Violence And Suffering

Question 0

Example scenes for violence in nature

Answer 0

Animal insults
The storm
Edmund’s devotion to nature

Question 1

First key point?

Answer 1

Violence in nature - the reduction of humans to animals

Question 2

How does violence in nature link to Oedipus

Answer 2

Oedipus animalistic, almost demonic blinding of himself

References to Kithairon

Question 3

Quotes for violence in nature

Answer 3

Detested kite

Sharper than a serpents tooth

Tigers, not daughters

Humanity must perforce prey on itself, like monsters of the deep

Blow, winds, and crack your cheeks

The plague of custom

Nature, thou art my goddess

Question 4

Second point about suffering

Answer 4

Violence reflects the breakdown of justice

Question 5

Examples for violence reflects breakdown of justice

Answer 5

Blinding

Edmunds twisted sense of justice

Joint stool trial

Question 6

Critics/ context for violence reflects breakdown of justice

Answer 6

DC Hockey (trial structure); Anna Hermesmann; Divine Right

Question 7

Quotes for violence and the breakdown of justice

Answer 7

We may not pass upon his life without the form of justice, yet our power shall do a court’sy to our wrath

Bind fast his corky arms

Pinion him like a thief

Let him smell his way to Dover

I will see winged vengeance overtake such children/see’t thou shalt never

Robed man of justice/ yoke-fellow of equity

False justicer, why hast thou let her scape?

This seems a fair deserving, and must draw me that which my father loses, no less than all; the younger rises when the old doth fall

Question 8

Third point about violence

Answer 8

Suffering is meaningless

Question 9

Examples of suffering being meaningless?

Answer 9

The ending

The battle

Gloucester’s suicide

Question 10

Suffering is meaningless - link to Oedipus?

Answer 10

References to ‘nothing’

The gods open cruelty…

Question 11

Critics/context for meaningless suffering

Answer 11

Nihilistic reading - Jan Kott, Swinburne

Link to James I and attitude to unifying Britain.

Question 13

Quotes for meaningless suffering

Answer 13

Alarum within/alarum and retreat within

Away, old man, give me thy hand, away! King Lear has lost, he and his daughter ta’en.

O you mighty gods! This world I do renounce

As flies to wanton boys are we to the gods; they kill us for their sport

Is this the promised end?

Why should a dog, a horse, a rat have life, and thou no breath at all?

Question 14

Fourth point about suffering

Answer 14

Suffering allows us to attain good characters?

Question 15

Example of suffering developing character

Answer 15

Poor naked wretches, wheresoe’er you are, how shall your houseless heads and unfed sides defend you from seasons such as these?

Some good I mean to do yet, in spite of mine own nature

Edgar - ‘some villain hath done me wrong’ to guiding his father and overthrowing his brother.

Thou art a soul in bliss, but I am bound upon a wheel of fire.

Question 16

Counter examples to suffering developing character?

Answer 16

Edmunds repentance FAILS.

And Gloucester’s statement ‘Henceforth I will bear affliction till it do cry out itself enough enough!’ is the result of Edgar tricking him!

Question 17

Critics/context for suffering developing character??

Answer 17

SL Bethell