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Gloucester:  “As flies to wanton boys, are we to the gods./They kill us for their sport.”

(R) This shows the theme of self-determination vs fate. Gloucester is saying that the gods are cruel, and are playing with them like boys play with flies. The gods will kill them all. This shows Gloucester’s belief in fate, since he cannot control what the gods do. He is at their mercy, so he believes in fate.

(CH) Gloucester has had a bit of a personality change since he lost his eyesight, but still remains a proponent of fate. Fate is sort of what got him into the predicament he was in, losing his eyesight

(R) One of the big messages expressed in this play is the idea of humanity as something greater than the basicness animals and the natural world. Gloucester contradicts that idea in this quote, comparing humanity to flies buzzing around the gods (a nuisance). He is ultimately stating that in all our perceived greatness we are nothing but pawns and problems in the gods’ eyes (thus warranting the gods killing everybody? Maybe.)

****Good idea.  Can you make a connection to another character here?  Perhaps a specific passage?

This, however, still shows the reliance on the gods and the idea of cosmic order (or fate). Although Gloucester acknowledges the idea that humans are as good as flies in the eyes of the gods, he is still attributing all the death and the problems to the gods and their will.

Another interpretation (similar to the idea of Gloucester contradicting the idea of humanity being greater than nature) is the idea that we are merely animals to the gods, sport for them to kill in their fun and their hunt. As man hunts the animals much lower in intellect and in stature to humanity, the gods hunt as, perceiving humanity to be a species no more worthy of life than the flies circling around a pile of food.

(CH) Gloucester has developed a strong sense of cynicism since his eyes were removed. When before he was gullible yet able to place his faith in people (Edgar and then Edmund), the events that have transpired have destroyed his trust in everything other than the certainty of bad events and eventual demise. He is right to be angry and distrustful of the “gods”, if he even still believes in them, since the hand he has been dealt has been almost entirely negative.

*****Connect to passage one. Does he take accountability for himself? Or is he a victim? Connect to Lear?

(Motif) This mocks the motif of nature and its relation to fate. Gloucester clearly does not appreciate that the Gods control his world. At the beginning of the play he seemed to not believe in this fact but the terrible acts committed against him showed him that he was wrong. He clearly believes in fate and the power of nature now, despite his clear hate of it.

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(C) In the very beginning of the book, the Duke of Albany rarely spoke at all, and he doesn’t appear in any other scene until now, so we can only assume that he’s simply been to scared or just simply ignoring his wife up until this point. This shows the growth of the Duke of Albany as a character throughout the play, as he is finally able to gain enough courage to fight for what he knows is right and go against his wife’s wishes.

(P) Unfortunately the Duke of Albany’s actions have come a little bit too late in the game, so much so that I actually think that Goneril might end up killing him herself just so she can do what she wants.

(R) Albany, who is supposed to be a devoted husband to Goneril, is claiming that she is a horrible person. He says that she is more like a tiger than a daughter, and between herself and Regan they have driven Lear literally crazy. It is possible to conclude that Shakespeare is trying to imply that wives and husbands should not merely put up with one another and allow each other to do as they please, but rather that as partners they need to make each other better. That either the man or the woman should be strong enough to stand up to the other and put them back in their place, instead of letting them hurt others or themselves.

(CH) This is where we truly find out who Albany is. All along he has simply followed what Goneril says (which is odd for the time period-Shakespeare may be trying to say something here) and he hasn’t had a mind of his own. Through this quote we learn that Albany is actually an honest, warm-hearted man and that he believes that he could never trust someone who abuses their own father, even is she is his wife. He also claims that bad people cannot appreciate wisdom (his own and King Lear’s as well). He truly believes that Goneril has performed a horrible act.

(L) The motif of natural order is also present in this quote. He is basically saying that nature, or Goneril as she is the one who succeeded the King’s throne, should never condemn where it came from (her father, King Lear)

*****Not sure I understand the last part, but there's something to this.  Elaborate?

(L) Irony is used in the second passage when Albany calls Regan and Goneril tigers and then describes them as barbarous. This is ironic because although both descriptions are derogative, tigers are seen as noble creatures and are sometimes called the king of the jungle, while the description barbarous means uncivilized and savage, almost the opposite of what a tiger represents.

