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Divine right of kings- James I believed that as king he had a God-given right to rule the country and was untouchable.

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Renaissance Europe- women lacked independence in regards to property rights and financially supported by men. Girls reliant on their fathers for dowries and once married their fortunes belonged to their husbands.

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Renaissance medical theory- based on ideas that arrived in the Middle Ages.
Shakespeare's contemporaries believed in the body "four humours". Imbalance of these produced different types of personality.
Lear the 'choleric man' has too much fire in his system, which explains short temper and irrationality cause to madness?

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Theatrical convention of the impenetrable disguise, frequently used in Jacobean drama.

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Stage directions for Shakespeare's plays usually list the characters in order of social rank.

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Edmund victim of law of primogeniture- a traditional way of passing wealth and property. First born son inherited the family fortune and father's title. Edmund is illegitimate and so entitled to nothing.

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Wheel of fortune (Medieval concept referring to fate & fortune constantly changing)- every character or person has a position on wheel. Those at the top enjoy good luck/fortune and those at the bottom great misfortune/hardships.

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Seneca- playwright and philosopher in Renaissance. Influence on Shakespeare and classical tragedy.

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The idea of Christian thinking:
1. Purgation- cleansing sin through suffering, charitable acts, through confession and good deeds
2. Atonement- Pay for sins that balances out
3. Absolution- Forgiveness from priest- salvation sins forgiven (Heaven) / damned in hell.
The Fall of man Adam and Eve thrown out of paradise

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Machiavelli- Italien philosopher and poet both repulsed and fascinated by psyche of Renaissance Europe.
Machiavellian- Edmund manipulating truth and virtue for gain.

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Chain of being- attempted to give a hierarchical order to all of creation

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Lear entering scene with Cordelia in his arms. Most Jacobeans recognised this image from church paintings (Christ being cradled in his Mother's arms) and symbol of redemption.

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Performed in front of Jacobean audience and set in Pagan England.

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Poor Tom- Edgar disguises himself as Bedlam beggar which is slang for "Bethlehem" name of a mental institution in London.

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Written in 1604 to 1607- King James Village (6th)(of Scotland and England) trying to persuade English parliament to approve union of the two countries into one nation.