King Lear in our TimeThis edition first published in 1966. Previous edition published 1965 by the University of California Press. Perhaps more than any other play of Shakespeare's King Lear has been subjected to almost totally contradictory interpretations. In the first historical section of the book the author describes the varying concepts of the play and the distortions of text and even plot that have been widely used. Garrick's playing of Lear as a pathetic and down-trodden old man. Laughton's and Olivier's versions and Herbert Blaus's theory of the 'subtext' are described and analysed. The central section of the book examines the medieval, folk and romance sources of the play. The final chapter illustrates how the action of the play and its pervading violence and evil are not explained in terms of human motive and rely for their meaning more on their effects than their antecedents. An important theme is the play's examination of society and the ties of service and family love. |
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... onstage deviates markedly from the ordinary Shakespearean norms of probability in tragedy. In this play alone among the tragedies we are asked to take seriously literal disguises that deceive. Romeo's appearing masked at the Capulet ...
... onstage deviates markedly from the ordinary Shakespearean norms of probability in tragedy. In this play alone among the tragedies we are asked to take seriously literal disguises that deceive. Romeo's appearing masked at the Capulet ...
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... onstage as well as off, and (if the truth were told) many a student reader's. If King Lear as a work of literature is either Shakespeare's greatest achievement, freely compared by its devotees to the sublimest inventions of the artistic ...
... onstage as well as off, and (if the truth were told) many a student reader's. If King Lear as a work of literature is either Shakespeare's greatest achievement, freely compared by its devotees to the sublimest inventions of the artistic ...
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... onstage deviates markedly from the ordinary Shakespearean norms of proba- A. B. Walkley , The Times ( London ) , 1909 ; reprinted in The English Dramatic Critics , ed . James Agate ( 1932 ) , p . 270 . 4 bility in tragedy . In this play ...
... onstage deviates markedly from the ordinary Shakespearean norms of proba- A. B. Walkley , The Times ( London ) , 1909 ; reprinted in The English Dramatic Critics , ed . James Agate ( 1932 ) , p . 270 . 4 bility in tragedy . In this play ...
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... onstage is to think seriously about producing it . Mr. Peter Brook , we are told , described it , while readying it for his recent production with Paul Scofield in the title role , as " a mountain whose summit had never been reached ...
... onstage is to think seriously about producing it . Mr. Peter Brook , we are told , described it , while readying it for his recent production with Paul Scofield in the title role , as " a mountain whose summit had never been reached ...
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... on- stage as well as off , and ( if the truth were told ) many a stu- dent reader's . If King Lear as a work of literature is either Shakespeare's greatest achievement , freely compared by its devotees to the sublimest inventions of the ...
... on- stage as well as off , and ( if the truth were told ) many a stu- dent reader's . If King Lear as a work of literature is either Shakespeare's greatest achievement , freely compared by its devotees to the sublimest inventions of the ...
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action actor appears aspect audience authority become beginning believe blind bring Brook brother calls cause century character choice close comes Cordelia critic daughters death Dover drama earlier Edgar Edmund effect Elizabethan experience express fact father feeling figure finally follow Fool Garrick give given Gloucester Gloucester's Goneril Hamlet hand heath human imagination John Kent kind King Lear language Lear's letter lines lives London looks man's meaning meets mind Morality nature never notes Observer once onstage opening passion performance perhaps play play's plot poor possible present problem production question relation remains restored Review role scene seems seen sense Shakespeare shows society sound speaks speech stage storm story studied suffering suggest Tate Tate's tell theatre theme things tion tragedy true turn virtue whole