Answers to Questions on King Lear

1. Who are the two nobles in the opening scene and what are they talking about?

¨ The two nobles in the opening scene are Gloucester and Kent and they were talking about King Lear and his plans to divide his kingdom as well Gloucester introduces Edmund to Kent, explaining that Edmund is his bastard child raise away from but nevertheless loves him dearly.

2. How do you think that Edmund must be feeling at this moment?

¨ I think that he was feeling touched knowing that although he is a bastard child his father still has that potency to acknowledge that he loves him dearly.

3. What does Old King Lear plan to do with his kingdom? What is the test that he proposes to the daughters?

¨ Old king Lear plans to divide his kingdom among his three daughters because he intends to give up responsibilities of government and spend his old age visiting his daughters. The test that he proposes to his daughters is that they need to say which one of them loves him the most.

4. How does each of the first two daughters answer the old man?

¨ The first one Goneril answer and said “Sir I love you more than word can wield the matter;

Dearer than eyesight, space and liberty;

Beyond what can be valued, rich or rare;

No less than life. With grace, health, beauty, honor,

As much as child e’er loved, or father found;

A love that makes breath poor and speech unable

While the other sister Regan went into more details about how she love him.

5. What is Cornelia’s answer and why does she answer as she does? What does her reference to "nothing" suggest about the use of this motif in the rest of the play?

¨ Her answer was that she “cannot heave her heart into her mouth
that she loves him exactly as much as a daughter should love a father and that her sisters won’t have husband if they say that they love him. She answered the way that she did because that was how honestly she felt, no more no less. It was her honest opinion about her feelings. It seems like nothing w

6. Do you think that Cordelia is being cruel in refusing to play her father's game? Why?

¨ I don’t think that she was being rude when she didn’t want to play along with her father game. She was just being honest with her thoughts unlike her two other scheming sisters.

7. How does Lear react to Cordelia's response? How does Lord Kent react to Lear's response?

¨ King Lear reacted angry and furiously to her meaningful response. He flies into a rage disowning her and divides her share of the kingdom between the 2 sisters. Lord Kent disagreed with Lear’s response to cordelia telling him that he is insane to reward the flattery of his older daughters and disown cordelia who loves him more that her sisters does.

8. How might the references to sight and blindness become important for the rest of the play?

• It’s essential to the rest of the play because it tells of what is to come, more sight and blindness. It’s metaphorical, because both characters in the play Lear and Gloucester have loyal children and disloyal ones, and they both are blinded by the truth, and both ending up banishing the loyal ones.

9. How do France and Burgundy each react to the news that Cordelia will not receive any dower and what does their reaction tell us about their characters?

· France and Burgundy reacted differently when they found out that Cordelia would not receive any dower. Burgundy withdrew his offer of marriage while France accepted her marriage, because of her true honest virtues. Burgundy actions tells us that his character is not truthful he only wants material things while France didn’t care about materials things but virtues that are wholesome and upright that represents that vigor in a woman

10. What does Cordelia mean when she says to her sisters, "I know you what you are." What do the sisters say about their father near the end of the scene?

· She means that because they are sisters they have that bond that sisterly connection and as such she knows about her sisters evil and ugly and ways. At the end of the scene the sisters plan in secrecy that they should reduce their father’s authority completely since they have power over the kingdom.

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11. What are the two views of nature contrasted in the action and dialogue of this scene?

· The two views of nature contrasted in the action is that of a bastard son who wants recognition, inherit wealth and land and even to an extent be and feel love that is owed to him because of his status. And the other view is that of the other child is not illegitimate.

12. What parallels do you see between this scene and the first one?

· Parallel that can be seen in this play and the other is that both King Lear and Gloucester have children who are truly loyal to them (Cordelia and Edgar) and children who are traitors and evil ( Goneril, Regan and Edmund) . Both fathers mistake the unloving for loving banishing the loyal ones and designating the wicked ones the heirs.

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13. A couple of months have now passed; what is bothering Goneril at this point and what does she instruct her servant Oswald to do about it?

· She is bothered because Lear’s knights are becoming riotous and he himself is an obnoxious guest. She instructs Oswald and the servants to behave rudely towards Lear orders and his knights making them feel unwelcome thus in the process may leave.

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14. Why does Kent wish to serve Lear? What does he discern in Lear's countenance and how is this ironic?

· He wishes to serve Lear because he is a very honest hearted fellow as well he is poor as the king. Kent discern authority in Lear countenance and its ironic because it’s the same authority that Kent was being ruled under’

15. What is Kent's reaction to what Oswald's servant does to Lear?

· Kent’s reaction to what Oswald’s servant did to Lear was to defend Lear from the blunt force of their actions.

16. Why is what the knight says about the Fool's pining away "since my young lady's going into France" important?

· He said that because Cordelia was a very essential person when she was around but know she is gone to France, things are different now, no more compassion, loyalty and so on

17. What is the Fool's function in this part of the play and what are at least three examples of how he fulfills this function?

· The fools function in the play is to amuse King Lear by being funny, wearing silly costumes, make puns and jokes and offer his take on matters of sovereign providing deeper wisdom.\

3 ways that he fulfills his function are:

v He advises Lear to be way to be aware of his daughters in telling Lear that I am better than thou art now; I am a fool thou are nothing.

v He hints at the dangerous situation in which Lear has put himself.

v His ostensibly silly singing. The hedge sparrow fed the cuckoo so long that it had its head bit off by its young. Clearly warns the king that his daughters each are like traitors who plan to turn against the father than raise them.

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18. How does Edmund trick his brother Edgar into fleeing?

· Edmund tricks his brother Edgar into fleeing by persuading him that there father is enraged with him.

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19. How do Kent's actions with Oswald characterize him as a "plain dealer"?

· Kent’s action with Oswald characterizes him as a plain dealer because of the threats that he made as well as to beat him like a savage.

20. How might Kent's line "Nothing almost seems miracles/But misery" serve as a motto for the play?

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21. How is Edgar's disguising himself as a bedlam beggar an example of social criticism in the play? Why is Edgar's comment, "Edgar, I nothing am" important to the meaning of the play?

· Edgar disguising himself as a bedlam beggar is an example of social criticism in the play because he is seen as a vagrant. Moreover during that time he represent the appearance of a vagabond. The comment is important to the play in that he has been so downgrade in status that he should have been a beggar. Its essential to the play because it shows us how one minute u can be glorious in life and then ure nothing at all.

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22. Why is Lear so angry that his servant Kent has been put in the stocks by Regan and Cornwall?

· Lear is angry that Kent has been shackled and put in the stocks because it shows a total disrespect to him. The stocks were a punishment used on common criminals, and their use of Lears serving man can be seen to be insolence towards Lears royal status.

23. What is Regan's first response when Lear complains of his treatment at the hands of her sister?

· Regan’s first response to Lears complains of his ill treatment at the hands of her sister is to disregard his complaints and demanding that he calm his self down.