King Lear Summary
Aristotelian Tragedy
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Generally, an interpretation highlighting the Aristotelian tragedy closely examines
how a fatal character flaw eventually ruins a hero or heroine, who is basically
noble.
further elements of the Aristotelian tragedy branch from this broad synopsis.
English scholar, for example, may gain much value from this established and
‘traditional’ interpretation.
Hubris (excessive pride)
Lear’s hubris and lack of insight derived from this hubris is effectively presented in
Olivier’s film representation of King Lear. Olivier accentuates this hubris and its results
through a variety of performance techniques:
Scene 1, Act 1
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Costume is utilised with Lear dressed in elaborate and ostentatious attire,
representing excessive pride through subtly influencing the idea that Lear
dresses to attract attention and fuel his ego.
The actor’s physical actions also present a conceited Lear as the daughters
are forced to kiss Lear’s crown and the ground at his feet.
Overall, Olivier effectively presents an atmosphere where it appears Lear
treats his daughter more as subjects, than as daughters and therefore
accentuates Lear’s excessive pride.
Huge map – meeting based on hubris and flattery rather than division of
the kingdom
“Which of you shall we say doest love us most,/ That we our largest
bounty may extend.”
Kissing of feet – treatment of daughters and subjects
Lear’s hubris is further accentuated as he evaluates his daughter’s love depending on
how exaggerated they can profess it. Lear basks in the false overstated sentiments of
Gonerill, ‘Sir, I love you more than word can wield the matter’ and Regan ‘I am alone
felicitate in your dear highness’ love.’ which rouse his pride. However, when
Cordelia what she can say to ‘draw a third more opulent than your sisters?’
insinuation Lear expected his daughter’s professions of love to have no bearing on his
obstinate decision. His pride blinded him to the notion that his division of the
kingdom may be challenged.
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King Lear Summary
Lack of insight
o cannot foresee the dire consequences of dividing his kingdom prior to his death and
on the basis of embellished professions of love
o refuses to accept the admirable advice of Kent, his loyal servant. Kent, clearly seeing
the error of Lear’s action’s pleys, ‘Thy youngest daughter does not love thy least....
See better, Lear..’ As Lear begins to draw his sword, yelling, ‘O vassal! miscreant!’,
it is obvious his overweening pride is controlling his actions and reacting Kent’s
criticism. Even when others make obvious his lack of insight, Lear’s hubris is so
entrenched he cannot comprehend the possibility he may have made an error in
judgment.
overall progression from order to disorder
o epitomised in the storm scene (Act II, Scene ii), the chaos of Lear’s mind and
kingdom can be directly contrasted to the play’s first scene.
o In this first scene Lear speech, manner and actions clearly present him in a position of
authority within an environment of order. However, in the storm scene responder’s
experience an altered Lear, who even describes himself as ‘a poor, infirm, weak, and
despised old man’.
Act 11, Scene ii ~ Storm Scene (Harlos Bondi Pavilion Production)
 “Crack Nature’s moulds, all germens spill at once/That make ingrateful man”
 Sand is used as rain
 Lear’s clothing gets less as the play goes on to symbolises his loss of power,
during the storm scene Lear’s pants are ripped and he has no shirt
 Loud drums sound to heighten drama and pain
action that is complete and whole
o Wounded during a duel with Edgar and with death inevitably approaching, Edmund
reflects, ‘the wheel is come full circle.’ With this metaphorical sentiment, it is clear
Edmund is aware his fatal wound is punishment for his prior actions. This scene
surely conveys a feeling of retribution and justice representing the completion of
Edmund actions and life.
o The plays ending also evoke a sense of completion as many of the character die. To
achieve this ‘completion’ staging techniques must be utilised so to conveys a
nihilistic ending, which presents the absence of afterlife and death as final. To create
this atmosphere the illusion of sinking ship containing the bodies of all those
characters who died throughout the play could be presented. This could be achieved
through the use of a mechanical sinking stage and waving, flowing blue silk sheets
representing the sea, which engulf the stage before being pulled over the entire
audience. Through the illusion of sinking all the characters, a feeling is created which
suggests a final, nihilistic ending. This staging should reflect the ultimate destruction
of Lear’s kingdom, the ruin of so many characters and a completion that supports the
elements of an Aristotelian tragedy.
