Themes Flashcards
What question does the play’s succession of terrible events raise?
Whether there is any possibility of justice in this world
What does Gloucester realise about justice?
It is foolish for humankind to assume to that the natural world works in parallel with moral or social justice conventions
What does Edgar believe about justice?
That individuals get what they deserve
Where does the failure of authority in the face of chaos recur?
In Lear’s wanderings on the heath during the storm
What compels Lear to re-prioritise his values?
That he like the rest of humankind is insignificant in this world
What is the vital ingredient to Lear and Cordelia’s reconciliation?
His anagnorisis because it has allowed him to realise the depth and sincerity of her love.
What is the negative of self-knowledge?
Self knowledge is painful and perhaps not worth the effort it takes to achieve it
What does Lear achieve self-knowledge at the cost of?
The cost of his power, wealth and sanity
Where is self-knowledge not valued by Shakespeare?
Edmund sees himself clearly but he dies even before Lear
