Act 3 Sc 6

Question 1

‘No he’s a yeoman that has a gentleman to his son” Fool (3,6)

Answer 1

Fool taps into the reversal of hierarchy as an aspect of the tragedy of the play - he says that it is mad to have your son of a higher ranking than you. Although the fool doesn’t know it yet, this is exactly what we’ve just seen with Edmund being made Earl of Gloucester over his father.

Question 2

‘Cry you mercy, I took you for a joint-stool’ Fool (3,6)n

Answer 2

comedic moment would make the audience laugh, could be unsettling/uncomfortable for the audience because it’s a hard moment to watch Lear going mad and they are laughing because of the fool’s funny comments. Treading an uncomfortable line between tragedy and comedy

Question 3

‘My tears begin to take his part so much’ Edgar (3,6)

Answer 3

important moment for edgars characterisation, we begin to feel sympathy for him where we see his empathy for Lear because this then creates more empathy for him from the audience making him a more likeable character.

Question 4

And i’ll go to bed at noon” Fool line 82 (3,6)

Answer 4

shows topsy turvy world in terms of time too
FOOLS LAST LINE IN WHOLE PLAY:
- fool has done his job of prodding lear into seeing the truth, lear’s had flickers of recognition and built up to this scene where he builds up different aspects of recognition of different things - he’s now realised things about his daughters that he wasn’t seeing before and as a result of that recognition he has gone mad. The fool is no longer required to tell the truth because he’s recognised it now.
Also significant in the sense that the fool is no longer going to need to support lear as much as we know that Cordelia is coming back and she can then be that person of emotional support for Lear and that person of truth and genuine tender love for Lear.

Question 5

~`Edgar mini soliloquy”: line 99 - end of scene (3,6)

Answer 5

“he childed as i fathered”
‘when we see our betters see bearing our woes, we scarcely think our miseries our foes”
“How light and portable my pain seems now’

Question 6

“he childed as i fathered” Edgar (3,6)

Answer 6

Theme of family betrayal: Making a parallel between the plots really clear ; lear has been betrayed by his children just as he has been betrayed by his father

Question 7

‘when we see our betters see bearing our woes, we scarcely think our miseries our foes” Edgar (3,6)

Answer 7

Rhyming couplets: saying that when you see others suffering it lessens our own suffering. Makes links between Edgar and the fool - making philosophical points as the fool did through rhyming couplets

Question 8

“How light and portable my pain seems now’ Edgar (3,6)

Answer 8

amplifies Lear’s suffering if Edgar thinks his suffering (living in the woods and being homeless) is light compared to lears. ~ He’s got the humility and empathy to sympathise with others even when he himself is suffering. Important to recognise and remember the things that Shakespeare does to put us on Edgars side.

Question 9

mock trial of goneril and regan

Answer 9

The role play of a court/judiciary in general: makes lear seem child-like as if he’s playing with dolls etc
Also shows this world in which there appears to be no true form of justice - links to next scene “without the form of justice”