Kent Flashcards
Kent’s short response to Lear’s planet cannibal speech to Cordelia
Good my liege —
Dash emphatic of …
Voice of reason
Kent respecting Lear during Lear’s rant at Cordelia quotes
Good my liege —
Royal Lear, whom I have ever honoured as king
X
X
Who does disguised Kent trip up and why
Trips up Oswald because Oswald apparent is rude to Lear
Gains Lear’s liking
Kent says ‘Cordelia’s low sounds….
Kent says Cordelia’s ‘low sounds reverb no hollowness’, recognising her silence does not necessarily equate to a lack of love for her father - she is not ‘empty-hearted’. Kent’s use of the noun [
‘[no] hollowness’ suggests he sees a depth and integrity to Cordelia’s character as she tells the truth, which Lear is blind to.
Kent calling Lear’s decision to not love Cordelia irrational quote
Hideous rashness
Kent says he’ll keep speaking evil quote
After Lear has just banished Cordelia; Kent is defending her
‘Revoke thy gift’ (crown he just gave to Albany and cornwall) or as long as I am able
‘ill tell thee dost evil’ (ill keep telling you u have done a bad thing)
In the 1608 Quarto version of Lear it says ‘doome’ instead of ‘gift’ emphasising Kent’s ominous vision of the future.
Imperative
Freedom lives…
‘Freedom lives hence and banishment is here’
(freedom has been banished from this kingdom)
Oxymoronic diction reinforces chaos and subversion to the kingdom Lear has caused, additionally pointing out his tyranny.
Iambic pentameter forming rhyming couplet with ‘appear’ gives Kent’s words a profound significance
Kent to Cornwall (act 2)
Sir I am…
Sir, I am too old to learn
Says these lines not because they are true but because he thinks his world be teachers are incapable and untrustworthy of tecahing him anything of value.
Points to truth about life and teaching and education
No one is too old to learn
He thinks the lessons they would pass in are corrupt because they are politically
Fortune…
Fortune…turn thy wheel
(Spin the wheel of fortune; Kent hoping for a change in fortune cos now he is in the stocks)
AO2 Direct address to goddess of fortune Life is cyclical, life as a wheel Fate can be changed? Fate - in astrology Allusion
AO3
Goddess Fortuna - appeared in paintings often blindfolded and spun a wheel of fortune; some suffered great misfortune, others gained windfalls.
Wheel - traditionally carries people up to prosperity and down to adversity
See…
See better Lear
Imperative
Juxtaposition in weak linguistic strength of three words and yet such depth in meaning
Pleading tone?
(Lear angry at Kent after ARENT defends Cordelia when Lear banished her. Kent saying see better and let me stay here so you can look to me for good advice)
Emphasises Lear’s lack of insight to the mistake he is making in banishing Cordelia + inability to discern good and evil
Motif of sight
Kent showcasing his loyalty
Contrast of characters: loyal and rational Kent VS temperate turbulent Lear
Kent unlike the Fool who disguises truth, speaks it honestly.
AO3
Feudal system - role of nobleman (Kent) to king - loyalty
Divine right of Kings
Echoes chaos of society; what on earth does it mean if the King banished someone who wants to help him!
Kent appearing to Lear in disguise
He call himself
An honest…
An honest hearted fellow
What does disguised Kent say to Lear
He sees ‘authority’ in Lear’s face
Is this flattery??
