King Lear - Vocabulary Flashcards

Flashcards covering the key vocabulary, plot points, and literary devices in Shakespeare's 'King Lear'.

Lear’s decision to divide his kingdom is motivated primarily by:

Vanity and a desire for flattery

The phrase “where nature doth with merit challenge” implies that Lear believes:

Rewards should match declarations of love

Lear’s plan for succession demonstrates which tragic flaw?

Hubris

Cordelia’s refusal to flatter Lear suggests:

A deep sincerity and emotional restraint

Shakespeare uses Cordelia’s brief line to:

Contrast her truthfulness with her sisters’ deceit

Edmund’s invocation of “Nature” represents a rejection of:

Social order and legitimacy

Edmund’s tone in the soliloquy can best be described as:

Defiant and manipulative

The diction in “My services are bound” implies:

Commitment to ambition and instinct

The storm most directly symbolizes:

Lear’s psychological and emotional chaos

The tone of Lear’s speech in this scene is best described as:

Hysterical and commanding

The use of imperatives (“Blow,” “Crack,” “Rage”) highlights:

Lear’s loss of control

Gloucester’s line is best interpreted as: “I stumbled when I saw.”

An insight into his past errors in judgment

The irony in Gloucester’s statement lies in:

His ability to now see the truth only after going blind

The tone of Lear’s speech in this passage is:

Delusional yet tender

The bird imagery in this line conveys:

Innocence and confinement

Which of the following themes is most “consistently explored” in King Lear?

The illusion of justice in human affairs

The subplot involving Gloucester and his sons most directly serves to:

Echo and intensify the main plot’s themes

Which literary device is most frequently used to emphasize Lear’s madness?

Imagery

The Fool’s role in the play is primarily to:

Act as a chorus figure delivering wisdom through irony

By the end of the play, Lear’s understanding of love is:

Clearly matured and emotionally awakened

Goneril’s complaints about Lear’s knights most clearly reveal her:

Manipulative intentions

The diction used by Goneril to describe Lear’s men is best characterized as:

Dismissive and scornful

Lear’s use of the phrase “Sharper than a serpent’s tooth” is an example of:

Simile

This passage most strongly conveys Lear’s sense of:

Betrayal

Lear’s recognition of Poor Tom reflects his:

Growing insight into human suffering

The tone of Lear’s words in this passage can best be described as:

Humbled and empathetic

Gloucester’s reflection that “As flies to wanton boys are we to the gods” conveys:

A fatalistic view of human suffering

The literary device used in this line is:

Simile

The dual plot structure of King Lear primarily serves to:

Reinforce thematic parallels between Lear and Gloucester

Which character best represents loyalty in the face of adversity?

Kent

The use of disguises in the play (e.g., Kent and Edgar) emphasizes:

The instability of identity and social roles

Lear’s evolution throughout the play illustrates which theme most strongly?

The acquisition of wisdom through suffering

Which pair of characters most clearly serves as a foil to one another?

Edgar and Edmund

Shakespeare’s use of animal imagery (e.g., “pelican daughters”) primarily conveys:

The brutality and betrayal within family relationships

In King Lear, Cordelia’s silence is most often interpreted as a symbol of:

Moral clarity and integrity

Which motif recurs throughout King Lear to emphasize internal and external chaos?

Blindness and sight

The Fool’s commentary in the play often reveals:

Subversive truths cloaked in wit

Which of the following best describes Shakespeare’s overall tone in King Lear?

Tragic and contemplative

The climax of King Lear occurs when:

Lear reunites with Cordelia

By the end of the play, Edgar’s role suggests:

Restoration is possible but not without cost