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King Lear Summary
Drama of the Family
o accentuates those aspects of the play relating to relationships of both Lear’s and
Gloucester’s family.
o In many respects the play can be regarded as simply a story about father’s and the
relationships with siblings.
o An film interpretation by Richard Eyre in 1997 strongly presented King Lear as a
drama of the family. The many performance aspects utilised by Eyre to acentuate
family aspects was the physical staging of the first scene.
Act 1, Scene i
 All members of Lear’s extended family sat at a large table, clearly exemplified
family values, as it symbolised a family dinner table. A modern audience can
relate this image to their own lives and are unconsciously provoked to observe the
family aspects of the play.
 A red background symbolises blood which in turn symbolises family ties
 The placing of characters around the table. For example Lear is at one head of the
table, Cordelia at the other head. This displays Lear’s favouritism of Cordelia,
which perhaps initiates the sibling rivalry between the three sisters.
 Lear takes off his crown, which is symbolic of the division being based on family
relationships, “What can you say to draw/A third more opulent than your sisters?”
 Lear jumps on to the table when challenged by Kent. This exemplifies his position
as head of the family.
 During this heated argument close ups are used to intensify the emotion.
Sibling Rivalry
Edmund and Edgar.
o Edmund was born out of wedlock, this illegitimacy has led to neglect and Edmund
feeling a lesser member of his family, spurning a rivalry between Edmund and his
brother, Edgar.
o contributes to Edmund’s sinful plot to gain his father’s inheritance, which due to his
‘illegitimacy’ he is not entitled too. ‘A brother noble....on whose foolish honesty my
practices ride easy. Let me, if not by birth, have lands by wit.’
o Edmund slashes his own arm and later claims it was Edgar who had wounded him.
Edmund utters to himself, ‘Some blood drawn on me would beget opinion.’
o letter Edmund forges in which Edgar supposedly writes of a plot to kill Gloucester,
their father.
Regan and Gonerill
o once Lear presented Regan and Gonerill with entire inheritance ruthless battle for
dominance, with all those surrounding them becoming pawns in their strategic quest.
o example, once Edmund becomes a powerful man of authority both Regan and
Gonerill vie for his devotion. Regan spitefully remarks to Gonerill’s steward
‘Edmund and I have talk’d, and more convenient is he for my hand than for your
lady’s. ’ Their rivalry continues to cultivate, leading to Gonerill’s tragic plot to
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King Lear Summary
murder her sister. As Regan speaks, ‘Sick, oh sick!’, Gonerill bitterly comments ’If
not, I’ll ne’er trust medicine.’
o accumulation of the rivalry as they learn of Regan death from poisoning and Gonerill
suicide evoked by guilt.
o As Edmund encapsulates the situation, ‘The one the other poison’d for my sake and
after slew herself’, a modern audience reflects on the cause of these horrific actions,
and in doing so, reflects on the power of family relationships.
love shared between parent and child
Edgar and Gloucester.
 Act 4, Scene 6, this unconditional love is clearly presented. Gloucester, in belief
Edgar is plotting to kill him and with his eyes gouged out, makes the decision to
commit suicide. posing as ‘Poor Tom’, in an act of absolute love, Edgar can lead
Gloucester and save his life. ‘Give me thy arm. Poor Tom shall lead thee.’
 Edgar inspires him to stay alive, ‘Thy life's a miracle. Speak yet again.’
Scene 6, Act 4 ~ Gloucester and Edgar, ‘the suicide scene’.
 Hand holding, zoom in from a birds eye view to a close up = concentrating on
restoration of relationship and Edgar’s loyalty to Gloucester.
 Gently whispers to Gloucester to soothe him
 “If Edgar lives, bless him” during this line the camera cross cuts between Edgar and
Gloucester
Lear and Cordelia.
 At the plays beginning it would seem the love is present yet burdened by Lear’s
favoritism and hubris. However as Lear’s mind begins to clear, so to does their divine
love.
 best witnessed in the blissfully simplistic forgiveness Cordelia bestows to Lear in Act
4, Scene 7. As Lear speaks, ‘I know you do not love me.....You have some cause.’,
However Cordelia bestows blissfully simplistic forgiveness ‘No cause, no cause.’
Act 4, Scene 7 ~ Lear/Cordelia, ‘the love scene’
 The first thing Cordelia does is un-strap Lear’s arms, exemplifies her care for his
well-being.
 Cordelia is wearing a red dress, symbolises love and passion
 “How doth my royal lord”, illustrates Cordelia’s selfless love for Lear and her respect
for him.
