Action and Observation in King Lear
Auden once asserted that Shakespearean tragedy is necessarily parabolic, pertaining to the only myth that Christianity possesses: that of the 'unrepentant thief'. We as the spectators are thus implicated in the action since each of us 'is in danger of re-enacting [this story] in his own way'.1 The sufferings of the hero could be our own sufferings, whereas in Greek tragedy, such a notion is precluded precisely because the misfortunes of a character can be traced back to the discontent of the gods. Hippolytus is not a moral agent; Hamlet is. The aesthetic of Shakespearean tragedy is therefore dynamic, with an audience that, to a certain extent, are also participants. Auden proposes a model of observing based upon an Aristotelian conception of drama, one that involves the spectator in an emotional relationship with the characters on stage. King Lear too, offers the audience several quite distinct paradigms of both observation and action, and crucially, it is on the varying successes of these models that the tragedy hinges.
One does not need to look far in King Lear for a figure that might fit Auden's mould. Kent surely embodies that which Schlegel termed the 'science of compassion' in the play.2 He is publicly traduced and humiliated by Lear in Act I, Scene 1, and yet, in the guise of Caius, risks his life in order to serve his king still. Kent observes Lear's 'hideous rashness' (I.i.153) and he is motivated into participating in his master's sufferings:
I have a journey, sir, shortly to go;
My master calls me; I must not say no. (V.iii.323-324)
The simple rhyme, metric balance, and monosyllabic plainness of this couplet infuse the lines with a sen...
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...onathan Bates, Penguin 1992, p. 381
3 Samuel Johnson, Johnson as Critic, ed. John Wain, Routledge & Kegan Paul 1973, pp. 216-217
4 John Willet, The Theatre of Bertolt Brecht, Methuen 1964, p.170
5 Ibid, p.172
6 Euripides, Alcestis and other plays, trans. John Davie, Penguin 1996, p.80
7 The Romantics on Shakespeare, ed. Jonathan Bates, Penguin 1992, p. 390
8 Kiernan Ryan, 'King Lear: The Subversive Imagination' in New Casebooks: King Lear, ed. Kiernan Ryan, Macmillan 1993, p.80
9 A. C. Bradley, Shakespearian Tragedy, Macmillan 1908, p.55
10 W. H. Auden, The Dyer's Hand and Other Essays, Vintage New York 1989, p.201
11 Harold Bloom, Shakespeare: The Invention of the Human, Fourth Estate 1999, p.481
12 William Blake, 'The Marriage of Heaven and Hell' (plate 3 lines 11-12) in The Complete Poems, Penguin 1977, p.181
Thou shall honour thy father and thy mother, is not only one of ten powerful commandments but is also the foundation for King Lear's perception of himself and his overwhelming situation in Shakespeare's masterpiece King Lear. After a recent life-altering decision, Lear's seemingly stable and comfortable world has been thrown into upheaval through the disobedience and lies told by not only his two daughters but also by his servants! Thus, after being dishonoured by his family and attendants, Lear forms an accurate perception of his situation, that he is "a man / More sinned against than sinning" (Act III scene ii lines 60 - 61).
Blake, William. "The Marriage of Heaven Hell." The Complete Poetry and Prose of William Blake. 'Ed'. David V. Erdman. New York, NY: Random House, 1982. Print.
Research has demonstrated the vast implications of false memories for eyewitness testimony and therapeutic recall. However, there is also great potential for positive applications of this research. The plasticity of memories could have significant therapeutic implications. Positive false memories could be created as well as neutralizing traumatic ones. Researchers in cognitive psychology and neuroscience are currently researching these possibilities. This paper will discuss the current state of research on therapeutic memory manipulation.
