Family Similarities
Throughout the first Act of King Lear there is one overwhelming topic, which can not be overlooked. That is to say that the two main families in this play, Lears' and Gloucesters', are both following basically a parallel plot that is developing at different plains of existence. Those plains exist on an aristocratic ladder, Lears' family at the top and Gloucesters' family at the bottom. There are different characters and minor diversities in each family, but at the basic level of events that occur, there is an unmistakable similarity between the lives of the two families involved in King Lear. The first of the three key parallel plot lines in King Lear is in the decision making of Lear and Gloucester. Both of these men make very rash and important decisions in the first act that involve their offspring. First Lear, who after hearing his favored daughter's response to his dowry deciding question, responds; "Nothing will come of Nothing." (Scene 1, Line 93). By this he decides without any hesitation that his
favored daughter, Cordelia, shall receive no dowry and thus be banished from the kingdom. Now almost mirror like, Gloucester makes an equally impulsive decision about his favorite son, Edgar. After reading a forged letter by his bastard son, Edmund, Gloucester decides that Edgar does want to kill him and decides that Edmund will instead receive his estate. Those two decisions are both equally unfair to their own favored offspring. These two families are essentially living out the same plot. Neither meeting yet, but even though the people are different, these two plots are too similar to not have some major underlying connection. The two plots must begin to intersect to complete the play. It will be the way that Shakespeare accomplishes this that makes or breaks this play.
Some common words found in the essay are:
Lear Gloucester, Regan Goneril, Lear Edmund, Lears' Gloucesters', Nothing Scene, Edmund Gloucester, King Lear, king lear, parallel plot, scene 2, scene 2 lines, involved king lear, involved king, lear gloucester, lear aware, scene 1, forged letter, 2 lines, edgar kill,
Approximate Word count = 686
Approximate Pages = 3 (250 words per page double spaced)
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