Nathan Alison

Hilary Reeves

Alyssa Villanueva

Adam Zook

#1 Banished Cordelia and Kent Act 1 Scene I Lear: “Let it be so,—thy truth then be thy dower:

For, by the sacred radiance of the sun, the mysteries of Hecate, and the night;

By all the operation of the orbs, from whom we do exist and cease to be; here I disclaim all my

paternal care, Propinquity, and property of blood, And as a stranger to my heart and me

Hold thee, from this for ever.” Kent: And in thy best consideration check this hideous rashness: answer my life my

judgment,

Thy youngest daughter does not love thee least;

Nor are those empty-hearted whose low sound

Reverbs no hollowness.”

Lear: “Kent, on thy life, no more.”

Kent: “My life I never held but as a pawn

To wage against thine enemies; nor fear to lose it,

Thy safety being the motive.”

Lear: “Out of my sight!”

Kent: “See better, Lear; and let me still remain

The true blank of thine eye.”

#2 Acted disorderly towards Goneril and ReganAct 1 Scene ivLear [To Goneril]: “I'll tell thee.—Life and death!- I am asham'dThat thou hast power to shake my manhood thus;That these hot tears, which break from me perforce,Should make thee worth them.—Blasts and fogs

upon thee! Th' untented woundings of a father's curse

Pierce every sense about thee!—Old fond eyes,Beweep this cause again, I'll pluck you out,And cast you, with the waters that you lose,To temper clay.”

#1 Goneril and Regan lock him out in the stormAct 2 Scene ivGloucester: The king is in high rage.Cornwall: Whither is he going?Gloucester: He calls to horse; but will I know not

whither.Cornwall: 'Tis best to give him way; he leads himself.Goneril: My lord, entreat him by no means to stay.Gloucester: Alack, the night comes on, and the high

winds do sorely ruffle; for many miles about there's scarce a bush.

Regan: O, sir, to wilful men The injuries that they themselves procure Must be their schoolmasters. Shut up your doors: He is attended with a desperate train; And what they may incense him to, being apt To have his ear abus'd, wisdom bids fear.

#2 Lear goes madAct 3 Scene viLear: I'll see their trial first.—bring in their

evidence.[To Edgar.] Thou, robed man of justice, take thy place;—[To the Fool.] And thou, his yokefellow of equity, bench by his side:—[To Kent.] you are o' the commission, sit you too.”

#3 Lear is captured and Cordelia is executed by Edmund

Act 5 Scene iiiLear: “Howl, howl, howl, howl!—O, you are

men of stone. Had I your tongues and eyes, I'ld use them so That heaven's vault should crack.—She's gone for ever!—I know when one is dead, and when one lives; She's dead as earth.”

#4 LEAR DIESAct 5 Scene iiiLear: “And my poor fool is hang'd! No, no, no

life! Why should a dog, a horse, a rat, have life, And thou no breath at all? Thou'lt come no more, Never, never, never, never, never!—Pray you undo this button:—thank you, sir.—Do you see this? Look on her!—look!—her lips!—Look there, look there!—”

Lear is a man more sinned against than

sinning

By acknowledging some responsibility for his situation, Lear puts himself above hypocrites who do not take responsibility for their actions

Fate is cruel: in a way, ‘karma’ goes overboard and Lear’s punishment is much more than he deserved

If Lear was a little mad in the beginning, then his responsibility is further reduced; Regan, Goneril and Edmund, on the other hand, bear the full brunt of responsibility of their actions

Abdicated his throne to escape responsibility (Act 1 Scene i)-Lear had a few more years left in him; indeed, the good guys try to restore him to the throne, showing they believed in his leadership

Banished his most loved daughter and most loyal servant out of anger (Act 1 Scene i)-Both would have provided better care and treated him with respect

Prevented by pride from returning to Cordelia when shown the sisters’ true intentions (Act 4, Scene vii)-When he later meets Cordelia, she forgives him, thus making his worries unnecessary

Then again:-Lear was pretty old, and according to some interpretations, already a bit mad in the beginning

Broke agreement with Lear and forced him to give up knights or leave (Act 2, Scene iv)-Then again: those knights were pretty loud

Plotted to control the country through Edmund

-Then again: Perhaps this was the only way a woman could gain power?

Reacted too strongly after being called a whoreson (Act 1, Scene i)-After his soliloquy in the second scene, there is little mention of Edmund’s origin for the rest of the play-Other characters treat him just like any other guy-Even Gloucester treats him well after he demonstrates his “loyalty”; maybe there was another way to win his father’s love?