Class notes: 11.04.03
At the beginning of class materials handed back.
Dr. Hayward read the �Bill and Ted� Parody of King Lear written by Brian.
Finishing up Lear:
Last time we looked at women in Lear, sexuality, and conflicting issues in King Lear. Different point of conflict is generational one between parents and children.
Research papers: (Info on papers linked on syllabus)
Questions:
Q: Can we use other material?
A: Focus research paper on writers from period but doesn�t have to be stuff we did. But it would be better if it was.
Q: Do we need other people�s opinion for the research paper?
A: Yes, should have other people�s opinion, but doesn�t have to be direct research.
Into Lear World:
We would like to work with issue of deconstruction and ambiguity by following what happens to Lear in the play. Lear has a problem with his daughters and women. Does he have internal faults? Acts hastily and is angry. This is classic sign of tragic flaw.
Lear's Other Problems:
No confidence; relies on others to define him.
His is foolish because he trusts world around him.
Pessimistic
When he went into the storm, he expected someone to stop him from going.
Expresses himself and wishes to build himself up in other people.
Is it possible to have contradictory feelings at the same time?
Yes, Lear believes and doesn�t believe that someone is going to save him.
He does but it�s too late.
Maybe he grew to accept truth about his daughters.
In the beginning he�s asking for love in the end he appreciates things that it didn�t seem he was capable of.
What else does King Lear learn? Does he learn anything about himself?
The main character always changes.
Yea, he does; he realizes the downfalls but it doesn�t hit him but reveals it through his actions and is forced to look at himself.
Process of self knowledge comes from removal of external things he�s been relying on. The knights for example are being taken away. Crown was taken. King says �Who am I?� and Oswald says �My Lady�s father.� Lear is angry because his reputation has become dependent on his daughter. He learned some of these things when Cordelia died. There is a realization of accountability at this point. On the scenes on the heath of trying his daughters with Edgar, he tries to assess their guilt. Page 1146, stripped of his knights in act III scene 2-4 lines 262+, daughters take knights.
Why do you need one knight?
King Lear argues that people need superfluous stuff more than we need to keep alive, this keeps us human.
It gives us the feeling of security.
Is this good? Should we feel this way? Jesus wouldn�t drive an SUV.
The bible says we don�t need possessions.
They are not supposed to be important.
Does anyone NEED an SUV?
You can have it but you shouldn�t feel that you NEED it. Lear comes to think about these things in a later scene. Page 1152 Line 29+ in the storm�At this point, Lear comes to an understanding of some sort. He didn�t take care of poor in society but he should�ve. He needs to see things from their perspective.
This is part of his rebirth and regeneration:
He needs to learn the truth about 3 things:
Himself
Other people
Social Responsibility
As a part of �disrobing�, Lear does this literally and dresses in flowers. This symbolizes a fresh start. Then he can begin process of resuming titles. Lear starts being more lucid. Then Cordelia dies, what does he think about her death? Why does she die?
Teach Lear a lesson.
What is the lesson?
Be kind to your daughters.
Is there a spiritual growth? At the end of a long journey, Lear comes in, and Act 5 Scene 3, page 1190 line 257 Lear enters with Cordelia in his arms. He regains ability to see. What does he see when he looks at her lips? Does he understand what she is saying?
Now that she says nothing he realizes she was right all along.
Does he think that she�s alive or dead here? If she�s alive, he dies in happiness. If she�s dead, he dies in despair. Either he dies mistaken and stupid and he never learns, or he dies in despair of the fact that he dies. The reader learns by the king�s disillusioned death. How did he die? Broken heart?
He realized she was dead and it killed him.
We can play it through our minds either way. In the play you have to tell the actor and the actor casts back the whole play.
Directors' Interpretation:
It could be both, dead or alive.
But eventually one feeling or interpretation is real.
The last one or the possibility of having the two �looks�, is a lot of �doubling�. There is a chance for actors to do both. With the death-march there is ambiguity for the director. Why is there no clear message? Why not have last points to tell what it means?
There has to be the readers� conclusions.
It is up to the reader to get the message.
I can think of many movies that have a moral or theme to take away.
Doesn�t this show what Lear left with his audience? It is like the clearer the messages; they should be mistrusted the most. Shakespeare couldn�t come out and say �Kings suck�. One theme is endurance; things worth having are worth fighting for or enduring for. The endurance of the message is important for the play.
