King Lear AO4 Flashcards
What type of audience were they
Jacobean
Why would a lack of remorse of the evil characters have worried the auidence
They were a Christian Jacobean audience.
King Lear is “a Christian play about a pagan world”
When was King Lear written
1605
What literary period was King Lear written in
The Renaissance
Why was King James 6th so important in relation with KL
He was trying to persuade English Parliament to approve the union of the two countries into one nation
Give 3 texts related to King Lear
- King Leir
- Chronicles of England, Scotland, and Ireland
- History of the British Kingdom
- The Faerie Queen
- Arcadia
Who is Poor Tom based on
Madmen considered dangerous in England at the time. “Bedlam” was a slang word for “Bethlehem,” which was the name of a mental institution in London.
Who’s servant is Oswald
Goneril’s
What is Lear’s tragic flaw
Egotism
Why do the knights outstay their welcome
Elizabeth the 1st outstayed her welcome, and bankrupted nobles
Give an overview of the chain of being
God - King - Nobles - Society
What were penal laws
Introduced by Elizabeth. These included severe punishments for those who recognised papal authority
What religion was at the time
England no longer Catholic. The move to Protestantism began during the reign of Henry VIII.
Who are the Machiavellian characters
Edmund, Cornwall, Goneril, Regan
What was the view of women
Associated with passion. Supposed to obey men. Supposed to look after the home and raise children. Sub-ordinate to men.
What is a malcontent person
Discontent with social structures and other characters
What did the divine right of monarchy mean
Not obeying the King/Queen was considered treason as the monarch was given the role by God
What were King James VI penal laws
He reintroduced strict penalties against Catholics. This led to the Gunpowder Plot of 1605: Assassination attempt by Catholics.
What is Fortuna’s Wheel
Unpredictable nature of Fate - Everything will come full circle
What type of play is it
Didactic
What does the subplot explore
primogeniture
What is primogeniture
the right, by law or custom, of the legitimate, firstborn son to inherit his parent’s entire or main estate
What was Shakespeares troupe called
The Kings Men
What is the term for a combination of nations
Accession
