King Lear Group at eNotes

The scene begins with Lear speaking strictly as a king, rather than asa...

Fri, 21 Nov 2008 03:28:17 PST

The scene begins with Lear speaking strictly as a king, rather than asa a father. Regan and Goneril, likewise, approach their father as dutiful yet obesequious subjects. No true love or affection is present. The insincerity of both sides is evident. The insincerity of the two oldest daughters is self-serving, but also evinces their belief in the instability of Lear. They choose to take advantage of that instability to gain the upper...

What can we say about the language used by Lear, Regan, Cordelia and...

Fri, 21 Nov 2008 01:49:01 PST

What can we say about the language used by Lear, Regan, Cordelia and Gonril in the act 1 scene 1?

The most straight-forward answer to that question would be that Cordelia...

Thu, 20 Nov 2008 10:59:45 PST

The most straight-forward answer to that question would be that Cordelia and Edgar represent gratitude, and that Goneril, Regan, and Edmund represent ingratitude. Cordelia and Edgar both show the proper love and respect for their respective fathers, and are seeking to fulfill their duties as children by looking after and protecting their fathers. On the other hand, Goneril, Regan, and Edmund are all looking to better their own position through...

In the play King Lear which characters represent gratitude and which...

Wed, 19 Nov 2008 12:17:18 PST

In the play King Lear which characters represent gratitude and which represent ingratitude?

I think in terms of appearance versus reality, there are a number of...

Wed, 19 Nov 2008 12:07:43 PST

I think in terms of appearance versus reality, there are a number of illusions being used.First, Lear's two daughters, Regan and Goneril, fool Lear into thinking that they are his most loving and trusted daughters when, in fact, they are going to strip him of his power and belittle him. Likewise, Cordelia, with her silence, appears to be insolent and disrespectful. However, in reality she is his most loving and loyal daughter.This is...

Can someone tell me about "illusion" in "King Lear"?

Wed, 19 Nov 2008 11:30:56 PST

Can someone tell me about "illusion" in "King Lear"?

An example of good suffering and evil prospering that I've always found...

Tue, 18 Nov 2008 16:54:33 PST

An example of good suffering and evil prospering that I've always found shocking can be found in the final scene. Cornwall calls for Gloucester to be brought in, and the two sisters speak:"REGAN: Hang him instantly. GONERIL: Pluck out his eyes." They do end up gouging out his eyes, which is about as grotesque and uncalled for a punishment as I can imagine. Not only is it (I assume) insanely painful, it leaves this old man blind and...

"In Act 3 evil thrives and good suffers". Discuss this...

Tue, 18 Nov 2008 12:31:47 PST

"In Act 3 evil thrives and good suffers". Discuss this statement with reference to a quotation from Act 3 of "King Lear".

What is the relation between the main plot and the sub plot in King Lear?

Tue, 18 Nov 2008 05:20:04 PST

What is the relation between the main plot and the sub plot in King Lear?

This question has been previously asked and answered. Please see the...

Mon, 17 Nov 2008 11:11:45 PST

This question has been previously asked and answered. Please see the link below, and thank you for using eNotes!

What does "we will all laugh at gilded butterflies" mean from...

Mon, 17 Nov 2008 11:09:22 PST

What does "we will all laugh at gilded butterflies" mean from King Lear?

"In Act 3 evil thrives and good suffers". Discuss this statement with...

Fri, 14 Nov 2008 09:54:12 PST

Say whether you agree or disagree with the statement and give reasons.

The play "King Lear" is based on the legend of a king of...

Wed, 12 Nov 2008 12:49:56 PST

The play "King Lear" is based on the legend of a king of Britain in ancient times. Much of the action takes place in Lear's palace. Other settings include Gloucester's castle and a farmhouse near it, the Duke of Albany's palace, a forest, a heath, and a field near the town of Dover where both the British and the French armies have set up encampments.Visit the links below for more information.

What is the setting of "King Lear"?

Wed, 12 Nov 2008 12:27:56 PST

What is the setting of "King Lear"?

The storm on the heath represents the growing storm of madness...

Mon, 10 Nov 2008 12:22:56 PST

The storm on the heath represents the growing storm of madness overtaking Lear. Just before going into the hovel, Lear complains of "Filial Ingratitude" and he can only see his own problems. When he encounters Edgar, who is disguised as Tom o' Bedlam, he accuses Tom's daughters of driving him mad. Kent tries to help Lear by telling him that Tom "hath no daughters" but Lear threatens to execute Kent. For a moment, Lear has a...

Describe what happens to Lear when he is in the heath and midst of the...

Mon, 10 Nov 2008 11:41:39 PST

Describe what happens to Lear when he is in the heath and midst of the storm.

Firstly one must keep it in mind that 'King Lear' is a tragedy which...

Wed, 5 Nov 2008 02:09:19 PST

Firstly one must keep it in mind that 'King Lear' is a tragedy which aims to fill in the reader's mind with fear and sympathy. When we look at King Lear we definately presume that a king is always perfect and that if he will do some mistake then it would be major,technicle,political or any other but not such a silly one or such a blunder. But Shakespeare, being a great master of human being's psychology, shows us how such a great King suffers...

Firstly one must keep it in mind that 'King Lear' is a tragedy which...

Wed, 5 Nov 2008 02:07:16 PST

When two characters mirror each other, those characters are called foils...

Tue, 4 Nov 2008 09:28:41 PST

When two characters mirror each other, those characters are called foils of each other. The purpose of a foil is to emphasize certain characteristics. Lear and Gloucester foil each other in a few ways. First, their families are nearly identical. The issue of blindness also makes the characters foils of each other. Gloucester is blind to the truth while Lear becomes literally blind in the end of the play. It can also be argued that both...

How does King Lear mirror the character of Gloucester?

Tue, 4 Nov 2008 09:09:54 PST

How does King Lear mirror the character of Gloucester?