POWER,KINGSHIP,AUTHORITY

“Thou hadst little wit in thy bald crown when thou gavest thy golden one away” Act 1.4 - The Fool 

The epithet ‘bald’ is insulting as it highlights Lear’s age and suggests a lack of a crown which symbolizes Lear powerlessness and vulnerability. 

He is attempting to make Lear ‘see better’ with his honesty. He suggests he had little wit when he gave his kingship up, and his criticism of Lear's actions are only possible due to his role in the court as the all licensed fool. Furthermore, the Fool uses the informal pronoun thou – highlighting the closeness / honesty between them. 

“I am even the natural fool of fortune” Lear Act IV.6 

Lear compares and likeness himself to the fool who is someone with limited power and to possibly be mocked. This title strips Lear of all of the power he used to have and shows a possible understanding of how men's natural state is powerless. The personal pronoun of “I am” shows a sense of acceptance and a possible anagnorises for Lear as he doesn't need the power and calls himself the “Fool”. Lear believed he was protected by having a title and order yet fortune

’O ruined piece of nature!’ 4.6 135

By describing Lear as a part of ‘nature’ Gloucester emphasizes how evil the sisters and Edmund are. They have stripped Lear of everything that made him a King, his body politic is no more. ‘ruined’ also implies that Lear can never go back to his position of power at the start of the play, further highlighting his fall from greatness. 

‘The weight of this sad time we must obey’ 321 Edgar  

The imperative “obey” implies the restoration of the old order and the final lines from Edgar emphasize his kingly qualities. The use of the collective pronoun “we” could either imply that they must all go through this suffering while also implying it could be the use of the Royal reference.

‘Old fools are babes again’ Goneril Act 1 Scene 3 Line 20

The belittling metaphor to compare a King to a child (or ‘babe’), creates a stark juxtaposition of the lack of authority/power Lear now holds as opposed to his previous reign. The epithet ‘old’ coupled with the demeaning noun ‘fool’ reduces Lear to a typical Jacobean man and removes any sense of power and ignores his status because of his kingship.  

‘Off, off, you lendings! (he tears off his clothes)’ 3.4.105 

The repetition of ‘off’ coupled with the exclamation mark convey Lear’s desperation to rid himself of his status. ‘Lendings’ connotes borrowing something, suggesting that Lear does not feel like a king. The kinesics of violently ripping off his clothes exposes how Lear has regressed to his pure animalistic core and is stripped of civilization.

“So out went the candle and we were left darkling” Act 1.4 213

The plural pronoun may refer to society and emphasises that Lear’s actions will affect the whole kingdom. This creates a sinister tone which could foreshadow the danger and corruption that is now bound to consume the kingdom. The metaphor of the ‘candle’ to describe Lear heightens his responsibility to the society around him.  

Come not between the dragon and his wrath’ Lear Act 1.1

The metaphor suggests Lear views himself as omnipotent and superior to his subjects. The imagery of anger in ‘wrath’ and ‘dragon’ begins to foreshadow Lear’s unpredictable nature and inner turmoil. He abuses his position of power and authority throughout the beginning of the play which ultimately becomes his downfall.

“Know that we have divided in three our kingdom” 1.1 

The use of the royal “we” reinforces Lear’s kingship and power, however the decision to divide the kingdom “in three” undermines traditional kingship, and this decision leads to the core conflict in the play.

“No, they cannot touch me for coining. I am the king himself” 4.6.84 

Lear believes his royal status protects him from earthly laws and no one can arrest or punish him for counterfeiting  money because he is the actual king. The short declarative emphasises his true belief that he is still the monarch and demonstrates his delusions as he is standing nearly naked in rags while yelling he is the leader of a country