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. |
From inside the book
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... things, acts of schoolboy rudeness, pushings and kickings and trippings up.... How, you ask, are these primitive, rather absurd, folks going to excite in you the proper tragic emotions?5 It will not do to say that these things go ...
... things, acts of schoolboy rudeness, pushings and kickings and trippings up.... How, you ask, are these primitive, rather absurd, folks going to excite in you the proper tragic emotions?5 It will not do to say that these things go ...
Page 1
... thing to do with a Shakespear play is to perform it . The alterna- tive is to let it alone . If Shakespear made a mess of it , it is not likely that Smith or Robinson will succeed where he failed . BERNARD SHAW I ONE I Actors and Redactors.
... thing to do with a Shakespear play is to perform it . The alterna- tive is to let it alone . If Shakespear made a mess of it , it is not likely that Smith or Robinson will succeed where he failed . BERNARD SHAW I ONE I Actors and Redactors.
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... Things get so tough, as you'll remember, that the monarch flips his skimmer.9 Give or take a Broadway cliché or two, this approximates many a theatregoer's impression of King Lear today, onstage as well as off, and (if the truth were ...
... Things get so tough, as you'll remember, that the monarch flips his skimmer.9 Give or take a Broadway cliché or two, this approximates many a theatregoer's impression of King Lear today, onstage as well as off, and (if the truth were ...
Page 4
... things , acts of schoolboy rudeness , pushings and kickings and trippings up . . . . How , you ask , are these primitive , rather absurd , folks going to excite in you the proper tragic emotions ? 5 It will not do to say that these things ...
... things , acts of schoolboy rudeness , pushings and kickings and trippings up . . . . How , you ask , are these primitive , rather absurd , folks going to excite in you the proper tragic emotions ? 5 It will not do to say that these things ...
Page 7
... Things get so tough , as you'll remember , that the monarch flips his skimmer.9 Give or take a Broadway cliche or two , this approximates many a theatregoer's impression of King Lear today , on- stage as well as off , and ( if the truth ...
... Things get so tough , as you'll remember , that the monarch flips his skimmer.9 Give or take a Broadway cliche or two , this approximates many a theatregoer's impression of King Lear today , on- stage as well as off , and ( if the truth ...
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Common terms and phrases
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