King LearKing Lear

By William ShakespeareBy William Shakespeare

King LearKing Lear

Tragic ElementsTragic Elements

Chronicle Play (16Chronicle Play (16thth century chronicle century chronicle material)material)

Morality playsMorality plays Classic tragedyClassic tragedy Senecan tragedy (Seneca modeled Euripides)Senecan tragedy (Seneca modeled Euripides) Chorus, ghost, catastrophe, off stage violence, Chorus, ghost, catastrophe, off stage violence,

five acts, hyperbole, stichomythia, bombastfive acts, hyperbole, stichomythia, bombast

Classical TragedyClassical Tragedy According to Aristotle who first defined it using the Greek plays that were According to Aristotle who first defined it using the Greek plays that were

available to him, tragedy is “the imitation of an action that is serious and also, as available to him, tragedy is “the imitation of an action that is serious and also, as having magnitude, complete in itself.” Tragedy typically includes “incidents having magnitude, complete in itself.” Tragedy typically includes “incidents arousing pity and fear, wherewith to accomplish the catharsis of such emotions.” arousing pity and fear, wherewith to accomplish the catharsis of such emotions.” The elements of a classical tragedy includeThe elements of a classical tragedy include

    L       The tragic hero who, though not perfect, is certainly in some way morally L       The tragic hero who, though not perfect, is certainly in some way morally

superior to most of the audience (and who is nearly always upper class), but also superior to most of the audience (and who is nearly always upper class), but also exhibitsexhibits

L       “L       “HamartiaHamartia,” the tragic flaw (literally, it translates as “error of judgement”) ,” the tragic flaw (literally, it translates as “error of judgement”) which is oftenwhich is often

L       L       hubrishubris, loosely translated as arrogance, that causes the hero to believe he can , loosely translated as arrogance, that causes the hero to believe he can outwit fate or violate a moral law, which leads in turn tooutwit fate or violate a moral law, which leads in turn to

L       some kind of L       some kind of catastrophecatastrophe, which results in, which results in L       L       peripeteiaperipeteia or a complete reversal of fortune from happiness to disaster or a complete reversal of fortune from happiness to disaster

First ActFirst Act

Geoffrey of MonmouthGeoffrey of Monmouth

Historia Regum BritanniaeHistoria Regum Britanniae 11371137 Lyr or Ler and daughters from British mythLyr or Ler and daughters from British myth

Shakespeare’s sourcShakespeare’s sourc

Raphael Holinshed (? d.1580) retold Monmouth’s Raphael Holinshed (? d.1580) retold Monmouth’s story of Lear in his story of Lear in his Chronicles of England, Scotland Chronicles of England, Scotland and Irelandand Ireland (1577). So did Edmund Spenser (c.1552- (1577). So did Edmund Spenser (c.1552-99) in the second volume of his poem 99) in the second volume of his poem The Faerie The Faerie QueeneQueene (pub. in two 3-volume sets, in 1590 & 1596). (pub. in two 3-volume sets, in 1590 & 1596). According to Monmouth, Lear ruled for 60 years. According to Monmouth, Lear ruled for 60 years. Another version of the Lear story appears in Higgins’ Another version of the Lear story appears in Higgins’ Mirror for MagistratesMirror for Magistrates (1574). According to (1574). According to Holinshed’s Holinshed’s ChroniclesChronicles, Lear ruled Britain for 40 , Lear ruled Britain for 40 years around 800BC. years around 800BC.

The Great Chain of BeingThe Great Chain of Being

.Nathum Tate’s Improvement.Nathum Tate’s Improvement

A Thousand AcresA Thousand Acres

Inspiration for FoolInspiration for Fool

Baron Muncaster’s jester – Tom FoolBaron Muncaster’s jester – Tom Fool TomfooleryTomfoolery