1
Q
divine right of kings
A
- a religious and political doctrine asserting that a monarch’s authority to rule comes directly from God- not from any other bodies like parliament
- are seen as God’s chosen rulers and have absolute power
- kings are God’s representatives on earth and have absolute authroity
2
Q
primogeniture
A
the legal right of the eldest legitimate son to inherit all of the family’s land and wealth
3
Q
how does Shakespeare present primogeniture?
A
in King Lear, he showed how splitting inheritance between multiple heirs leads to destruction, endorses primogeniture
4
Q
problems with primogeniture
A
- disinherited younger sons were prone to resentment and even in some cases, revenge against their fathers and older brothers
- issues with illegitimate children- Edmund feels injustice of primogeniture
- Sir Brian Annelsey, the eldest of his three daughters tried to have him declared insane so she could take over property and wealth
5
Q
when was Lear set?
A
in a pre-Christian society- sometime BC
however it was a reflection of the Jacobean era- he was set in pre-historic times so he could criticise society without censorship
6
Q
political illegitimacy within the play
A
- Lear’s abdication and poor judgement creates a power vacuum and civil strife
7
Q
moral illegitimacy within the plau
A
- Goneril and Regan are Lear’s legitimate children, but behave in ways that are ‘unnatural’ and treacherous-this questions the assumption that legitimacy guarantees virtue
8
Q
attitudes to illegitimacy in the Jacobean society
A
- social stigma- bastard children were socially marginalised- they couldn’t legally inherit land, titles or wealth unless explicitely legimised by the father
- illegitimate children were excluded from inheritance
- religion- Christian doctrine viewed illegitimacy as a moral failing- associated bastardly with sin and corruption
- bastards had no legal standing in court to claim inheritance- this often led to resentment or ambition in those denied status
- illegitimate children legally could not become secular members of the clergy
9
Q
how much did James I spend in jewels in 1604?
A
£47,000
10
Q
what was James I’s approach to witches?
A
- he was very paranoid about witches
- he was very involved in witch trials
although England had a law against witches, James made it stronger - Shapespeare wrote Macbeth for him as it focused around the supernatural
11
Q
how was madness in the late 1500s and early 1600s viewed to be?
A
both natural and supernatural
12
Q
what was often considered as madness?
A
depression, hysteria, suicidal thoughts, religious extremism or zealotory
13
Q
When was James I born?
A
June 19th 1566 in Edinburgh castle
14
Q
where did much of James’s scandal come from?
A
aroused from events surrounding his bedchamber as it was known that his courtiers had the greatest access to James, especiallly with his tendency to promote courtiers and ministers he found attractiev
15
Q
Where did Shakespeare get the plot and subplot from?
A
- the story came originally from an old folk tale - “Love like salt” where a father asks three daughters which loves him most
- the folk tale was also adapted into a play called “True Chronicle History of King Lear and his Three Daughters” The plot of Gloucester and his two sons comes from Sir Philip Sidney’s popular romance “The countess of Pembroke’s Arcadia”
16
Q
who was Nahum Tate?
A
he was an Irish poet and poet laureate of England. in 1681, after Shakespeare’s King Lear had been performed without much success, Tate produced an adaption of the work to make it more palatable for theatre audiences
17
Q
what revisions did Tate make to King Lear?
A
introduced a love story between Edgar and Cordelia, having her remain in England throughout.
- cut the role of the Fool
- Lear lives, naming Cordelia queen
18
Q
when did Shakespeare’s text return to the stage?
A
1838
19
Q
characteristics of a Shakespearean Tragedy
A
- tragedy is concerned primarily with one person- the tragic hero
- the story is essentially one of exceptional suffering and calamity leading to the death of the hero. The suffering and calamity are as a rule, unexpected and contrasted with previous happiness
- the tragedy involves a person of high estate
- the hero undergoes a sudden reversal of fortune
- the reversal excites and arouses the emotions of pity and fear within the audience
- the tragic fate of the hero is often triggered by a tragic flaw in the hero’s character
- Shakespeare often introduces abnormal conditions of the mind
- supernatural elements are often introduced as well
- much of the plot seems to hings on ‘chance’ or ‘accident’
- besides the outward conflict between individuals or groups of individuals. there is also an inner conflict and torment within the soul of the tragic hero
- the tragic hero need not be an overwhelmingly good person
- the central impression of the tragedy is one of waste
- the tragic world is one of action
- the ultimate power in the tragic world is a moral order
20
Q
three principal similitudes that illustrate the state of the monarch
A
- taken out of the word of God
- out of grounds of policy and philosophy
- kings are compared to the head of this microcosm of the body of man
21
Q
when was the Somerset House Peace Conference?
A
results in peace between England and Spain
22
Q
shortly after James I took the throne, what did he announce?
A
he announced that he would be the new sponsor of Shakespeare’s theatre company
23
Q
why was the year 1603 an anxious time?
A
Politically and economically, the national mood was fraught, dominated by worries about inflation that had built through the 1590s and an equally long-running war with the Spanish
24
Q
Every play Shakespeare wrote in the first years of James’s rule seems?
A
subject to a demanding royal scrutiny, yet never subservient to it
25
when was King Lear performed at court?
26th December 1605
26
how many children did James have when King Lear was written?
he had 3 children who survived babyhood (2 sons and one daughter)
27
what was James trying to achieve as monarch?
- he wanted to create a single unified monarchy from the territories he ruled, a union of not only the crown but kingdoms
- he wanted to be king not of England, Scotland and Ireland but of Great Britain
- he wanted common citizenship, the end of trade barriers and gradual movement toward a union of laws, of institutions and of churches, he knew this could not be achieved overnight
28
what did the public think about James's aims?
