king lear madness

Question 1

What does Kent say as he predicts Lears madness? (Act 1, scene 1)

Answer 1

“When Lear is mad. What would thou do, old man?”

Question 2

When do we see the start of Lear’s downfall?

Answer 2

When his daughters make him dismiss 50 of his knights for their rowdiness - but he clings to the number 100 bc it reps his independence

Question 3

What does Lear do after leaving the castle in act 1, scene 2?

Answer 3

He rushes out into the storm

Question 4

What does the fool represent?

Answer 4

Lear’s conscience that advices him about his actions + mistakes

Question 5

What may hint at an initial disturbed mindset of Lear? Why is this?

Answer 5

His initial rash decision to divide the kingdom for selfish reasons
Kingship was a divine right
For Lear to give up the throne before death just to enjoy old age would be a rejection of a gift from the gods

Question 6

What does Goneril say in A1,S3 about old ppl?

Answer 6

“Old fools are babes again”

Question 7

What does Lear warn Goneril in A2, S4?

Answer 7

“I prithee daughter, do not make me mad”

Question 8

What reflects Lear’s madness?

Answer 8

The storm

Question 9

What does Cordelia compare Lear’s insanity to?

Answer 9

“The vex’d sea”

Question 10

How does Cordelia describe Lear’s physical appearance in act 4 scene 4?

Answer 10

He was singing, made a crown out of weeds, hardocks, hemlock, nettles + flowers

Question 11

What does Lear’s makeshift crown tell us?

Answer 11

Lear is trying to rebuild his previous identity or reminiscing of the power he previously had

Question 12

What does Lear see when he looks at Gloucester in act 4 scene 6?

Answer 12

He sees Goneril with a white beard

Question 13

What does Lear suffer from that catalysis his fall to madness?

Answer 13

Huberis - arrogance

Question 14

What does Lear say about his wrath in act 1, scene 1?

Answer 14

“Come not between a dragon + his wrath”
Instable

Question 15

What’s a peripeteia?

Answer 15

Reversal of fortune

Question 16

What does Lear exclaim when he storms out?

Answer 16

“Oh fool, I shall go mad!”

Question 17

What does the storm symbolise?

Answer 17

Lears madness

Question 18

What does Lear command in the storm?

Answer 18

Commands the storm “Rage! Blow!”
Tries to take power over the storm - addresses the elements

Question 19

Who says madness involves a loss of self identity

Answer 19

Woods

Question 20

What’s the agnorisis?

Answer 20

Characters recognition

Question 21

What does Lear recognise + realise?

Answer 21

All those in his kingdom who suffer from poverty + hunger
“I have ta’en too little care of this!”

Question 22

What do the flowers Lear’s dressed in symbolise?

Answer 22

His madness

Question 23

What does Edgar exclaim in act 4? What does this show?

Answer 23

“Reason in madness”
Even though lear appears mad, he’s recognising some truths

Question 24

How does Lear metaphorically describe life?

Answer 24

Life is like a great stage of fools - everyone is pretending to have power
When a baby is born they cry bc they know the truth about their vulnerability

Question 25

What does Lear say when he wakes up?

Answer 25

“I feel this pin prick”
Sharp clarity + he recognises his own weakness

Question 26

How is Lear’s madness in the end of the play?

Answer 26

Calm + childlike rather than madness

Question 27

What does Lear view himself in the storm?

Answer 27

“I am a man more sinn’d against than sinning”

Question 28

What does Lear say about his wits?

Answer 28

“My wits begin to turn” (when he’s in the storm)

Question 29

What does madness bring to Lear?

Answer 29

Humble and compassionate feelings

Question 30

What does Lear say in act 3, scene 4 about his heart? What does this mean?

Answer 30

“Wilt break my heart?”
Lear wants to stay outside in the storm so his physical discomfort will take his mind off his mental suffering which otherwise will break his heart

Question 31

How does Edgar uphold facade of insanity?

Answer 31

Pretends to talk to an imaginary horse + accuses himself of the deadly sins

Question 32

What does Lear wish to do when he sees Edgar?

Answer 32

Wishes to identify himself with ‘Poor Tom’

Question 33

What does Woods say about madness?

Answer 33

“If madness involves a loss of self as identity becomes incoherent, Edgar’s disguise is a form of madness.”

Question 34

What does Savvas say about suffering?

Answer 34

“It is Lear with whom we suffer”

Question 35

What does McLaughin say about madness?

Answer 35

“It is the loss of worth coupled w the experience of not being able to do anything about it that drives Lear to madness”

Question 36

What do Lear’s rash decisions show?

Answer 36

Political insanity

Question 37

What is the bloodlust of Goneril, Regan + Edmund?

Answer 37

An abhorrent kind of madness

Question 38

What might psychoanalysis say about Lear’s madness?

Answer 38

Lear’s madness makes him regress a childhood state

Question 39

What did Bedlam hospitals do?

Answer 39

Housed the mentally ill + inmates were released to beg for survival

Question 40

How does Lear run around?

Answer 40

“Unbuttoned”
Mentally + physically exposed

Question 41

What happened in 1603?

Answer 41

Sir Brian Annesley’s eldest daughter + her husband tried to have him certified as a senile lunatic so they could have his property; his youngest daughter challenged her sister in court + saved the father

Question 42

What does Cunningham say?

Answer 42

“Lear finds wisdom through madness”