*****Maybe the lion is the king of the jungle?

*****Consider justice and redemption. Moving into Act V, what does Shakespeare indicate about the extent to which good prevails over evil? the extent to which justice is served? isn't this supposed to be "the natural order" of things?

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(L) - The motif of vision seems to play an important role in this short section of Act 4. In this section, Lear is almost poking fun at Gloucester, or confused as to why Gloucester cannot see. He believes that Gloucester has begun to squint at him, while in reality, Gloucester has become blind. This shows the motif because King Lear is not able to notice and comprehend that are taking place right in front of his eyes. Even though Lear has perfect vision, and is able to see the world through eyes that are clear and seemingly perfect, he is not seeing and understanding the events that are unfolding. Even Gloucester, who is blind, is able to see. This shows irony, as the blind see and the seeing are blind. Lear is talking to Gloucester, and at first seems to not recognize him, he says he recognizes “his eyes”, which doesn’t make sense as Gloucester has no eyes at this point. However, it makes sense if in Lear’s madness he has finally gained clarity. He recognizes Gloucester’s blindness from before in his literal blindness now.

(CH) - King Lear, although there has been plentiful information revealed about him thus far, is further characterized through this line in the book. It is seen that Lear is becoming more and more mad and unintelligent as the story goes on. He seems to not be following anything that is happening, including the changing of events and the pain of other characters.

(R) Lear then goes on to talk about Cupid, saying he refuses to love. Lear refuses to love because everyone he has ever loved or has professed love for him was either lying or banished by him. Regan and Goneril said that they loved him greatly and now they treat him horribly. Cordelia and Kent did love Lear, which he now realizes, but he is ashamed of his actions and cannot face them. Therefore, Lear challenges Cupid as he believes he will never love again.

(R/L) Lear continues to refer to Roman gods whenever something happens that isn’t exactly what he wants. The fact that he refers to Cupid in a time when he isn’t fond of love is ironic and symbolic of him cursing and not appreciating the gods.

****There's definitely irony here, as well as the motif of sight/insight. Consider character development of Lear as well: he does seem to recognize Gloucester, but not by the means he seems to indicate. When he says "I remember thine eyes," there's a problem here: Gloucester doesn't actually have eyes anymore. So what is Lear relying on to recognize Gloucester? Is he learning to look beneath surface appearance?

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ACT 4 Quote 1

Gloucester:  “I have no way, and therefore want no eyes;/I stumbled when I saw: full oft 'tis seen,/Our means secure us, and our mere defects/Prove our commodities. O dear son Edgar,/The food of thy abused father's wrath!/Might I but live to see thee in my touch,/I'ld say I had eyes again!”

(M) Gloucester is saying that he now feels lost in life. The motif of blindness is very prevalent and literal. He feels that he has made mistakes and doesn’t feel he deserves ‘eyes’ if he continues to live the way that he has lived, but if he gets a better grasp on life, or lives “to see thee in my touch”, he would have ‘eyes’ again.  Having sight in this particular instance means that Gloucester has knowledge, or a lack of it. Not only is he now literally blind and cannot see Edmund nor Edgar, but also cannot metaphorically see which of his sons is scheming to betray him, while the other is innocent and has his best interest in mind.

(T) This text deals heavily with the concepts of vision and blindness. Gloucester, like Lear, lacked vision during this play. Glocester failed to see past Edmund’s lies.

(L) The irony of this situation is very strong. When Gloucester had his vision-he failed to truly see. Now that he is unable to see (literally) he finally sees what has been happening around him. He was previously blind to the true Edmund as well as his lies and manipulation. Now that he’s unable to see, he sees better than he ever did before.

(C) Gloucester’s situation heavily resembles the situation Oedipus experiences in Oedipus Rex by Sophocles.  Oedipus has vision for the majority of the story, and is told the truth by a blind man.  When Oedipus finally accepts the truth and pieces together the story, he gouges his own eyes out.  Both stories involve someone who does not know the truth having sight, and then going blind once they have the facts.

***Good connection to Oedipus. Consider character development here. When Gloucester says he has no way, he seems to imply that he is lost and cannot see. Is he lost because he has no eyes? Or does he understand enough now to more accurately assess his decisions and to lament his lack of judgement? Thematically, what is Shakespeare implying about the best way to really "see"? Remember plot and subplot as well.....