Shakespearean

Drama

Chain of Being

The Elizabethan World Picture Elizabethans viewed their world order according to what is called The Chain of Being, much of which worked its way into the literature of the time, including Shakespeare's plays.

Everything on earth and in the universe is linked in a particular order - everything has its place.

The most heavenly beings are placed at the top of the chain, seated at the foot of God.

The basest creatures are at the bottom, furthest away from God. The best way of envisioning this is probably to think of a ladder

What is a Tragedy?

TragedyThe protagonists (main characters) must be admirable but flawed characters

=HUMAN

The audience must be able to understand and sympathize with the characters

Rising action

Anagorisis

Denoument

Exposition

Climax Twist of fate

ExpositionAct 1 Sets the scene and introduces the

Main plot and subplotCharacters and motivations

Principle issues raised in the whole Act revealed

Family dynamics? Types of power? Leadership Male and female roles?       

THEMES TO LOOK OUT FOR IN KING LEAR

Kingship; Crown Inheritance; Division; Justice; Parents and Children Ingratitude of children Love: self-love and

false love Legitimacy Loyalty; Hospitality

Eyes and Sight Madness and Insanity Civil Disorder Nothing; The poor/poverty The Elements Nature and Nurture Identity Cruelty and Violence Fortune Warmth and Cold

LANGUAGE

1. Treat language like special effects2. Treat language like a voiceover in a

film .3. Characters overflow with words

Special

effects

Conflict and Characters Conflict is the dramatic struggle

between two forces in a story.

Without conflict, there is no plot.

Bad GuysGood guys

Profile of Gloucester

· representative of the old regime: weak, elderly, inert, credulous

EDMUND Thou, nature, art my goddess. To thy law

My services are bound. Wherefore should IStand in the plague of custom and permitThe curiosity of nations to deprive meFor that I am some twelve or fourteen

moonshinesLag of a brother? Why “bastard”? Wherefore

“base”?When my dimensions are as well compact,My mind as generous, and my shape as trueAs honest madam’s issue? Why brand they usWith “base,” with “baseness,” “bastardy,” “base,”

“base”—Who in the lusty stealth of nature takeMore composition and fierce qualityThan doth within a dull, stale, tirèd bedGo to th' creating a whole tribe of fopsGot ’tween a sleep and wake? Well then,Legitimate Edgar, I must have your land.Our father’s love is to the bastard EdmundAs to the legitimate.—Fine word, “legitimate”!—Well, my legitimate, if this letter speedAnd my invention thrive, Edmund the baseShall top th' legitimate. I grow, I prosper.Now, gods, stand up for bastards!

Points -Bad GuysCategory Edmund Goneril Oswald Cornwall

Appearance lusty, young, dark,

'wolfish visage', late 30s

foppish, weasel, oleaginous

sly, like Regan

Characteristics, temperament

ambitious, hungry, self- important, cagey, manipulative

aggressive, manipulative,

sycophantic, unscrupulous, ambitious

ambitious, untrustworthy

Motivationspower-hungry, cruel, deceitful

gain, greed, self-seeking, hard, pitiless

gain, opportunist, opportunist

Appraisal unscrupulous to be feared repugnant conspirator

Profiles of Lear 'bad' characters:

Points- Good GuysProfiles of Lear 'bad' characters:

Category Edgar Kent Cordelia Albany

Appearance

not flash, younger, not as confident as might be, sensitive

shabby, older, gaunt

plain, slight, maidish, low of voice, alert

avuncular, poised,

Characteristics, temperament

gentle, easily led,

to get things right, to teach restraint, aware of the error of excess

not boastful, careful of exaggeration, few words, a natural goodness, not wimpy.

calm, patient, slow to anger, not devious, knowledgeable

Motivations caring, loyal, honest

loyalty, devotion, honesty

love, justice, tragic

justice, balance, pity

Appraisal

misunderstands Edmund, weak?, untested, driven by care and pity, endures hardship for his father

unable to be diplomatic, free of anything underhand, predictable to a fault

hides her goodness = (expects it to be enough?), accepts fate, strong devotion to the truth as only guide to life

respected by Lear, strong in himself, puzzle what he saw in Goneril to marry her

Profile of Gloucester Represents the old

regime: weak, elderly, inert, credulous

Dramatic role · to head up the minor plot · his fate mirrors Lear's

Historically · represents mindless continuity, · end of an era inertia,

Who are his sons?

What do you know about them?

TRAGIC HERO Qualities of a Tragic

Hero: Possesses high

importance or rank Exhibits

extraordinary talents

Displays a tragic flaw, an error in judgment or defect in character—that leads to downfall

TRAGIC HERO Knowledge Check question

What is Lear’s tragic flaw or error in judgment?

Do people know of his plan?

How does he go about it?

TRAGIC HERO Knowledge Check

What is Lear’s tragic flaw or error in judgment?

Do people know of his plan?

How does he go about it?

And now…Act I, scene 1Lear’s Court

Thunder and lightning

Enter Three Witches

The FOOL Knowledge notes

Q- What is the fools role in the play?

He is used to show Lear’s true feelings and highlight Lear’s foolishness

The fool acts as a commentator speking the truth

Fool Kent tries to point out that the fool is telling the

truth

    All thy other titles thou hast given away; that     thou wast born with.

KENT

    This is not altogether fool, my lord.

thou hadst little wit in thy bald crown,     when thou gavest thy golden one away.

Refers to his royal crown

LEAR DIVIDED HIS KINGDOM BETWEEN GONERIL AND REGAN

Fool

    I marvel what kin thou and thy daughters are:     they'll have me whipped for speaking true, thou'lt     have me whipped for lying; and sometimes I am     whipped for holding my peace. I had rather be any     kind o' thing than a fool: and yet I would not be     thee, nuncle; thou hast pared thy wit o' both sides,     and left nothing i' the middle: