KING LEAR CONTEXT

tragedy: Aristotle

Ideas about natural tragedy had an effect on Shakespeare's writing

Aristotle explains that the misfortune visited upon the tragic hero is ‘not through vice or depravity but by some error of judgement’ → this error, or hamartia, refers to a flaw in a character, or a mistake made by the character 

Believed that the purpose of tragedy was to create catharsis: to allow the audience to experience emotions such as pity and fear before being purged of all feelings

6 elements of tragedy: plot, character, diction, thought, spectacle and song 

Tragedy was mostly as a result of fate, which the hero is helpless to chance, although their own hamartia could accelerate this

the tragic hero

• Flaw of error of judgement (hamartia) → role of justice and revenge in judgements

• Reversal of fortune (peripeteia) → heroes error of judgement 

• Discovery or recognition that the reversal has brought about by the heroes own actions (anagnorisis) 

• Excessive pride (hubris)

• Characters fate must be greater than deserved 

• Usually of noble or powerful status → flaw will have far reaching consequences 

[Edgar and Gloucester are not tragic heroes, but rather, parallel to Lear]

[Edmond is a classic shakespearean villain who manipulates the vulnerabilities of others] 

shakespearean tragedy

His understanding of tragedy was shaped by both classical perceptions and medieval works, focusing on the emotional struggle and suffering: generally with a protagonist of very high status meaning that all society was affected 

The protagonist is a tragic hero, who suffered hardship due to a flaw in their character and ultimately, dies along with the villain

Incorporates themes of good versus evil, depicting both internal and external conflict, often ending with a lack of poetic justice demonstrating life's unfairness

primogeniture

legal and historical system of inheritance or succession where the first born child of a family receives the vast majority of all of their parents estates, titles or position of leaderships

Bastards [extremely offensive and derogatory term] were the offspring of unmarried parents

The Renaissance had barred illegitimate children from inheritance 

Shakespeare used them to explore themes of ambition, natural vigour and societal hypocrisy

Such as Edmond, the ultimate Machiavellian villain, resenting his exclusion from his fathers land, manipulating his legitimate brother and betraying his father

Edmond calls himself a ‘base’

This word stems from Old French, meaning low

Thus, a bastard child considered a ‘base’ was considered of low birth meaning they had no legal lineage nor the right to inherit property and no official noble standing

Although, Edmond argues that because he was conceived in the heat of passion rather than out of dull marriage, he is both physically and mentally superior to his legitimate brother, even if the Great Chain of Being dictates he should be at the bottom

James 1 attitude to kingship

• Strongly believed in the Divine Right of Kings, viewing himself as a Godlike figure who was directly appointed by God 

[In King Lear, Shakespeare depicts how abandoning this divine ordained order and abandoning royal duties steeps a king of his power and leads to ultimate tragedy]

• He emphasises that a ‘just’ king rules according to established laws, publicly stating monarchs should keep to laws so that they could operate for the people

• He believed he was responsible for the wellbeing of the realm and expected obedience in return of this 

• He advocated for the union of England, Scotland and Ireland

[Shakespeare demonstrated the chase and civil war caused by splitting a realm among heirs in King Lear, validating James push to keep multiple territories under one crown]

shakespeare attitude to kingship

He wanted to please King James I, his patron and thus, famously courted to the king's interest

King Jamed adopted Shakespeare's acting company, renaming them the Kings Men

Shakespeare regularly explored the sacred nature of the crown, emphasising that rebellion led to unnatural chaos and aligned with James love of absolute monarchy

great chain of being

 was an idea that God set out a social order for everybody and this chose where you belonged 

This system was used to justify social inequalities within the feudal system as the idea served as a moral guide for individuals

King Lear was written during an era where politics was meant to maintain social hierarchy, which enforced the security of the nation

divine right of kings

The Monarch was at the top of the hierarchy as they were the only ones answerable to God 

As a result of the DIVINE RIGHT OF KINGS: the idea that a monarch's authority came directly from God

As a result, disobeying the monarchy was sinful as it was comparable to disobeying orders from God

Establishes that the monarch was chosen by God, considered an earthly representative of Gods will and intentions

Subsequently, control and authority was enforced by the monarch and should be adhered to unquestionably

There was an idea if that if the ‘wrong person’ become monarch, it would have a negative domino effect on every other aspect of the country 

 

hecate

In 1.1, Lear swears by the ‘mysteries of Hecate and the night’

HECATE is the Ancient Greek goddess of magic, witchcraft, night, ghosts and crossroads 

In Jacobean times, about 150 people, mainly women, were executed for witchcraft

James I published a treatise about witchcraft called Daemonologie (1597) and took interest in some witch trials 

fate and fortune in renaissance England

CHRISTIAN BELIEFS: God's predetermined plan versus free will and the issue of predestination was under debate between Catholics and Protestants as the Reformation has only just occurred in the early 16th century

