King Lear: How First Scene Foreshadows

In most plays, first scene foreshadows and points out the key ideas and character interactions. Specifically, in the play King Lear, we can tell from the first act, contains powerful elements of foreshadowing that foretell the chaos and disasters that will unfold in the social and familial world of King Lear himself.

In Shakespearean times, or Elizabethan times, it was expected for society to believe in the great chain of being and the love of their families. From begging scene of King Lear, we can see that this tragedy of Shakespeare starts off against the belief of Elizabethan times and foreshadows the rest of the play.

Firstly, Glouster breaks the chain by mocking Edmund’s mother: “Sir, this young fellow’s mother could; whereupon she grew round-wombed, and had, indeed, sir, a son for her cradle ere she had a husband for her bed. Do you smell a fault?” (I,i,12-15). Glouster belittles Edmund’s mother to Kent, ignoring Edmund’s presence. This foreshadows that Edmund will do something horrible in return.

Secondly, from the first scene, King Lear makes a mistake that he will regret for the rest of the play till he dies. He lacks the will to continue his kingship and claims that he will divide up his kingdom and give them to his daughters depending on how much they profess to love him, which seems ridiculously wrong: “Give me the map there. Know that we have divided/ In three our kingdom;… Tell me, my daughters-/ Since now we will divest us both of rule,/ Interest of territory, cares of state-/ Which of you shall we say doth love us most?” (I.i.37-51). In Elizabethan times, this very act would be considered foolishly inappropriate since the power and position of King is decided by divine intervention and only God can make the...

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...overcoming Lear by reducing his knights: “what, fifty of my followers at a clap?/ Within a fortnight?” (I,iv,285-286)Lear gets frustrated and starts hating on Goneril very fast. He claims he has another daughter and would be fine without her: “yea, is it come to this? Ha! Let it be so. I have another daughter, Who I am sure is kind and comfortable” (I,iv,298-300).

In short, we can already tell from the first scene that tragedy will take in place. As we go through the first act, it is proven that chaos is going to take place. Therefore, the first act seems to be the most important act in this play and the rest of the play just unfolds the disaster and chaos. The first act mainly deals with the destruction of the families of Lear and Glouster and interactions with their children. This play is just mainly the journey of two fathers realizing they have made a mistake.