King Lear Act IV Scene ii

King Lear Act IV Scene ii
Study Guide

1. How does Goneril feel about Albany, her husband, now? Copy down two sets of lines from this part of the play that shows this attitude:

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2. How does Goneril feel about Edmund now? Copy down two sets of lines from this part of the play that shows this attitude:

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3. How does Albany feel about Goneril now? Copy down two sets of lines from this part of the play that shows this attitude:

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*

* (What final near threat does he make?)
4. Why is Goneril concerned about Regan says?

5. How does Albany feel about Gloucester? (Answer this question once you have finished reading the scene.

King Lear Act IV Scene i Study Guide

King Lear Act IV Scene i
Study Guide

1. Explain the metaphorical meaning when Gloucester says, “I have no way, and therefore want no eyes; I stumbled when I saw.”

2. Edgar is very obviously distressed upon seeing the condition of his father, yet he does not reveal himself as Edgar. Instead he continues to use the Poor O’Tom of Bedlam guise. What purpose does this serve?

• Why doe he not reveal himself?

• Speculate on what would happen if Edgar revealed his true identity to his father.

Acts II - III King Lear - Considering the Bigger Picture

King Lear Acts II-III Considering the Bigger Picture.

Please do ONE of the following: The interactive journal for all scenes in Act II-III OR a visualization for the same:

Visualizing the Play
My goal with this assignment is to have you consider what has happened in the middle section of the play and put it all together. I want you to demonstrate that you understand what is happening and why some actions carry heavy consequences.
You are to make a visual that represents what has happened from II to III. You have several ways to do this:
- Make a comic book style illustration from the play. Feel free to use stick figures, but make sure we can tell whose who.
- Make a graphic organizer or flow chart that shows the action. You can organize it by:
Situation
Act II Scene i
 Rumor of conflict between Albany & Cornwall
 Edmund convinces everyone that Edgar want to kill Gloucester

Act II Scene ii
 Oswald & Kent fight, Kent ends up in the stocks

Act II Scene iii
 Edgar becomes Tom O’Bedlam

Act II Scene iv
 Lear finds Kent in the stocks, fights with daughters, the sisters tag-team Lear
 Lear gets thrown out into the storm

Act III Scene i
 Kent learn of the possible war between Albany and Cornwall, as well as the impending attack from French forces

Act III Scene ii
 Lear sinks into madness further during the storm

Act III Scene iii
 Gloucester trusts Edmund with important news from a secret, dangerous letter.

Act III Scene iv
 Tom O Bedlam encounters Lear, Fool and Kent.
 As Lear sinks farther into madness, Gloucester offers aid

Act III Scene v
 Edmund tells Cornwall that Gloucester is being treasonous

Act III Scene vi
 Lear has gone completely mad. He puts Goneril and Regan on trial
 Gloucester urges Kent to move the King to Dover

Act III Scene vii
 Cornwall catches Gloucester. Cornwall and Regan pluck out his eyes
 Servants loyal to Gloucester attack. One is mortally wounded, the other helps Gloucester escape
 Gloucester comes to an important realization concerning Edgar


Interactive Journal
The interactive active journal is designed to help you understand and respond to the context of the play. You have four types of journal entries to choose from. Use the format that best fits the scene:

#1 Event Response Analysis
Event - Describe the event that happened in the story
Response - How do you feel about the particular event
Analysis - Why do you think this event occurred?
Why is it important to the storyline?
Why did Shakespeare include it?

#2 Observation Reflection Prediction
Observation - What observations have you made from this section?
Reflection - Why do you think this observation is significant?
Prediction - What do you think will happen next?

#3 Action Analysis Result
Action - Describe the action that was taken by a character that
surprised, shocked or impressed you?
Analysis - Why do you think this action occurred? How is it important
is it to the storyline? Why is it included in the play?
Result - What is the result of this action? How does it influence the plot
or impact the other characters? Why?

#4 Problem Reflection Solution
Problem - What is the problem that the character(s) is/are facing?
Reflection - Why is this problem significant to the storyline? Why?
Solution - How do you think the character(s) will solve this problem?

Act II Scene i
 Rumor of conflict between Albany & Cornwall
 Edmund convinces everyone that Edgar want to kill Gloucester

Act II Scene ii
 Oswald & Kent fight, Kent ends up in the stocks

Act II Scene iii
 Edgar becomes Tom O’Bedlam

Act II Scene iv
 Lear finds Kent in the stocks, fights with daughters, the sisters tag-team Lear
 Lear gets thrown out into the storm

Act III Scene i
 Kent learn of the possible war between Albany and Cornwall, as well as the impending attack from French forces

Act III Scene ii
 Lear sinks into madness further during the storm

Act III Scene iii
 Gloucester trusts Edmund with important news from a secret, dangerous letter.

