the statements made by the characters that conflict with their actions.For instance, within the play, Lear states that he is sorry for banishing Cordelia.
However, he does not do this in person as his actions lead to her absence from the kingdom. As a result, this shows the clear distinction between the two as although his words had stated; "I loved her the most" (act 1 scene 1) and saying he loved her he allowed his vanity to sit higher than family values, consequently banishing her.
Furthermore, Lear asks "Who is it who can tell me who I am?" as it was clear he thought he was king. However, his actions to divide the kingdom contradicts this as he resulted in being a king with a meaningless title as his actions got rid of the power and authority he had as king in act 1. Consequently, this brings irony, insight and complexity to the play, therefore highlighting the significance of blindness and sight.
Three daughters of King Lear by Gustav Pope
The theme of injustice (Act 2, Scene 4)
The sentimental theme of injustice clearly had been indicated within the Scene and Lear is provoked to the edge of insanity. This is the way in which Regan and Goneril deceptively from their declaration of love to Lear had suddenly turned against him, attacking his pride though the treatment of Kent, Regan and Cornwall refusing to speak with him on command, stating that his authority and age was moving away from him⁶. For instance, Goneril states "Have a command you?" then Regan saying "What need one?". As a result, this takes away the mentality of authority and importance that his servants represented and both daughters have chosen to use his empty status as king against him. Therefore the theme of injustice is evident within this scene through the way in which Regan and Goneril have suddenly turned their back on Lear despite the fact they had proclaimed their love for him days before and left him to the storm where he could have easily fallen sick in his old age.
Cordelia vs Goneril/ Regan
The conflict between the sisters presents irony, the prospect of good and evil, family values, dramatic irony and complexity to the play. This is presented through scene 1 act 1 where Regan and Goneril lie to their father about their love whilst Cordelia refuses to shower Lear with compliments. This presents the audience with irony and dramatic irony as Cordelia was the one who loved her father the most. This presents the opposite sides within the play (good and evil) as the although Goneril and Regan still got the kingdom, they failed to show loyalty to the king which ultimately lead to their demise while Cordelia died in the hands of the law. Consequently, this brings irony, insight and complexity to the play, therefore highlighting the significance of blindness and sight.
King Lear, Act I, scene 2: Edmund's soliloquy, by William Shakespeare
Truth vs untruth
The conflicts between truth and lie present irony, the prospect of good and evil, dramatic irony and complexity to the play. For instance, Edmond lied to Gloucester that Edgar was plotting against him. However, Edgar clearly had nothing to do with the letter that Edmond forged. Although this was true, the lie prevailed and Edgar was reduced to being a fugitive. Consequently, this brings irony, insight and complexity to the play, therefore highlighting the significance of truth and lie.
The importance of the storm
The storm scene could be regarded as a psychical manifestation of chaos created in response to Lear's actions through the political chaos escalated from Lear's actions. This is the way Lear had divided the kingdom leaving his title meaningless, banished Cordelia and Kent, argued with Goneril and was banished by his daughters, reducing him to nothing and breaking the chain of being. To illustrate Lear shouts at the sky;“Nor rain, the wind, thunder, fire, are my daughters: / I tax you not, you elements, with unkindness. I never gave you a kingdom, called you children” (3.2.14–15).
The storm is a psychical reflection of the It reflects the madness and psychological anguish, regret, betrayal and emotional chaos that Lear felt within this situation. This shows the metaphysical connection Lear had to the storm as he shows that he regrets giving his kingdom to his children and he comes to the realisation he had made a mistake.The strength of the storm mirrors the political chaos Lear he created by breaking the chain of being as the hierarchical structure within England had been put into turmoil due to Lear's irrationality. This brings Britain into a state of chaos where the villains of the play, Goneril, Regan, Edmond and Cornwall have the most power. Instead of in a castle, the king is outside shouting at the storm like a mental patient. Therefore this shows that Lear had been reduced to nothing, as the fool had stated he had become old before he became wise which ironically defeats the purpose of a king
Within the storm scene, it is evident that Lear had been drawn to a state of anguish, regret, humiliation and madness. This is clearly through the way in which he is shown provoking the storm to grow even more tempestuous. For instance, Lear yells;“Nor rain, the wind, thunder, fire, are my daughters: / I tax you not, you elements, with unkindness” (3.2.14–15). Through this Lear bellows at the storm as though it was a physical being showing that he had been drawn to a state of delusion. This shows that Lear had lost touch with reality or an ordinary sense of understanding of nature. To this Lear lividly questions whether he deserves such harsh treatment from the gods and if not how they would allow his own daughters to betray and humiliate him as they had. It is clear that Lear had regretted dividing his kingdom and sees himself as a victim in comparison to the rest of the characters. Therefore his reveals that Lear's state of mind had been pushed into turmoil, hostility, confusion and on the verge of complete madness.
