Questions answered

1. The two nobles in the opening scene are Kent and Gloucester and they are talking about how King Lear is going to divide the kingdom, which Duke the king likes more and finally, Gloucester introduces his bastard son to Kent.

2. Edmund must be feeling embarrassed and angry because his father is mocking his bastard status.

3. King Lear plans to divide his kingdom between his two daughters. He proposes that his daughters tell him how much they love him in return for the biggest part of the kingdom.

4. Goneril answers her father with great flattery. She claims to love him more than anything in the world. Regan also answers with great flattery, but uses her sister’s answer and adds more effect by saying that her sister did not cover the amount of love she had.

5. Cordelia answers by saying nothing at first but then continues to say that she “cannot heave her heart into her mouth” therefore saying that she cannot just produce the love that he wants to hear about. Also, she says that she loves him as any daughter should and that her sisters cannot love their husbands if they love him so much. Her reference to nothing suggests that sometimes things are there that because of pride or ignorance just cannot be seen and this continues throughout the play.

6. No, I think that Cordelia is very right with her answer. She should not be expected to just confess all the love she has for her father on the spot and for a competition.

7. Lear becomes outraged by Cordelia’s response and banishes her from the kingdom and his family. Lord Kent reacts to Lear’s response by telling him that Cordelia is the only honest daughter and the other two are lying only to get what they want from him.

8. The references to sight and blindness become important for the rest of the play because Lear and Gloucester are continually blinded by the lies of their children and also Gloucester eventually physically lost his sight by the end of the play.

9. Burgandy reacts to the news about Cordelia not receiving a dowry by withdrawing his proposal to marry her. This tells the audience that he did not really love her but was greedy and only wanted her for her wealth and status. France reacts by being enlightened and gaining admiration for Cordelia and how she handles the situation which reveals that he does love her and he values honesty and courage.

10. When Cordelia says “I know you what you are” she meant that she knew what type of people her sisters were and what devious things they were up to. Near the end of the scene the sisters say that their father is becoming old and weak and that they must quickly act to try and gain their kingdom.

11. The two views of nature contrasted in this scene are that at first nature is seen as beautiful, a helper and nurturer and then suddenly it is seen as evil and helps evil thoughts.

12. The parallels between this scene and the first are: in the first seen it starts as a happy occasion with no harm intended but this scene starts with Edmund intending to harm his father and falsely tricking his father into believing that Edgar wants to. Therefore from the start there is intent of evil.

13. Goneril is bothered and annoyed by her father because all he does is patronize with his gentlemen and also because he has claimed to give her power over the kingdom and business but still manages them. She tells Oswald to tell her father that she is sick so as not to speak to him and also she tells him to let her father’s knights somewhat dislike him.

14. Kent wishes to serve Lear because he loves him and wants to be loyal, honourable and protecting of him. He discerns in Lear’s countenance by disguising himself as a beggar to be allowed back in Lear’s court to serve him. This is ironic because Lear banished him for foolish reasons and now he accepts him as kind as he is but disguised.

15. Kent sends the servant away in reaction to what he did to Lear.

16. This is important because the audience sees that someone appreciated and is distressed because of the leave of Cordelia. The fool is the one who knows most and says it all without restraint but no one knows.

17. The fool’s function in this part of the play is to offer truth to King Lear as well as comic relief. Examples of these are: “take my coxcomb; why this fellow banished two on’s daughters, and did the third a blessing against his will, if thou follow him, thou must needs wear my coxcomb. “ “Truth’s a dog must to kennel, he must be whipped out, when Lady Brach may stand by th’ fire and stink.” “Then ‘tis like the breath of an unfee’d lawyer, you gave me nothing for’t, can you make no use of nothing nuncle?”

18. Edmund makes his brother believe that his father is hunting him and had found out where he is hidden and therefore tricks him into feeling for his own safety.

19. Kent’s actions with Oswald characterise him thus because he seems nice and caring but when alone with him he becomes insulting and mean. So he is plain on the outside but had hidden thoughts.

20. “Nothing almost seems miracles/ but misery” this can serve as a motto for the play because miracles never happen throughout the play only misery. Therefore misery must be the miracle of the men. No matter what they do misery comes of it therefore it is obviously inevitable all throughout the play.

21. Edgar’s disguise is an example of social criticism in the play because it suggests the poor are not favoured but rather pitied. Once one is a beggar the treatment is completely different. This statement is important because since Edgar had fled the kingdom he becomes nothing and of no importance anymore. This is important to the meaning of the play because it seems as though once something is no longer in sight its importance vanishes.

22. Lear is angry because he loves his servant Kent and he is upset that he must be put in the stocks with the two people that have mistreated him while he stayed with them.

23. Her first response is “I pray you sir, take patience, I have hope.”