ROLE OF ASTROLOGY: how far the planets and stars influenced your fate

Such as being born under Ursa Major, suggesting of an evil character, with the evil influence of the Dragon's Tail at conception meant audiences were likely to have known Edmund was intended to be an evil character  

There was evidence that Shakespeare knew of Brahe and Galileo's works on heliocentric models

The philosophical concept of the ‘wheel of fortune’ was widely used allegorically within medieval literature and art to aid religious instruction and referenced in many of Shakespeare's plays 

Largely a reference to the Roman goddess Fortuna, representing luck, wealth and fertility

In Shakespeare's plays, characters blame Fortuna for their fall from power, cursing her as a liar

This could be linked to the fact as a Christian society, it was more appealing to blame a Pagan goddess for misfortune rather than God, for a fear of blasphemy, causing her to become a popular scapegoat

fools in Shakespeares time

Both fools and clowns create a tone of comedy but fools make it wittier, darker and more cutting

THE LICENSED FOOL

Such as Will Somers who served all Tudor monarchs and written about by Robert Armin (joined Shakespeare's trope where Shakepares work had a change in tone of comedy to match Armin's style and talent, after Kempe left the troupe, as the witty fool) suggest Armin may be drawing on Somers while playing Lear's Fool

Were an important in the royal court due to their close relationship with their monarch (though they could overstep sometimes) and were able to speak truth to power without the fear of punishment 

expectations of women

Extremely patriarchal society in where men were believed to be naturally superior to women 

Idea that women were meant to be quiet and subservient 

Trope of the ‘shrew’ was made to describe women who were disobedient and assertive 

Many of Shakespeare's female characters struggle against the restrictions placed upon them by male authority 

On the other hand, Shakespeare utilised the archetype of ‘the ruthless women’ → women whose female ambition ‘sought to reign above men’

the spheres

The idea that music and madness were linked together as a result of the Elizabethan belief in the Harmony of Spheres, in which music gave universe order 

Each individual would have an internal harmony, keeping them healthy but discordant music could create a negative effect such as madness

Spheres were also believed to influence human affairs as a result of astronomy and astrology

renaissance and humanism

THE RENAISSANCE was a European period of history characterised by the revival of literary, philosophical and artistic achievements of classical antiquity

The Renaissance took form classic antiquity → civic duty (responsibilities to support society), teachings of Socrates, Paleo and Aristotle and Greek theatrical conditions

CLASSICAL ANTIQUITY was a period of history following the Greek Dark Ages, which had included adopting the principles of Humanism 

HUMANISM was a Renaissance intellectual movement that emphasised the value and potential of human beings 

Encouraged reason, education and critical thinking 

Literate writings included more themes of love, ambition, power, knowledge and identity inspired by Classical Greece and Rome and adopted principle of Humanism

devils and vengeance

DEVILS

Devils were seen as an evil spirit who attempt to destroy the soul by tempting human beings to disobey God

Described as being able to take possession of people's bodies and manipulate their actions 

VENGEANCE

Vengeance is in direct opposition to the ideas of mercy and forgiveness

In Elizabethan Christian ideology, vengeance was reviewed as the incorrect response to an injury or offence 

In the New Testament, followers of Christ are told not to seek revenge

Jesus says ‘love your enemies, do good to them which hate you’

mercy and forgiveness

An ever present reality, so there was much focus on the afterlife 

As a result of the influence of the Reformation there was an understanding of God's forgiveness → the Bible stated that God will judge according to the way they levied and in order to gain forgiveness, individuals must confess their sins and repent by turning their backs on their past ways of living 

According to the Bible, all people are in need of God's graces and forgiveness and should replicate these qualities in God's image 

Shakespeare illustrated those who judge harshly, will face the consequences and be judged in return

madness

Only Jesus, or those using his authority could release individuals from this inhibition 

WANDERING WOMB THEORY: belief that a displaced uterus would create hysteria, which was viewed as source of witchcraft which would create mental illness

DEMONIC POSSESSION THEORY: viewed as a cause of mental illness as well as in the Bible, evil spirits (often described as demons and devils) were said to be able to take over someone's body and possessing said individuals

publication

FIRST QUARTO (1608)

Contained many errors such as the prose was printed as verse and vice versa

SECOND QUARTO (1610)

Corrected many of the errors made in the First Quarto

FIRST FOLIO (1623)

Compilation of 36 Shakespeare plays published after his death

Notably omitting 300 lines found in the First Quarto and adds 100 lines not previously seen 

Name changed from the History of King Lear to the Tragedy of King Lear