Justice Flashcards
Second point about justice
The tragic fallibility of human judgement
First point about justice
The absence of divine justice
Third point about justice
Social injustice
Fourth point about justice
Cruelty and the abuse of power representative of injustice
Examples for the absence of divine judgement
Gloucester’s blinding and suicide
The ending
Retribution taken to an absurd level
Critics/context for the absence of divine justice
Nihilistic reading, A.M. Colman, Nahum Tate’s alternative ending, the fool.
Link to Oedipus for absence of divine justice
The Gods are openly cruel, seem to be unjust…
Quotes for the absence of divine justice
As flies to wanton boys are we to the gods; they kill us for their sport
I will see the winged vengeance overtake such children / see’t shalt thou never
O cruel! O you gods!
The gods are just, and of our pleasant vices make instruments to plague us. The dark and vicious place where thee he got cost him his eyes.
O, you are men of stones!
Why should a dog, a horse, a rat have life, and thou no breath at all?
Examples for the fallibility of human judgement
The joint stool trial
The love test
Disguise motif
Cordelia’s forgiveness of Lear
Critics/context for the fallibility of human judgement
Hermesmann/Hockey Great Chain of Being?
Link to Oedipus for the tragic fallibility of human judgement
Oedipus and Jocasta completely misjudge their fate. But is it destiny, or can they be held responsible for their errors…?
Quotes for the fallibility of human judgement
‘Which of you shall we say doth love us most’
‘Nothing, my Lord’
‘Kill thy physician, and the fee bestow upon thy foul disease’
‘If a mans brains were in’s heels’/’thou art nothing’
‘So out went the candle, and we were left darkling’
Robed man of justice/yoke fellow of equity
Let us deal justly
False justicer! Why hast thou let her scape?
No cause, no cause
Examples for social justice
Lear’s revelations
Gloucester’s servants
Edgar’s ravings
Edmunds illegitimacy
Critics/context for social justice
Charles Beauclerk; James I; the malcontent
Links to Oedipus for social justice
Oedipus displays compassion from the outset, recognises that he and his people are indistinguishable
