"King Lear" is a profound tragedy that revolves around the themes of family dynamics, betrayal, and the quest for love and recognition. The plot begins with King Lear's decision to divide his kingdom among his three daughters based on their declarations of love for him. His favorite daughter, Cordelia, refuses to flatter him with exaggerated praise, leading to her banishment. This pivotal moment sets off a chain of tragic events as Lear grapples with the consequences of his hubris and the deceitful nature of his other daughters, Goneril and Regan. The narrative unfolds with intricate subplots, including the story of Gloucester and his sons, which further explores themes of loyalty and madness.
Shakespeare's writing style in "King Lear" is characterized by its rich language and emotional depth, immersing readers in the psychological complexities of the characters. The play evokes a range of emotions, from despair to humor, and masterfully balances moments of intense drama with poignant reflections on human nature. The portrayal of madness, particularly through Lear's descent into insanity and the Fool's insightful observations, adds layers to the narrative, inviting readers to ponder the fragility of sanity and the harsh realities of life. The play's structure, filled with action and reaction, keeps audiences engaged, making it a timeless piece that resonates with various interpretations and performances.
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Sensitive Topics/Content Warnings
Triggers for King Lear include themes of madness, betrayal, violence (including eye-gouging), death, family dysfunction, and emotional trauma.
From The Publisher:
In Shakespeare's thrilling and hugely influential tragedy, ageing King Lear makes a capricious decision to divide his realm between his three daughters according to the love they express for him.
When the youngest daughter refuses to take part in this charade, she is banished, leaving the king dependent on her manipulative and untrustworthy sisters. In the scheming and recriminations that follow, not only does the king's own sanity crumble, but the stability of the realm itself is also threatened.
Ratings (19)
Incredible (4) | |
Loved It (8) | |
Liked It (2) | |
It Was OK (4) | |
Did Not Like (1) |
Reader Stats (36):
Read It (23) | |
Currently Reading (1) | |
Want To Read (9) | |
Not Interested (3) |
3 comment(s)
Dark and disturbing play with unlikeable characters
Posiblemente deberia ser 5 estrellas pero lo he leido en el ingles de Shakespeare y me he perdido gran parte de lo que estaba ocurriendo.
Creo que lo releere en algun momento de mi vida y le dare 5 estrellas entonces.
Humanity must perforce prey on itself,
Like monsters of the deep
At this point I have three Shakespeare plays under my belt and so I’m confident enough to say that
King Lear wasn’t for me. It wasn’t bad; I just wasn’t especially moved or emotionally invested. The plot was kind of convoluted; it would probably have been more engaging (looking back, there was definitely plenty of scheming and double crossing and maiming and blood) if I hadn’t admittedly had a hard time following who was who and what was happening. I also had a more difficult time following some of the dialogue—particularly the Fool’s—than in the other plays I’ve read.
As usual, I really like
these Folger editions, even though the cover is kind of bland (hence why I shelved a separate edition). I leaned heavily on the scene summaries (which I read after each scene) to make sure I’m following all right, though I feel like they could have been a bit more detailed.
That’s…really all I’ve got to say.
Some favorite passages:
Blow winds, and crack your cheeks! Rage, blow!
You cataracts and hurricanoes, spout
Till you have drenched our steeples, (drowned) the cocks
You sulph'rous and thought-executing fires,
Vaunt-couriers of oak-cleaving thunderbolts,
Singe my white head. And thou, all-shaking thunder,
Strike flat the thick rotundity a' th' world.
Crack nature's molds, all germens spill at once
That makes ingrateful man.
This tempest in my mind
Doth from my senses take all feeling else
Save what beats there. Filial ingratitude!
The sea, with such a storm as his bare head
In hell-black night endured, would have buoyed up
And quenched the stelled fires;
Yet, poor old heart, he holp the heavens to rain
O, I am slain! My lord, you have one eye left
To see some mischief on him.
He dies.
When we are born, we cry that we are come
To this great stage of fools.
No, no, no, no. Come, let's away to prison.
We two alone will sing like birds i' th' cage.
When thou dost ask me blessing, I'll kneel down
And ask of thee forgiveness. So we'll live,
And pray, and sing, and tell old tales, and laugh
At gilded butterflies, and hear poor rogues
Talk of court news, and we'll talk with them too-
Who loses and who wins; who's in, who's out-
And take upon 's the mystery of things,
As if we were God's spies. And we'll wear out,
In a walled prison, packs and sects of great ones
That ebb and flow by th' moon.
All's cheerless, dark, and deadly.
Vex not his ghost. O, let him pass! He hates him
That would upon the rack of this tough world
Stretch him out longer.
What can you read after
King Lear?
About the Author:
William Shakespeare was born in Stratford-upon-Avon, Warwickshire, in 1564. The date of his birth is not known but is traditionally 23 April, St George's Day. Aged 18, he married a Stratford farmer's daughter, Anne Hathaway. They had three children. Around 1585 William joined an acting troupe on tour in Stratford from London, and thereafter spent much of his life in the capital. A member of the leading theatre group in London, the Chamberlain's Men, which built the Globe Theatre and frequently performed in front of Queen Elizabeth I, Shakespeare wrote 36 plays and much poetry besides. He died in 1616.
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