Abstract
This essay discusses the actions of the King in Shakespeare's "King Lear," and how his narcissism, distrust for those closest to him and descent into madness lead the King to divide rule of the fictional, ancient England. The paper explores how this solitary act effectively destroys the
body politic of England. The essay argues that it is the unnatural passing of power that destroys the social order of England and that the kingdom will not easily recover from the mess King Lear has created. Further, the paper argues that the play implies that the only act that could save England would be replacing the brutal leaders with a single, worthy king.

From the Paper
"It is only too late that Lear realizes he gave power to those who would seek to destroy him and pushed away those he should have put faith in. The treacherous acts of those around him, the shunning of those he should trust, and the descent into madness that King Lear experiences effectively destroy the Body Politic as well as the lives of the characters."

Tags:Shakespeare, King Lear, Body Politic

Abstract
The paper asserts that while some masterpieces should never be altered, Shakespeare's great tragedy, "King Lear" was turned into a happy ending by David Garrick and Nahum Tate, in the belief that an aging, mad king, might reflect badly on Britain's own aging and mad King, George III. Nevertheless, the paper posits that while art works might be translated into different languages, and theatrical staging might be in modern dress, changing characters, removing some and creating a different ending than the author intended is a tragedy in itself.

From the Paper
"The world has seen a few masterpieces created that simply withstand the test of time and should not be changed. Can you imagine some artist deciding to alter the smile on the Mona Lisa? Can you imagine, in an age of feminism, that an all-female version of Hamlet can succeed? (It has been tried!). In much the same way, one simply cannot understand why some editor would want to tamper with Shakespeare's greatest tragedy, "King Lear". There have been editing attempts done, mainly to "improve": some of the Old English phrasing which, based on Shakespeare's own original printing,..."

Tags:happy ending, king lear, nahum tate

Abstract
This paper examines the significance of the stars and fortune in Shakespeare's "King Lear" and answers the questions: "Do the stars or fortune actually have anything to do with the occurrences of the play?" and "What is the relationship between the characters and the stars?"

From the Paper
"Throughout Shakespeare's "King Lear" the mention of fortune and the stars is a recurrent theme reflective of the Elizabethan view of the world. The influence of the stars on human events gets its roots in the Elizabethan concept known as the chain of being. This concept presumes that everything in the universe is ordered in hierarchical fashion from greatest to least, with God at the top and microorganisms at the bottom."

Tags:King Lear, Shakespeare, fortune, stars, chain of being, conscience

Abstract
This paper reviews the role of the fool in the play 'King Lear' by William Shakespeare. According to this paper, the fool is not only the vehicle of comic relief, but also delivers an important philosophical and political message.

From the Paper
"FOOL [fool] or court jester, is a person who entertains with buffoonery and an often caustic wit (FOOL). The Fool appears often in Shakespeare's work, but nowhere is it more notable than in King Lear. For some, the character merely offers a sort of comic relief from Lear's increasingly tragic existence ("Comic Relief in King Lear"), while other critics see the Fool as an important philosophical and political statement (Bate). [King Lear] moves from a theoretical and philosophical inquiry into deep causes to a practical faith in the surface of human actions and a trust in the wisdom to be gained from immediate experience" (Bate). In addition to the debates surrounding the role of the Fool in King Lear, critics are unsure of which character the Fool is most closely connected (Bate)."

Tags:fool, king, lear

Abstract
The paper examines the theme of filial loyalty in Shakespeare's tragedy "King Lear." The paper focuses on loyalty children owe their parents and how the play demonstrates what constitutes loyalty and tragic consequences of disloyalty.

From the Paper
"One of the central themes in William Shakespeare's "King Lear" centers on the loyalty owed by children to their parents, a theme explicated in the relationships between Lear and his three daughters, Cordelia Goneril and Regan and the Earl of Gloucester and his sons Edgar and Edmund, the bastard King Lear."

Tags:King Lear, Shakespeare, loyalty

Abstract
This paper provides an exposition of the symbolic use of unnatural actions and motivations of Shakespeare's characters in his tragedy "King Lear." The paper examines the Elizabethan view of determinism, including filial relationships in the play and the Elizabethan ideal.

From the Paper
"Shakespeare presents numerous violations against nature in the tragedy "King Lear." Throughout the play he exploits the Elizabethan views of determinism in nature and physical order within the universe. Shakespeare explores the effects of committing violations against established natural laws through his characters' inappropriate dealings within their relationships against the natural order and against their own bodies and minds. His portrayal of unnatural relationships carried a profound significance for Elizabethan audiences."

Tags:Shakespeare, King, Lear, Nature

Abstract
This paper critically analyzes scene III from Act IV of King Lear by Shakespeare and identifies it as the scene of transformation.

Tags:king, lear, analysis

Abstract
A look at the events that lead up to the madness of King Lear. The author examines the character's deterioration throughout the play and the events that eventually lead to his downfall and madness.

From the Paper
"In Shakespeare's play King Lear, Shakespeare introduces many themes. One of the most important themes shown in King Lear is the theme of madness. During the course of this play madness is shown in the tragic hero, King Lear. King Lear develops madness right in the beginning of the play but he actually shows it later to Gloucester and Edgar."

Tags:king, lear, mad, madness, shakespeare, tragedy, death

Abstract
This paper analyzes the theme of death and old age in William Shakespeare's play "King Lear", explaining that it is an important theme because it educates us about life and serves as a catalyst for King Lear's transformation. The paper further explains that King Lear would not have become the man he was at his death had he not experienced the turmoil, pain and suffering that old age and death had introduced into his life.

From the Paper
"This passage reveals something significant in King Lear's character--a complete turnaround. What he once thought was important, including the trappings of royalty, is not. What we see in this scene is a man resigned to happily spend the rest of his days in prison as long as he has the love of his daughter. Their reconciliation proves that peace can be discovered in the worst of circumstances. Because of their experiences, King Lear and Cordelia are changed throughout the course of the play. Of course, this is more prevalent with King Lear, who seems to find utter contentment in catastrophe."

Tags:older, significance, younger, experiencing, sorrow, awareness, purification, edmund, gloucester, goneril, regan, cornwall, oswald

Abstract
The writer relates that the arrogance of age is one example in his life where he had made a 'blind' choice because he assumed an elder superiority over rational judgment. Much like King Lear, this writer had chosen the wrong persons to inherit a valuable asset, which invariably ended in a tragic and destructive way; King Lear had lost his ability to rule, just as he had lost his old car to an irresponsible cousin. The writer emphasizes that in this manner, he was blind because of his arrogance in assuming that those that respect his status as an elder would be more responsible.

Tags:lear, judgment, cordelia