Act III Scene iv
 Tom O Bedlam encounters Lear, Fool and Kent.
 As Lear sinks farther into madness, Gloucester offers aid

Act III Scene v
 Edmund tells Cornwall that Gloucester is being treasonous

Act III Scene vi
 Lear has gone completely mad. He puts Goneril and Regan on trial
 Gloucester urges Kent to move the King to Dover

Act III Scene vii
 Cornwall catches Gloucester. Cornwall and Regan pluck out his eyes
 Servants loyal to Gloucester attack. One is mortally wounded, the other helps Gloucester escape
 Gloucester comes to an important realization concerning Edgar

Act III Scene vii King Lear

King Lear: Act III Scene vii
Study Guide
Gloucester: “Good my friends consider you are my guests. Do me no foul play, friends”

1. We know from past actions that Cornwall and Regan can be cold hearted and cruel. What are at least two acts of cruelty they have performed up to this point in the play?

2. Gloucester and Cornwall hail from two very different generations. Gloucester is of the old regime where value is placed on respectful treatment and consideration. Cornwall subscribes to the “the means justifies the mean” school of thought. How does this show up in this scene?

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Brutal Reality – The Blinding of Gloucester on the Stage:

When Shakespeare wrote this scene he broke with the convention of the time that had the violence happen off the stage. The audience would simply learn of it through a message or discussion of others on the stage or by seeing the aftermath of the event. Shakespeare wanted the audience to feel the raw savagery and brutality of Cornwall and Regan so he elected to show them blinding Gloucester by plucking his eyes out with their thumbs.

The thread of sight has been carried in a symbolic aspect through the entire play. Here, sight means intelligence, such as when Kent tells Lear, “See better, Lear.” Gloucester’s blinding leads him to a new level of understanding and insight concerning Edgar and Edmund. His realization comes in a blinding flash.
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There are several cases where justices has been derailed and the treatment of someone is inappropriate for their behavior. Briefly mention them here:
Cordelia –

Edgar –

Gloucester –

Why does Cornwall pluck out Gloucester’s eyes?

Explain the realization Gloucester comes to concerning Edmund and Edgar.

Why does Regan kill the servant?

What predictions can you make concerning Regan and Cornwall?

King Lear III iv

King Lear III iv

4. Explain how this scene brings the plot (Lear, Fool, etc.) and the subplot (Gloucester) together.

5. Lear is becoming increasingly mad. List and explain two examples that support this idea.

6. “…In the past Lear has assumed that respectability went hand-in-hand with appearance. Now, however, Lear see that though circumstances may strip a human of all outward show of strength, the basic humanity remains and is worthy of respect and care” - Stacy Mulder, PhD Prof. of English

Explain what this quote means. (Hint: consider Goneril, Regan, Fool and Tom)

King Lear: Act III Scene iii

King Lear: Act III Scene iii
Study Guide

1. Summarize the important information from the letter that Gloucester is reading.




2. What mistake does Gloucester make?




3. What does Edmund mean when he says, “the younger rise when the old doth fall” (III iii 26) ?

King Lear: Act III Scene ii Study Guide

Study Guide

1. At the beginning of this scene Lear starts to rage and the fool interjects with a plea. What is it that the fool wants Lear to do?

 Is this a reasonable request or is it hypocritical?

2. Explain what the storm has to do with Goneril and Reagan, according to Lear’s view at this time.

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At the beginning of the play Lear felt like he knew and understood everything about the world. It was a safe and predictable place he was in control of. He is finding that he is tragically wrong. He feels like the world is falling around him and that he is open for attack from every angle. This develops into a situation of dramatic irony. Lyman Baker of Kansas State University offers and excellent definition:

Dramatic irony is a relationship of contrast between a character's limited understanding of his or her situation in some particular moment of the unfolding action and what the audience, at the same instant, understands the character's situation actually to be.
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3. Explain why this section of the play is an excellent example of dramatic irony. Be very specific with your explanation or examples.

4. How has Lear’s consideration of the Fool changed from the beginning of the play to how it is in this scene.

 What kind of shift in Lear does this signify?

5. Lear states, “I am a man more sinned against than sinning.” III ii 59-60
Write a paragraph that states whether you think this a true statement or you think he is wrong. Be sure to back up your response with two specific examples from the play thus far.