 Soft lighting
 When Lear falls to his knees, Cordelia kneels with him = RESPECT
 Crying and yelling of Lear heightens emotion and the healing process
 Lear wipes tears from Cordelia’s eyes, as he speaks, ‘I know you do not love
me.....You have some cause’, taking responsibility for causing Cordelia pain.
However Cordelia bestows blissfully simplistic forgiveness ‘No cause, no cause.’
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King Lear Summary
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Even in the face of the horrific imprisonment, Lear’s eternal love for his daughter
shines through, ‘We two alone will sing like birds i' the cage’. This simile effectively
creates an image of blissful happiness for responders and instills the eternal love
shared between Lear and Cordelia.
 supported by the release of two white doves at the conclusion of the play
support the mental image and symbolise the peace and love attained by
character’s
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It is evident Lear absolute love for Cordelia prevents him from accepting her death,
he simply reflects, ‘Why should a dog, a horse, a rat have life, and thou no breath at
all’. However despite this apparent awareness of Cordelia death, the degree of his
love for her is further conveyed as he grasps for evidence of life,’ Look, her lips –
Look there, look there!’. Directly after speaking these desperate words Lear dies, his
frail body could simply not cope with the loss of a daughter he loved so dearly.
Scene 3, Act 5 ~ Final Scene
 Lear carries Cordelia in his arms, her body is limp
 “She lives let it be so, it is a chance which does redeem all sorrows which I have ever
felt.”
 Lear places her body on top of Regan and Goneril’s.
 Lear’s despair exemplified by his actions eg, slumping over Cordelia
 “It is a wonder he hath endured so long”.
 Kent pulls the cart of bodies out = tragedy and family united in death
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King Lear Summary
Comedy of the Grotesque
 reading by G. Wilson Knight moved the focus of the play away from individual
character analysis, psychology and ethics and accentuate the symbols and imagery in
King Lear. Knight examined the absurd and fantastical aspects of the play, and in his
interpretation presented King Lear as a grotesque comedy. Many critics believe that
the absurd aspects of the play were written specifically by Shakespeare to reflect the
chaos in Lear’s deteriorating mind. It is seen that one of Shakespeare’s greatest
achievements in writing King Lear, was the plays ability to cause an audience to
experience the comedic aspects of the play, yet not cross the line to a state of bathos.
The grotesque comedy of the play is demonstrated by the humour of the Fool, the
scene where Gloucester believes he is jumping off the cliff at Dover (Act 4, Scene 6),
Lear’s imaginary court (Act 3, Scene 6) and Cordelia’s death (Act 5, Scene 3).
Humour of the Fool
 The Fool obviously represents an intelligent figure of guidance and insight in a world
of blindness, who can clearly evaluate characters and situations.
 The Fools assertions are certainly absurd, presenting his prophecies in humourous
rhythm and rhyme through puns, riddles and song. Often the fools assertions have a
bizarre and bawdy quality, representing grotesque comedy in themselves.
‘The codpiece that will house
Before the head has any,
The head and he shall louse:
So beggars marry many.’
 the Fool effectively presents insight through Grotesque comedy, much like
Shakespeare in writing King Lear.
Gloucester believes he is jumping off the cliff at Dover (Act 4, Scene 6)
 emphasise the humour this scene may be preformed on a flat stage in a pantomime
fashion, with characters exaggerating each step and presenting Gloucester’s suicide
attempt as merely a circus somersault upon an empty stage.
 As Gloucester speaks, ‘Methinks the ground is even.’ and Edgar deviously replies,
‘Horrible steep’ ‘Look how we labour’, we can see how the dialogue aids this cruel,
mocking and grotesquely comical scene.
Lear’s imaginary court (Act 3, Scene 6)
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King Lear Summary
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Act 3, Scene 6, displays a mock courtroom, imagined by Lear, which puts his
daughters on trial. The absurd way in which Lear acts as though his daughters are
right before him, and the creatures he imagines are surrounding him, ‘The little dogs
and all...see, they bark at me,’ makes a mockery of his deteriorated mental state and
contributes to the grotesque humour of the play.
Cordelia’s death (Act 5, Scene 3).
Cordelia’s death can be viewed as a hideous and degrading joke of destiny. It is seen to
possess qualities of grotesque comedy as Cordelia, despite being honest and good for the
entirety of the play, still dies an untimely death just as she finally reconciles with her
father. Cordelia death is surely absurd due to its irrationality and therefore is grotesquely
comical.
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