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King lear tragedy Shakespeare
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King lear tragedy Shakespeare
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King Lear: The Fool In Us
King Lear is without doubt Shakespeare's most nihilistic play. It is a storm without clearing. In this version of reality, faith is absurd. The play is set in the pagan era, where King Lear loses all his faith in the gods. However, we see the need for Christian revelation in the hopelessness of the play. We also see in the character of the Fool a character who resembles the wisdom and words of the Apostle Paul "Let no man deceive himself. If any man among you seemeth to be wise in this world, let him become a fool that he may be wise."1 These words are very similar to the function and meaning of the word fool in the play. While fool in Shakespeare's plays can represent a "dupe", a "madman", a "beloved one", a "court jester", or a "victim", it means all of these in King Lear. For the Fool is the court jester, Cordelia is Lear's beloved one, and Lear, himself, is at various times duped, a madman, and a victim. Yet, when we look at the words of Paul, we see the Fool tell Lear virtually the same thing in this play. For Lear believes himself to be wise, when, in reality, he is a duped fool:
Fool. If thou wert my Fool, Nuncle, I'd have thee beaten for being old before they time.
Lear. How's that?
Fool. Thou should'st not have been old till thou hadst been wise.2
The Fool loves Lear as much as anyone in the play, save for his youngest daughter Cordelia. The Fool knows Lear's only mistake is not accepting Cordelia's expression of love. Once he has divided his kingdom between Goneril and Regan it is too late for any advice to Lear to resolve the matter. The Fool tries to get Lear to understand what a dupe and bungler he has been, but Lear cannot see himself as the portrait the Fool paints. Lear needs nothing more than himself; he has everything in himself. However, he goes from everything in himself to nothing because he has been unwise:
Lear. Does any here know me? This is not Lear:
Does Lear walk thus? Speak thus? Where are his eyes?
Either his notion weakens, his discernings
Are lethargied-Ha! waking? 'tis not so.
Who is it that can tell me who I am?
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).
Have you ever wondered why some music is censored? If it doesn’t allow artists to do what they love, then why should it even exist? Although some people might think that music censorship shields children from bad things, I believe that music censorship is not the solution. I just think that is isn’t necessary. Finally, there are so many bad things that are caused by the censoring of music.
Censorship in music is a topic that has brought about much controversy over the past two decades. There have been many different arguments on the topic, however the question still lingers is should censorship still remain. Before you can form an opinion on this, you must hear both sides of the argument on this much-debated topic. Some people believe that music should be censored so all audiences can hear it without it containing any offensive lyrics. Others believe it should not be censored and musical artists should be able to speak, sing, rap, or rhyme freely without anyone censoring them. "Whether a person finds a work obscene depends largely on his or her moral or religious beliefs. These views change with each generation and further complicate the censorship dilemma." (Censorship by, Bradley Steffens page 97)
Ever since it became popular in the late eighties, hip-hop music has been a target of moral disapproval. Many critics have labeled the music as an offensive, vulgar, misogynist form of expression, which negatively influences its listeners, particularly children. Early in rap music's' development "concerned citizens" and various government officials held protests against the release of certain rap albums. Rap music's opponents demanded strict censorship. But hip-hop was increasingly attracting large audiences and its supporters were ready to fight the censors who they believed were taking away their constitutional right of freedom of speech, and the freedom of the urban black culture to express itself. What critics of rap music don't comprehend is that rap music is a part of our culture, which is impossible to ignore. Although it may be untraditional, it is a very eloquent form of expression that illustrates the conditions and feeling of a vibrant African -American young culture
The play “King Lear” is, first of all, a play about kingship. Lear is a trusting king, every inch a king, who in his old age brings destruction to himself, certain persons in his own circle, and to his country. “King Lear” is a play which tears off the outer coverings of human character. Pious and innocent-seeming people who are villainous, are revealed in their true nature, and the similar is disclosed for what it is, as it works destruction. This is done in a world in which most men are constantly seeking their own advancement, a court where flatterers are always lurking, and in which a king should be constantly wary and careful to follow the advice of such honest men as Kent.
even those closest to him are out of reach, viewed with a distorted lens. It
Shusterman, Richard. “The Fine Art of Rap.” New Literary History, vol. 22, no. 3, 1991, pp. 613–632. JSTOR, JSTOR, www.jstor.org/stable/469207.
"Rap music brings together a tangle of some of the most complex social, cultural, and political issues in contemporary American society. Rap's contradictory articulations are not signs of absent intellectual clarity; they are a common feature of community and popular cultural dialogues that always offer more than one cultural, social, or political viewpoint. These unusually abundant polyvocal conversations seem irrational when they are severed from the social contexts where everyday struggles over resources, pleasures, and meanings take place.
