Understanding King Lear Theme – Disguise and Deception...Understanding King Lear Theme –...
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Quotes Thoughts 1) 1) 2) 2) 3) 3) 4) 4) 5) 5) Understanding King Lear Theme – Disguise and Deception In the play, different characters wear disguises to mask their identities and motives. Kent wears a disguise in order to get his position back and help his king. Edmund wears a disguise to further his plot against his father and his brother. Goneril and Regan don’t actually wear masks, but they disguise their true motives and feelings. From every class and family, the characters pretend to be what they are not. Still, not everyone has negative or immoral reasons for wearing a disguise. After Kent is exiled for warning the king against his foolish, prideful decision to divide his kingdom, he returns in disguise to help and guard the very man who has betrayed and dishonored him. Even while he is technically lying to his king, he always has his best interests in mind. So, wearing a disguise is not always a sign of ill will or bad intentions. In fact, the one character who is in costume for the entire play, the fool, is the one who also tells the truth most often and most openly. The point is not whether a person wears a disguise that makes them bad, but why they wear it and what they do while in disguise. Find five quotes throughout the play that show a character speaking while in disguise. Write the quotes with the page numbers on the right. On the left, describe what the character is doing and why he or she is wearing the disguise.
Transcript of Understanding King Lear Theme – Disguise and Deception...Understanding King Lear Theme –...
Quotes Thoughts1) 1)
2) 2)
3) 3)
4) 4)
5) 5)
Understanding King LearTheme – Disguise and DeceptionIn the play, different characters wear disguises to mask their identities and motives. Kent wears adisguise in order to get his position back and help his king. Edmund wears a disguise to further his plotagainst his father and his brother. Goneril and Regan don’t actually wear masks, but they disguise theirtrue motives and feelings. From every class and family, the characters pretend to be what they are not.Still, not everyone has negative or immoral reasons for wearing a disguise. After Kent is exiled forwarning the king against his foolish, prideful decision to divide his kingdom, he returns in disguise tohelp and guard the very man who has betrayed and dishonored him. Even while he is technically lying tohis king, he always has his best interests in mind. So, wearing a disguise is not always a sign of ill will orbad intentions. In fact, the one character who is in costume for the entire play, the fool, is the one whoalso tells the truth most often and most openly. The point is not whether a person wears a disguise thatmakes them bad, but why they wear it and what they do while in disguise.Find five quotes throughout the play that show a character speaking while in disguise. Write the quoteswith the page numbers on the right. On the left, describe what the character is doing and why he or sheis wearing the disguise.
Now
wri
te a
para
grap
han
alyz
ing
the
disg
uise
s in
the
play
. Spe
cific
ally
wha
t thi
ngs
do th
ech
arac
ters
do
to h
elp
or h
urt o
ther
s w
hile
in d
isgu
ise?
Are
the
disg
uise
s ne
cess
ary,
or
coul
d th
ey a
ccom
plis
h th
eir
goal
s w
itho
ut th
e de
cept
ion?
100
wor
ds m
in.
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Finally, write a one-sentence thesis statement that you could use to write aliterary analysis essay on this topic. Be sure to focus your thesis on the novel._________________________________________________________________
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3) 3)
4) 4)
5) 5)
Understanding King LearTheme – Dynamic CharacterA dynamic character is one who changes in some fundamental way throughout the story. The change isusually a deep and profound change to the character’s motivation or personality, and can be for thebetter or for the worst. In King Lear, the main character is a dynamic character because he changes hisentire outlook on life and himself because of the treatment he receives from his daughters and theirfellow conspirators, treatment that he brings upon himself through his own foolish actions. By the end ofthe play, he is completely broken and changed, deep in his heart and soul, and yet, this change comes toolate to really save him. This is generally what happens in a tragedy play like this one. The main characterrealizes his or her mistakes and tries to change, but their fate is already set in motion, and becomesinescapable. For Lear, while he does get to reconcile with his youngest daughter, and in some way atonefor his abuse of her, he is never able to undo all of the damage done by his arrogance and foolishness.Find five quotes throughout the play that show King Lear changing in some real way, coming to arealization or making a decision to do things differently. Write the quotes with the page numbers on theright. On the left, describe what the change is and what forces in Lear’s life are causing him to change.
