Customer Reviews

King Lear (Penguin Shakespeare)

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As far as Shakespeare's tragedies go, I have some respect for "Romeo and Juliet." I think "Timon of Athens" and "Coriolanus" are very underrated. I do not like "Othello" at all. I really like "Macbeth." And along with "Julius Caesar" and "Hamlet," I consider "King Lear" a real masterpiece.

The play starts with the aged King Lear displaying poor judgment by announcing his retirement, and leaving his power to his 2 overly ambitious daughters Goneril and Regan, while banishing is youngest daughter Cordelia (who is worthy of his love and trust). Cordelia ends up getting married to the French King, and thus becomes Queen of France. King Lear also banishes his noble servant Kent (who was also worthy of his love and trust).

In a subplot, the old and kind hearted Gloucester is upset by the king's actions, but ironically, he falls into the same pattern. He (after being deceived by Edmund) declares war on his honorable son Edgar, and puts trust in his monstrously evil son Edmund. By the end of the 1st act, the ever loyal Kent disguises himself, and finds his way back into the king's employ.

At first, Shakespeare leaves it ambiguous as to who we should like. (King Lear was not so likable, and his misuse of power didn't help.) But by the end of the 2nd act, Shakespeare allows us to see that Goneril, Cornwall, and Regan would do the devil proud. Edmund may even outdo these 3! From the end of the 2nd act, Shakespeare shifts our sympathies to Lear, and DOES NOT allow it to slack at all. (Our new sympathy for Lear will in fact intensify throughout.)

While we don't see much of Goneril's virtuous husband Albany until the 4th act, other characters speak of his contempt for Cornwall, so we can see that Shakespeare is getting a heroic role ready for him. This helps build suspense as well as the news of Cordelia's French Invasion. (To restore her father to the throne.)

Kent, Cordelia, and Edgar are quite Christlike. Kent never abandons the king; Cordelia never stopped loving her father; and Edgar continues to love his father. (Edgar's father suffers a horrible injury at the hands of Cornwall at the end of the 3rd act, and Edgar does everything humanly possible for his father.)

It is interesting that Kent and Edgar both continue to love and serve a man who had mistreated them, even to the point of wearing a disguise. Moving on, Lear is eventually reunited with Cordelia, and the scene where Cordelia forgives him is beyond beautiful.

But, Shakespeare does not stop here. Lear's 2 wicked daughters (Goneril and Regan) both want the affection of the evil Edmund, and Goneril plots to have her virtuous husband Albany killed. (Regan's husband Cornwall died at the end of the 3rd act.) To complicate matters further, Cordelia launches her invasion on behalf of her father, and while Albany shares Cordelia's goal, he also feels he has an obligation to protect Britain from invasion.

In an almost Easter fashion, Edgar reappears to challenge his wicked brother Edmund in trial by combat. (It is interesting that while Robert Powell did Jesus in "Jesus of Nazareth," he also does Edgar on an audio version of "King Lear.") But even as Albany, Edgar, and Kent gain control of the situation, Shakespeare has his arguably saddest moment waiting for us.

This play is a perfect cure for Hollywood movies that tend to glorify war. "King Lear" is arguably Shakespeare's most brutal play. But the violence is disturbing even when the virtuous characters are triumphant. The story DOES need the violence, but Shakespeare seems to know here that war and violence are disturbing, and should be portrayed so. Furthermore, the death of one's enemies, may NOT lead to a happy ending.