King Lear Group at eNotes

The bastard Edmund is even more villainous than Lear's unfaithful...

Sun, 5 Jul 2009 09:23:47 PST

The bastard Edmund is even more villainous than Lear's unfaithful daughters. They exploit the circumstances that Lear creates; Edmund creates the circumstances that cause the break between Gloucester and his legitimate son Edgar. Nevertheless, Edmund does have some cause for complaint. Not only is he the product of his father's licentious behavior, Gloucester maligns Edmund's character. But Shakespeare assigns so many evil tasks to Edmund that...

In the last scene of the play, Goneril confesses to poisoning her sister...

Sun, 5 Jul 2009 09:21:29 PST

In the last scene of the play, Goneril confesses to poisoning her sister Regan and then commits suicide herself. The crux of the conflict begins in Act IV, when a "love" affair emerges between Goneril and Edmund. At the same time, upon learning of the death of her brother-in-law Cornwall, Goneril immediately suspects that the widowed Regan will try to supplant her as Edmund's lover. In the first scene of Act V, Goneril's jealousy leads her to...

From the standpoint of his role as the father of three daughters, Lear's...

Thu, 2 Jul 2009 05:25:52 PST

From the standpoint of his role as the father of three daughters, Lear's division of his kingdom into three equal parts seems fair. Yet, this division is actually a recipe for discord. What strikes us though is how little insight Lear has into the basic character of his daughters. Having lived with Goneril and Regan for two decades or more, Lear is completely unaware of their capacity for deceit; he seems genuinely shocked when they begin to...

As Lear becomes increasingly agitated and frustrated with Regan and...

Tue, 23 Jun 2009 07:47:47 PST

As Lear becomes increasingly agitated and frustrated with Regan and Goneril his language changes noticeably with his emotions. Firstly he seeks recourse in Latin terms as in (4.3.63) when he cries "hysterica passio, down, thou climbing sorrow," alluding to hysteria and the suffocation he's feeling being mistreated by his daughters. Secondly, his language starts to become dominated with questions. He cannot believe that his daughters refuse to...

In Act II, scene 4 of "King Lear", how does Lear's use of language...

Sun, 21 Jun 2009 15:44:24 PST

In Act II, scene 4 of "King Lear", how does Lear's use of language reveal the changes of state in his mind?

Grammardog Guide to King Lear

It all depends on how his definition is translated: “A tragedy, then,...

Sat, 13 Jun 2009 23:03:10 PST

It all depends on how his definition is translated: “A tragedy, then, is the imitation of an action that is serious and also, as having magnitude, complete in itself; in language with pleasurable accessories, each kind brought in separately in the parts of the work; in a dramatic, not in a narrative form; with incidents arousing pity and fear, wherewith to accomplish its catharsis of such emotions... "(Imgram Bywater: 35) His...

In so far as Lear is a king, he belongs to high rank/station, and...

Sat, 13 Jun 2009 09:26:35 PST

In so far as Lear is a king, he belongs to high rank/station, and therefore basically qualified in the role of a tragic hero. Again, he is generally inclined to goodness, and his passage from renunciation of kingship to his disaster & death shows a downward curve from prosperity to adsversity. And in this downfall, he arouses the emotions of pity and fear. But the error which lies at the root of Lear's sufferings is his division of...

Lear's three daughters can be placed in two broad categories--good &...

Fri, 29 May 2009 12:26:09 PST

Lear's three daughters can be placed in two broad categories--good & bad. The bad daughters misbehave with their old father & also causes damage to the good sister. Goneril and Regan are 'pelican daughters' who fight a lot between themselves for power, wealth & control; what is even worse, they conspire against each other to win the love of the illegitimate Edmund. You should focus on the battle between the good & the bad as...

We will all laugh at gilded butterflies what does mean

Sat, 23 May 2009 15:48:23 PST

We will all laugh at gilded butterflies what does mean

Goneril, one of the daughters of King Lear, is difficult to pronounce....

Fri, 22 May 2009 11:29:22 PST

Goneril, one of the daughters of King Lear, is difficult to pronounce. It is often mispronounced by placing too strong of an emphasis on the "i" in the last syllable of the name. The first link that I have placed below is to a web site that has recordings of a variety of Shakespearean characters who are difficult to pronounce including Oberon, Titania, and others. If you often have difficulty pronouncing words, this website provides audio...

How do you pronunce Goneril's name in Shakespere's "King Lear"?

Thu, 21 May 2009 21:20:11 PST

How do you pronunce Goneril's name in Shakespere's "King Lear"?

It is tragic when half of Lear's royal entourage of knights is...

Wed, 20 May 2009 06:04:44 PST

It is tragic when half of Lear's royal entourage of knights is disbanded. This demonstrates that Reagan and Goneril do not respect their aged father and are corrupted by the newly acquired power they have attained. "Ingratitude, thou marble hearted fiend.." (1.4.270). "How sharper than a serpent's tooth it is to have a thankless child." (1.4.302-3) When Lear storms out of his daughter's castle and chooses instead to embrace the harsh and...

What are some tragic moments in Lear's life? Discuss.

Tue, 19 May 2009 11:38:47 PST

What are some tragic moments in Lear's life? Discuss.

The two men who want to marry Cordelia are the King of France and the...

Thu, 14 May 2009 05:44:26 PST

The two men who want to marry Cordelia are the King of France and the Duke of Burgundy. Part of the reason that these men are pursuing her is because of her political position. However, when Cordelia is dismissed by King Lear, the men's true character is revealed. Without the promise of land and power, the Duke of Burgundy is very quick to withdraw his suit. The King of France is not motivated by her position, though. He loves Cordelia, and...

Discuss the 2 men who initially wanted to marry Cordelia in "King Lear"....

Thu, 14 May 2009 05:34:11 PST

Discuss the 2 men who initially wanted to marry Cordelia in "King Lear". Who married her, and why?

When the play opens, King Lear is at the point where he wants to retire...

Wed, 13 May 2009 10:52:22 PST

When the play opens, King Lear is at the point where he wants to retire and divide his kingdom between his daughters. What is interesting, however is that he wants to be retired, but also wants to retain his authority. So effectively, he does not want to have to do the job, but wants the benefits of the job. Think of it as if he wants to keep getting paid for a job he no longer has, wants to still have authority to boss people around,...

What are the most important changes in Lear throughout the play?

Wed, 13 May 2009 10:36:03 PST

What are the most important changes in Lear throughout the play?

\!/ I need a literary critical essay on King Lear \!/

Sun, 3 May 2009 08:53:44 PST

\!/ I need a literary critical essay on King Lear \!/

How do women treat other women in King Lear?

Mon, 27 Apr 2009 18:50:06 PST

I would appreciate any help I can get with this open-ended question I have recieved, as I cannot figure out any definitive answer (ie. either "well" or badly") that my instructor requires.

I find that Goneril and Reagan work together towards common goals, which indicates a good treatment towards each other, albeit for malicious purposes.

At the same time, the pair mistreats Cordelia because she is reasonable in her actions,...