Now
wri
te a
para
grap
han
alyz
ing
the
chan
ge in
Lea
r fr
om th
e be
ginn
ing
of th
epl
ay to
the
end.
How
is h
e di
ffere
nt a
t the
end
? Wha
t spe
cific
eve
nts
caus
e hi
mto
cha
nge?
100
wor
ds m
in.
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Finally, write a one-sentence thesis statement that you could use to write aliterary analysis essay on this topic. Be sure to focus your thesis on the novel._________________________________________________________________
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Quotes Thoughts1) 1)
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3) 3)
4) 4)
5) 5)
Understanding King LearTheme – PrideThe Bible teaches us that pride goes before a fall, meaning that somehow pride blinds us and leads usinto danger that we would avoid if we were humbler. In the opening of King Lear, Lear has become soproud and arrogant that he demands flattery and obeisance from his daughters, and disowns Cordeliawhen she refuses to worship him as her sisters do. However, he soon finds out that the flattery of hisolder daughters was insincere and calculated to trick him into giving them control of his kingdom. Whenhe realizes what he has given away, and how he has degraded himself, his pride suffers so badly thateven his fool ridicules him. In fact, the court jester repeatedly calls Lear a fool, openly and in front ofothers, even when Lear threatens him, because he knows that Lear’s power, and his dignity, are gone. InShakespeare’s time, this was called ‘hubris,’ the excessive pride that causes the main character to dofoolish and selfish things that bring about their destruction and, often, their death.Find five quotes throughout the play that show King Lear’s hubris, or excessive pride. Write the quoteswith the page numbers on the right. On the left, explain how the prideful words or actions help to bringabout Lear’s destruction.
Now
wri
te a
para
grap
h di
scus
sing
Kin
g Le
ar’s
hub
ris.
How
doe
s hi
s pri
de c
ause
his
dow
nfal
l? S
peci
fical
ly, h
ow d
oes
his p
ride
in th
ebe
ginn
ing
of th
e pl
ay b
ring
abou
t the
opp
osit
e, s
ham
e, in
the
end?
100
wor
ds m
in
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Finally, write a one-sentence thesis statement that you could use to write aliterary analysis essay on this topic. Be sure to focus your thesis on the novel._________________________________________________________________
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Quotes Thoughts1) 1)
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Understanding King LearTheme – TrustTrust is a very fragile thing, even among family members who love one another. It can be fierce and firmwhen we are devoted to someone, but once broken, it is very difficult to repair. In parent-childrelationships, that trust is extremely important. The parents trust the child to honor and obey theirauthority, and the children trust the parents to care for and protect them. When that trust is brokenfrom either side, deep wounds form. In King Lear, Lear misjudges his children, and places his trust in thewrong ones, placing all of his wealth and power, and even his own life into the hands of his olderdaughters that do not love him, and scorns the one daughter who does, only because she objects tohaving to flatter her father to prove her love for him. In a similar way, Gloucester mistakenly trusts thewrong son, throwing all of his confidence on Edmund, who is secretly plotting to take his wealth andland, and viciously attacks Edgar, who has committed no crime. In both cases, the fathers have been sowrapped up in their own affairs, ignoring their children, until they seem not to know them at all.Find five quotes throughout the play that show the trust between parents and child being broken orrebuilt. Write the quotes with the page numbers on the right. On the left, explain how the relationshipchanges, and whose fault it is that the trust is broken.
Now
wri
te a
n an
alyt
ical
par
agra
phdi
scus
sing
the
fath
er’s
inth
e pl
ay. H
ow c
anth
ey b
e so
wro
ng a
bout
thei
r ch
ildre
n an
d m
ake
such
trag
ic m
ista
kes
thro
ugh
mis
plac
ed tr
ust?
Wha
t cha
ract
er fl
aws
caus
e th
eir
mis
judg
men
t? 1
00 w
ords
min _________________________________________________________________
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Finally, write a one-sentence thesis statement that you could use to write aliterary analysis essay on this topic. Be sure to focus your thesis on the novel._________________________________________________________________
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