The first flaw in King Lear is his arrogance, which results in the loss of Cordelia and Kent. It is his arrogance in the first scene of the play that causes him to make bad decisions. He expects his favorite, youngest daughter to be the most worthy of his love. His pride makes him expect that Cordelia’s speech to be the one filled with the most love. Unfortunately for King Lear’s pride, Cordelia replies to his inquisition by saying, “I love your majesty/According to my bond and nothing less';(1.1.100-101). Out of pride and anger, Lear banishes Cordelia and splits the kingdom in half to the two evil sisters, Goneril and Regan. This tragic flaw prevents King Lear from seeing the truth because his arrogance overrides his judgement. Lear’s arrogance also causes him to lose his most faithful servan...
Keyes, Cheryl L. "Verbal Art Performance in Rap Music: The Conversation of the 80s." Folklore Forum. 1981: 143-152.
In Shakespeare’s King Lear, the Fool is a source of chaos and disruption in King Lear’s tumultuous life. The Fool causes the King distress by insulting him, making light of his problems, and telling him the truth. On the road to Regan’s, the Fool says “If thou wert my Fool, nuncle, I’d have thee / beaten for being old before thy time.” (1.5.40-41). He denies the king the respect due to him as an aged King, causing the King to wonder at his worthiness. The fool also makes light of Lear’s qualms making snide remarks in response to Lear’s ruminations. When Lear asks Edgar cryptically, “wouldst thou give ‘em all?” the Fool responds, “Nay, he reserved a blanket, else we had been all shamed” (3.4.69-72). The Fool’s snide remarks do little to maintain Lear’s fragile control of his faculties. However, the Fool speaks to the king candidly, a rare occasion in Lear’s life. Even Kent acknowledges the truth of the Fool’s statements, saying, “This is not altogether fool, my lord” (1.4.155).
At the start of Shakespeare’s play, Lear is accusatory, impulsive, demanding and obnoxiously authoritative in the eyes of many. As opposed to adhering to the advice of his advisers, King Lear, having “Grown senile, scoffed at the foresight of his advisers and declared that each [daughter’s] statement of her love for him would determine the portion of the kingdom she received as her dowry” (Rosenblum 163). Lear, early on in the play, shows a disregard for the opinions of others and relies solely on his own intuition. His egotism leads him to make childish actions and his superficiality; a regrettable choice. Instead of abiding by common morale and carrying out a more professional way of splitting his kingdom, Lear thinks only of himself by saying, “Tell me, my daughters— / Which of you shall we say doth love us
The number one killer in creative speech is censorship. Censorship in music is a topic that has brought about much controversy in the past two decades. "Preventing or punishing speech?is a clear violation of the First Amendment." (Censorship. Opposing Viewpoints by, Greehaven Press page ). Congress shall make no law? abridging the freedom of speech or of the press". Swearing in music has become a more common thing to hear in today?s music. Many teens would rather listen to explicit songs than to the non-explicit ones. Based on a poll on the internet, which asked, ?Do you listen to music with swearing in it?? 70% of the voters chose yes to listening to music with swearing in it (PollGenuis.com). In a song by Marilyn Manson, called Rock and Roll Nigger, the lyrics are as follows ?"I'm a rock and roll nigger, this is your world in which we grow, we will grow to hate you. Jimmy Hendrix was a nigger, Jesus Christ and grandma too. Brian Warner what a nigger, nigger, nigger fuck you, fuck you." ?Many people have debated over what has been said in the song, but not yet have I seen politicians or congressmen threatened to censor it says Zhar?. Bok states that ?Although people may disagree with it doesn?t mean it should be taken away? ?Women are major consumers of rap music. If a...
In King Lear by William Shakespeare, it is a play mostly about tragedy like most of Shakespeare’s plays. Shakespeare uses a vast amount of animal imagery to describe the characteristics of the villains to refer back to. He also presents an ample amount of symbolism throughout the play.
Lear's vision is marred by lack of direction in life, poor foresight and his inability to predict the consequences of his actions. He cannot look far enough into the future to see the consequences of his actions. This, in addition to his lack of insight into other people, condemns his relationship with his most beloved daughter, Cordelia. When Lear asks his daughters, who loves him most, he already thinks that Cordelia has the most love for him. However, when Cordelia says: "I love your Majesty according to my bond, no more nor less." (I, i, 94-95) Lear cannot see what these words really mean. Goneril and Regan are only putting on an act. They do not truly love Lear as much as they should. When Cordelia says these words, she has seen her sister's facade, and she does not want to associate her true love with their false love. Lear, however, is fooled by Goneril and Regan into thinking that they love him, while Cordelia does not. This is when Lear first shows a sign of becoming blind to those around him. He snaps and disowns her: