Context Flashcards
“Divide in three our kingdom.”
social comment in favour of King James 1st. As Shakespeare identifies the dire catastrophic consequence of dividing a country, which emphasises the positivity of James’ intention to unify the country, which parliament, both in Edinburgh & London, disputed. (James was Scottish and wanted to unify Scotland & England)
“O sir you are old!”
highly hierarchal, in which a lot of respect was to be given to wealthy, elders and parents, social commentary on how fragile society was, as the elderly, wealthy and parental figures – Lear and Gloucester- are those treated the worst.
“With base? Why baseness? Basterdy? base, base.”
Queen Elizabeth herself was an ‘illegitimate’ Queen, possible social commentary – as bastards were commonly presented as ‘evil’ this is exemplified as Shakespeare portrays Edmund as his main Machiavellian character.
“speak less than thou knowest,”
the fool embodies the infamous relationship between King James and his own fool (Archie Armstrong) Yet Lear’s fool is ironically wiser than the king himself, perhaps a social comment on King James + many of audience would be drunk and not understand the irony
Religious crisis
Religious identity crisis during the 16th and 17th centuries, originated during the reformation / Henrys founding of the Protestant church, creating tension in society.
Shakespeare’s religion
seems to avoid direct religious comment in all his plays, but characters, such as Lear, have Protestant leanings. EG Lear is consumed by his sense of identity – his inner struggle: this was very much a Protestant preoccupation.
Aristotelian concept of tragedy
catharsis inspired from the ‘pity and terror’ of tragic action, which acts almost as a purgatory source for audiences as he argued that this paradoxically cleansed audiences as they witnessed such extensive tragedy.
Tates 1681 version
Gloucester & Lear are restored to power (poetic justice), as a response to interpretations that the play was too tragically awful to be palatable,
extensive pride
hubris
fatal flaw
hamartia
peripeteia
reversal of fortune
anagnorisis
moment of realisation
catharsis
audience gains understanding of the universe
Gregory Doran’s King Lear
Cordelia wears a white dress throughout, so does lear at the end of the play. GR wears black throughout
what would have Jacobean audiences viewed GR downfall
would have viewed GR downfull as manifestations of God’s judgement for transgressing moral boundaries
shakesperian tragic heroes
predominantly haunted by their concsiousness (lear, macbeth, hamlet, Othello)
when was the first known performance of King Lear
Boxing Day 1606 at whitehall palace, where King James two sons were present
what were his plays like at the time.
typically concluded with restoration of order, but shakespeares energy goes into subverting traditional values, bu setting the play in the distant past, he avades charges of subversion.
Edgar’s decsion to be homeless
politial challenge to change the gap between the rich, the blight of homelessness and the fact that to be poor was to be invisible.
what social crisises was england convulsed by
- harvests failing at an alarming rate
- riots in london 1595
- regional famines 1596 & 97
- bubonic plague killed 30000 londoners in 1603