- was viewed with suspicion by his new subjects, centuries of hostility between nations created deep enmities
- he was described as hunchback, ugly, with a tounge too large for his mouth and a speech impediment
- was said that he drank to excess and spewed on his own clothes
- rumoured that he was homosexual and took advantage of young boys that brought to service court
29
who was the Duke of Albany in Jacobean England
held by younger son of monarch (Prince Charles)
30
what were the supposed triggers of madness?
physical illness, especially fever, an imbalance of 'humours' or bodily fluids
31
what did the triggers of madness give rise to?
emotional states such as melancholy or anger; astrological influences, a sinful lack of faith in God's mercy, resulting in despair, difficulties in love and demonic posessions
32
what did Thomas Walkington's Optike Gasse of Humors contain>
diagram in which the humours are matches with planets, seasons and natural phenomena
33
what did the 1563 Act reaffirm?
the policy of whipping able bodied beggars
34
who was Shakespeare romantically involved with in 1582?
18-year old WIlliam was romantically involved with Anne Hathaway and they married 8 years later
35
Lear is not alone among Shakespearean father in regretting what?
regretting the rash and foolish way he treated his daughter. However, Cordelia's kindness towards him and her willingness to risk her life in order to save his is a testament to the unbroken bond that exists between them
36
how were minor crimes punished in the 16th century?
minor crimes were often punished by the pillory or the stocks
37
how were people executed in the 16th century?
ordinary people were usually hanged- beheading was reserved for the wealthy
38
how many Protestants were burnt to death under Mary's rule?
nearly 300 Protestants
39
what years did Mary rule for?
1553-1558
40
what act did Henry VIII pass in 1531 which was later repealed in 1547?
allowing prisoners to be boiled alive
41
although King Lear was written during the early reign of King James I, it also reflects what?
reflects the concerns and values of both the Elizabethan and Jacobean eras
42
what is the divine right of kings?
the doctrine asserted that monarchs were appointed by Gods, and therefore, questioning the authority of a ruler was akin to questioning divine will
43
succession anxiety
King James I ascended to the throne of England, A Kingdom that had been left without direct heirs, and the question of succession was a source of anxiety towards the end of the Elizabethan era
44
the source material
Shakespeare drew inspiration for King Lear from a variety of sources, including historical chronicles and legends, which he adapted to suit the themes and concerns of his time
45
the Legend of Leir
the basic plot of King Lear is derived from the ancient British legend of Leir from Britain, a semi-mythical king recorded in texts
46
what happened in earlier versions of the Legend of Leir?
Leir is restored to power by his loyal daughter, and the tale ends happily. Shakespeare, however, transforms this optimistic narrative into a tragedy removing any possibility of redemption or reconciliation
47
The Playwright's Adaptions
Shakespeare also borrowed element from a play called King Leir, but he made significant changes, particularly by deepening the tragic elements and introducing the subplot involving Gloucester. The structural complexity and tragic focus reflect the influence of Senecan tragedy, which often deals with themes of suffering, fate, and the inescapable consequences of human error
48
abdication and political chaos:
Lear's decision to abdicate and divide his kingdom would have been seen as a critique of rulers who shirk responsibility. Elizabethan and Jacobean audiences believed in the importance of a strong, centralised monarchy. By dividing his power between his daughters, Lear disrupts the natural order, leading to political chaos and civil war
49
social hierarchy
the rigid social hierarchy of Jacobean society is reflected in the play. The breakdown of this order as seen in the rebellion of Goneril and Regan and the betrayal by Edmund, is seen as catastrophic. These challenges in authority were viewed as direct threats to the established order, and the play reflects the fear of social upheaval
50
patriarchal society
Lear's position as a king and father symbolises the ultimate patriarchal authority. His daughters, especially Cordelia, are expected to be dutiful and obedient, reflecting societal expectations of women at the time. The failure of Goneril and Regan to adhere to these expectations by betraying their father reflects contemporary anxieties about female ambition and power
51
inheritance and property
the division of Lear's kingdom echoes concerns about inheritance and primogeniture. The fact that Lear divides his kingdom between his daughter, and Gloucester is deceived by his illegitimate son, reflects anxieties about the breakdown of traditional family and inheritance structures. The question of who should inherit power and property was a pressing issue in the period, especially with Queen Elizabeth's own uncertain succession
52
Christian and Pagan Elements
King Lear is set in a pre-Christian Britain, yet the play contains numerous references to Christian ideas, particularly around suffering, justice and redemption. The absence of a clear divine justice in the play seems to suggests a pagan worldview, where the gods are either indifferent or malevolent
53
suffering and redemption:
despite the bleakness of the play, themes of redemption through suffering are present, particularly in Lear's journey towards self-awareness and humility. His madness and eventual reconciliation with Cordelia could be seen as reflecting the Christian idea of spiritual rebirth, even through it ultimately ends in tragedy
54
theatre of the time
Shakespeare was writing for the Globe Theatre, where King Lear would have been performed to a diverse audience. The play's tragic structure, dramatic intensity, and moments of comic relief, reflect the the theatrical conventions of the Jacobean stage, which sought to engage and entertain a wide range of social classes
55
tragedy
King lear is a tragedy, influenced by the classical models of Seneca and Aristotle, where the tragic hero's fall is caused by a tragic flaw (hubris). However, Shakespeare expands the genre, intertwining multiple plots and creating characters of great psychological complexity. The play's tragic elements reflect the influence of revenge tragedies popular at the time, but it also transcends them by exploring deep philosophical and existential questions
56
what did James I theorise?
the political role of the monarch
Lear
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