Within the storm scene, Kent and Fool provide a sense of rationality despite their titles. This was distinctly through the way both characters attempt to help the king despite his delusional state. For instance, the Fool says to Kent "Marry here's grace and a codpiece; that's a wise man and a fool". The characters show the blur in between both in which the question; "which is the king? The wise man or the fool" comes into play. It is shown that Kent and Fool had no significant titles and were regarded as nothing, they still had their sanity whereas the king had become delusional.
The scene at Dover (Act 4, Scene 6)
The Dover (act 4 scene 6) scene contributes to King Lear through the way it essentially presents a development in Lear's character, evokes an emotional response from the audience, presents irony and brings a resolution to Lear and Cordelia's relationship. In this scene Lear is presented as a king, Cordelia and Lear meet, Cordelia shocked with the state of her father while her father barely comprehends her presence. Instead of demanding for his daughter's confession of love and praise he passively says; "I think this lady to be my child Cordelia" instead of claiming that he was a man 'sinned more against than sinning' and demanding an apology. Unlike Kent earlier in the play he recognises Cordelia. Evidently, this reveals the development of Lear's insight into the significance of family values in contrast to Act 1 scene 1. This displays irony as when he is reduced to nothing he shows insight in contrast to when he was king he failed to do so through dividing the kingdom⁷.
Lear's intention to beg for forgiveness is presented since he assumes that Cordelia hated him like Goneril and Regan because of Cordelia, 'had some cause; had not', to hate him. Cordelia shows compassion as she tells him that she had, "No cause", to hate him. Through his, Lear reconnects with the world as well as his daughter and the storm, as a visual representation of his inner turmoil is shown to die down. Through this Cordelia represents an 'angelic', resolution to Lear's mental hell and anguish as although he had banished her, she puts his mind at ease through forgiveness. Through begging Lear no longer sees himself as infallible as in contrast to Act 1 he had been a character of superiority and ego. Therefore this scene is significant due to the character development evokes an emotional response from the audience, presents irony and brings a resolution to Lear and Cordelia's relationship.

Conclusion for Chapter I

Very little is known for certain about William Shakespeare. What we do know about his life comes from registrar records, court records, wills, marriage certificates and his tombstone in Holy Trinity Church, Stratford-upon-Avon.
William Shakespeare was baptised on 26 April 1564 at Holy Trinity in Stratford-Upon-Avon. Traditionally his birthday is celebrated three days earlier, on 23 April, St George's Day.
John Shakespeare married Mary Arden, the daughter of Robert Arden, a farmer from the nearby village of Wilmcote. In 1556 John bought the main part of the house in Henley Street which is now known as the 'Birthplace' and their family, including William, grew up there (see photo). John's principal business was that of a glover, but he also traded as a wool and corn merchant, and he is recorded in 1570 as being involved in money-lending.
William's father, John Shakespeare, was an affluent glove maker, tanner and wool dealer who owned property in Stratford. For a number of years he played a prominent role in the municipal life of the town. He served on the town council and was elected bailiff (mayor). However, around 1576 John Shakespeare was beset by severe financial difficulties and he was forced to mortgage his wife's inheritance.
William's mother, Mary Arden, was the daughter of a prosperous farmer, Robert Arden, who had left her some land in Wilmcote, near Stratford. John and Mary Shakespeare had eight children: four daughters, of whom only one (Joan) survived childhood. William was the eldest of the four boys.
William almost certainly went to one of Stratford's 'petty' or junior schools where he would have learnt his letters with the help of a hornbook. From the age of seven or thereabouts, he would have progressed to the King's New School where the emphasis would have been on Latin, it still being the international language of Europe in the 1500s. Shakespeare probably left school at the age of 14 or 15.
Shakespeare’s plays reveal a detailed knowledge of the curriculum taught in such schools which were geared to teaching pupils Latin, both spoken and written. The classical writers studied in the classroom influenced Shakespeare's plays and poetry; for example, some of his ideas for plots and characters came from Ovid's tales, the plays of Terence and Plautus, and Roman history.