Year 13,
Following our viewing of the RSC King Lear production these are you initial thoughts from the play. We will refer to these over the next few months to see whether we agree or disagree with them.
Below is a link to the article with actors discussing the character of Lear which helped inform our discussion and an image of the key points from this.
Ms Cook
Anastasia: King Lear is a representation of the sorrow of growing old and the feeling of losing power as you grow old and the realisation that he isn't who he used to be he's no longer all powerful. He seems to let his power go so that he can blame others for his loss of power rather than himself
Emel: In summary I think that King Lear as a whole is a characterwhich is quite lonely deep down which is why he wanted his children to tell him how much they loved him. I think that he perhaps knows that his children only love him because they have to rather than because they truly do and I know this from the hesitation of the girls when they were telling him how much they did love him.
Seth: Lear is a deeply sympathetic character - he is astutely aware of his own decline and, more recently, he has become aware of his immaturity and childishness, and so just wants to retreat and be served in solitude. He no longer feels he is morally capable of running a kingdom, and is constantly preoccupied with the idea of escape, whether through death or physical separation.
Amber: Lear's tragic flaw is egotism - this is first shown when he holds the competition between his daughters over who can flatter him the most (in this scene I was skeptical about whether or not he genuinely believed their words). Lear does not want the responsibility of being King, but he does want the respect and power that comes with the role. This shows him to be egotistical and also child-like.
Maya: My first thoughts were King Lear is just physically week, however after the class discussion I think he is mentally weak and realises that his time is ended and the fact he does need reassurance to flatter him is a sign he's unsure of himself and people just respect him because of his status.
Joe: Although I don't know the extent to how mad Lear acts, in the early acts of the play his actions don't seem that crazy or immature. Even if he steps down, which may be the right decision, he deserves a certain level of respect as former king, and even on the more basic level as a father. Lastly, any later madness only furthers the validity of the decision of stepping down.
http://www.theguardian.com/culture/2014/jan/12/actors-guide-king-lear-simon-russell-beale?CMP=twt_fd
Following our viewing of the RSC King Lear production these are you initial thoughts from the play. We will refer to these over the next few months to see whether we agree or disagree with them.
Below is a link to the article with actors discussing the character of Lear which helped inform our discussion and an image of the key points from this.
Ms Cook
Anastasia: King Lear is a representation of the sorrow of growing old and the feeling of losing power as you grow old and the realisation that he isn't who he used to be he's no longer all powerful. He seems to let his power go so that he can blame others for his loss of power rather than himself
Emel: In summary I think that King Lear as a whole is a characterwhich is quite lonely deep down which is why he wanted his children to tell him how much they loved him. I think that he perhaps knows that his children only love him because they have to rather than because they truly do and I know this from the hesitation of the girls when they were telling him how much they did love him.
Seth: Lear is a deeply sympathetic character - he is astutely aware of his own decline and, more recently, he has become aware of his immaturity and childishness, and so just wants to retreat and be served in solitude. He no longer feels he is morally capable of running a kingdom, and is constantly preoccupied with the idea of escape, whether through death or physical separation.
Amber: Lear's tragic flaw is egotism - this is first shown when he holds the competition between his daughters over who can flatter him the most (in this scene I was skeptical about whether or not he genuinely believed their words). Lear does not want the responsibility of being King, but he does want the respect and power that comes with the role. This shows him to be egotistical and also child-like.
Maya: My first thoughts were King Lear is just physically week, however after the class discussion I think he is mentally weak and realises that his time is ended and the fact he does need reassurance to flatter him is a sign he's unsure of himself and people just respect him because of his status.
Joe: Although I don't know the extent to how mad Lear acts, in the early acts of the play his actions don't seem that crazy or immature. Even if he steps down, which may be the right decision, he deserves a certain level of respect as former king, and even on the more basic level as a father. Lastly, any later madness only furthers the validity of the decision of stepping down.
Jade: King
Lear is a man who loves having power but does not like the responsibility that
comes with being king which gives the impression of him being lazy. However
King Lear is blinded by these flaws because his daughters have betrayed him.
Bill: King Lear is childlike in the fact that he's
incredibly naive, he doesn't know what he wants. To me it is
clear that he craves admiration, power and respect. Essentially he has a
massive ego which needs to be fed. However, when he abdicates he realises that
although he no longer has lots of responsibility, he doesn't have anyone's
respect any more.
