10.Social/Political/Philosophical: Justice: Goodness in the world but also madness and death, authority versus chaos: Failure of authority in the face of chaos recurs in Lear’s wandering on the heath during storm, reconciliation: Darkness and unhappiness pervade King Lear, love and forgiveness: Cordelia forgives Lear after he disowns him, redemption, death and murder, greediness.
11.Structural/Stylistic: Motifs: Madness: Lear in mad babble. Betrayal: Brother betrays brothers and children betray fathers. Symbolisms: The Storm: rages overhead, turbulent natural reflection of Lear’s internal confusion, divine justice as if nature itself is angry about the events. Blindness: Gloucester’s physical blindness symbolizes metaphorical blindness of Lear’s. Imagery: Storm, Five Acts, Play, Tone: Serious and tragic. Foreshadowing: Goneril and Regan’s plotting in Act I foreshadows their later cruel treatment of Lear.
12.Critical Problem: “.. Most of all, this is a tragedy of detachment. Lear and Cornwall obviously do not have a relationship with their children and know nothing about their children's true feelings for them. Lear does not hear Cordelia and Gloucester does not try to hear Edgar out. Both have to face devastating atrocities before they see their children for who they are. "To willful men the injuries that they themselves procure must be their schoolmasters". They both suffer when they feel unloved by their offspring, they both die before they can enjoy their children's love. The suffering of the two old men is unrelenting, and in this sense "Lear" is as heartbreaking as "Macbeth" is macabre and "Othello" is insidious.”
“This was one of my favorite Shakespeare tragedies because despite Lear bringing the misfortune on himself, the reader truly does feel for sorry for him. When Cordelia could not declare her love to Lear like her sisters did, he takes this as a lack of love for him. Of course it wasn't, but Lear's desperate neccesity for admiration from those...