'The play represents the inevitable struggle of the young to overthrow the old.' To what extent do you agree that this is true of King Lear? by Clare D

2013-05-16 08:36:54 UTC

You could go against this view as Cordelia and Edgar never try to overthrow the old and infact are loyal and try to help them regain there power.

This is also shown as Albany tries to offer Lear back his power, sadly he dies before he can do anything with it, but the young still try and help the old. At some points at least.

2013-05-16 08:41:42 UTC

Regan - "O sir, you are old! ... you should be rul'd and led" pg52 A2 S

Immediately after Lear has divided his power between his eldest daughters, they confer with each other and decide that they need to secure their new-found power before Lear can change his mind. Goneril- "We must do something, and i'th'heat." pg11 A1 S1

2013-05-16 08:43:03 UTC

2013-05-16 08:43:29 UTC

Goneril: "'Tis his own blame; hath put himself from rest. And must needs taste his folly" p57 A2 S4

Giving Lear a childish punishment, taking over as a parental figure and being in charge.

Even though their wish to overthrow their elders seems far from noble, it is part of the natural order and in line with Darwin's idea of evolution. Lear himself says to his daughters that he is giving them his power because he feels too old to bear it. Lear- "To shake all cares and business from our age, Conferring them on younger strengths." pg2 A1 S1

2013-05-16 08:47:01 UTC

2013-05-16 08:47:27 UTC

Goneril and Regan strip away all Lears assets of being a King i.e. his 100 men.

Goneril - "What need five-and-twenty, ten or five?"

Regan - "what need one?"

2013-05-16 08:49:52 UTC

Oswald: "My lady's father" p22 A1 S4

Goneril gives her servants orders not to respect her father purely to show disrespect and make herself seem more powerful and reinforce that she now has the power.

Parallel to the power-struggle between Lear and his two eldest daughters is that between Gloucester and his illegitemate son, Edmund. Edmund plots to take over his father's power and wealth, rather than leave it to the legitimate Edgar. As part of his plan, he "reveals" a letter from Edgar in which it says that Edgar plans to overthrow his father. Of course, this is a letter written by Edmund as part of his scheme and in fact it is he who is striving for his father's wealth.

2013-05-16 08:50:13 UTC

Lear acts like a child making it easier for Goneril and Regan to regain power over their father. His madness makes him more vulnerable.

2013-05-16 08:50:48 UTC

Regan - "Nature in you stands on the very urge"

2013-05-16 08:53:03 UTC

Lear - "I gave you all-"

Regan - "And in good time you gave it" p56 A2 S4

Both Goneril and Regan take every opportunity to exrecise their power over their father. They do not allow him to stay with them, unless he keeps fewer attendants about him, they also allow him to stay in the storm, rather than search for him and bring him to safety. Even their treatment of Lear's Fool and other followers shows their lack of respect and their power over him.

2013-05-16 08:57:57 UTC

2013-05-16 08:58:33 UTC

Edmund: "This is the excellent foppery of the world," p 15 A1 S2

Edmund believes that his father, and even Lear have been chosen to hold power because of the belief in the spiritual world. He is determined to change that.

2013-05-16 08:59:00 UTC

Edmund - "fools by heavenly compulsion...an enforc'd obedience of planetary influence"

2013-05-16 09:02:41 UTC

Act II Scene 4.