The Importance of Family and Friends in Helping People with Schizophrenia Maintain a Normal Life
As per the American Heart Association in 2013, an expected 23 percent of grown-up men and 18 percent of grown-up ladies in the United States are smokers. What’s even more troubling is the prevalence of juvenile smoking in our society. juvenile smoking is a very real danger among U.S. youngsters and high schoolers. About 25 percent of U.S. secondary school understudies are smokers, and an extra 8 percent use smokeless tobacco items, for example, snuff and plunge. But what is most disheartening, is that 30 percent of all juvenile smokers will become addicted and suffer health related complications due to prolonged smoking. Numerous components play into a kid's choice to attempt tobacco. A craving to seem "cooler", more advanced, or to
"People may be born with some risk factors, while others may be triggered by physical or emotional trauma, stress, drug abuse, or physical illness." (Bjornlund, 2011) DID sufferers frequently report severe abuse as a child, either physical or sexual. (Dissociative Identity Disorder (Multiple Personality Disorder), Nov. 2014) “Child, persecutor, and protector identity states are often exhibited by DID sufferers.” (Rosik, 2012). Research shows that the development of the disorder is probably a mental response to interpersonal and environmental hardships, particularly at a young age when emotional abandonment or abuse can interfere with personality growth and development. (Goldberg, 2014) “The common belief among most professionals is the personality splintered or fractured before the age of five.” (Swartz, 2001) Victims use their multiple personalities as a coping mechanism when too difficult to remember the trauma they have been through. For example, in the study Recovering Identity, the abuse history
This colossal dissociation of identity from a conventional cognizance embodies those with dissociative identity disorder, (DID; previously known as multiple personality disorder) in which two more diverse characteristics are said to interchangeably switch the person’s demeanor. Dissociative identity disorder is thought to stem from severe trauma mostly in the person’s early childhood (usually around the age 9), due to extreme cyclical sexual, physical and/or emotional abuse. The dissociative aspect is assumed to be a managing method, because literally each personality has its own mannerisms, voice, age, sex, and even race; by dissociating their selves from a situation or experience that are too painful violent to assimilate with their conscious self. Typically, the original personality denies any awareness of the other identities.
"Morton, Thomas - Introduction." Literary Criticism (1400-1800). Ed. Thomas J. Schoenberg. Vol. 72. Gale Cengage, 2002. eNotes.com. 2006. 21 Feb, 2011
1-William Shakespeare. King Lear edited by Russle Fraser.(New York: Penguin Putnam Inc., 1982). All future references will come from this text.
My topic of choice for this research paper is Dissociative Identity Disorder or DID. This appellation is rather new; therefore, most are more familiar with the disorder's older, less technical name: Multiple Personality Disorder or MPD. When first presented with the task of selecting a topic on which to center this paper, I immediately dismissed Dissociative Identity Disorder (which for the sake of brevity will be referred to as DID for the remainder of this paper) as a viable topic due to the sheer scope of the disorder. However after an exhaustive examination of other prospective topics, I found myself back at my original choice. There are several reasons why I chose DID. The foremost of which is the widespread fascination of this disorder by many different types of people; most of whom otherwise have no interest in psychology or its associated fields. One would be hard pressed to find someone who hasn’t been captivated at one time or another by the extraordinary, all too well known symptoms of this disorder. This fascination… dare I say ‘allure’ to this disorder is exemplified by the myriad of motion pictures that have been produced based on cases, real or fictitious, of DID. Another reason for my choice is what I feel is the insufficiency of effective treatments for DID. Despite what is known about this disorder, (which is relatively a lot) there are only two chief treatments for DID; the first and most prevalent is psychotherapy; also known as ”talk therapy”, the second is medication. The third and final reason for my choice is my own enchantment with DID. I must admit that ever since I read about Sue Tinker, a woman who was diagnosed with over 200 different personalities. In writing this paper I hope to discover more about this disorder and perhaps be able to identify a few areas that I feel might require more research on the part of psychologists specializing in DID.
Guerin, Wilfred L., Earle G. Labor, Lee Morgan. A Handbook of Critical Approaches to Literature. 2nd Edition. Oxford, 1979. 162-165.
In conclusion, Dissociative Identity disorder is a very rare and interesting disorder for those who observe it. For the patients however, it can be a very confusing and terrifying experience. DID is not always the over dramatic way Hollywood movies may define it as, and is a lot more serious than one may expect. Luckily treatment can help one with this disorder, teaching how to control it and live through life with this disorder. There is also a way for observers to help prevention. Dissociative Identity disorder is usually developed by traumas, or abuse that one has gone through in life. So if you know of someone who is being physically, emotionally, or sexually abused, talk to someone and let them know. There are many trusted adults that can help solve the issues. Also Early treatment is the best way to start a road to recovery.
King Lear as a Tragedy Caused by Arrogance, Rash Decisions and Poor Judgement of Character
Imagine what it would feel like not being able to find your keys or car, or walking into a bank and not being able to cash your check because it doesn 't match the signature of your I.D card, or even getting lost on your way home on a daily taken route in a familiar area. These few things are only a infinitesimal amount of obstacles that a patient with dissociative identity disorder endures. Dissociative identity disorder, or DID is also commonly known as multiple personality disorder. Multiple personality disorder is an extremely rare disease, existing in only 1% of the general population.
Bengtsson, Frederick. “King Lear by William Shakespeare.” Columbia College. N.p., n.d. Web. 19 Apr. 2015.