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Summary King Lear: Essay Plan: Lear’s punishment far exceeds his crimes
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King Lear: Essay Plan: Lear’s punishment far exceeds his crimes
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Lear’s punishment far exceeds his crimes1 Lear’s punishment can be seen to exceed his crimes as they reduce him beyond the state of man, they reduce him
to a rabid animal.
“things that love the night Love not such nights as “(enter Lear, fantastically dressed with wild flowers.)”
these; the wrathful skies Gallow the very wanderers
of the dark…”
“man’s nature cannot carry The affliction nor the
fear.”
Personification, animalistic imagery, metaphor Stage direction, costume
Nature reflects the opposite of tragedy as shown by Hegel’s belief tragedy must return to natural order. This basic
state is ordered and happy and has no constraints of the human world.
2 The character of the Fool acts as an omniscient narrator throughout the play. His chides and chants depicts Lear’s
punishment far exceeding his crimes.
“(Singing) He that has and a little tiny wit- With hey, “The hedge-sparrow fed the cuckoo so long, that it’s had it
ho the wind and rain,-- Must make content with his head bit off by it young.”
fortunes fit, For the rain it raineth every day.”
“I am a Fool, thou art nothing.”
Fool symbol, Stage direction, pathetic fallacy Metaphor, direct address
Aristotle demands that the audience must be brought to the realisation justice has been served however, with Lear
this realisation brings no reprieve to his punishment
3 The role of punishment within a tragedy is to evoke a sense of personal enlightenment-anagnorisis- in the tragic
hero. Lear’s anagnorisis shows throughout the play yet his severe punishment continues reflecting that his
punishment far exceeds his crimes.
“Come on, my boy: dost, my boy? Art cold? I am cold “I did her wrong, -…I will forget my nature. So kind a
myself. Where is this straw, my fellow?” father!”
Names of endearment, open and human tone, Short sentences, change in tone to introspective, however
Personal pronouns are not selfish they embellish the hubris remains
care for the fool
Aristotelian belief that tragedy evokes anagnorisis in tragic hero. Their fall from ignorance to introspection acts as a
morale lesson to the audience.
4 Shakespeare contrasts two scenes to show how Lear’s punishment exceeds his crimes as despite him seeing the
previous errors of his ways his punishment still afflicts him
“The art of our necessities is strange, That can make “O! Reason not the need…Thou art a lady; if only to go
vile things precious.” warm were gorgeous…”
Ambiguity, honest characterisation, anagnorisis Juxtaposition to extract, apostrophe, inflamed tone, simile,
triplet, metaphor, superlative
Ethical introspection and his recognition of his flaws depict him as a Hegelian tragic hero. By the denouement, Lear
has reached a point of reconciliation
5 Despite some enlightenment Lear’s hubris remains demonstrating his hamartia has not been fully resolved and so
his continued punishment matches his crimes that still remain unatoned for.
“I am a man more sinn’d against than sinning.” “Which of you shall we say doth loth us most?”
“Here I disclaim all my paternal care, propinquity and
prosperity of blood.”
Personal pronouns, comparative Origin of hubris, superlative, question, Harsh alliteration
Lear’s suffering/punishment is caused by human action rather than supernatural forces as marked by A.C. Bradley
as a key part of a tragic hero
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