Mad Hatter vs King Lear

The clip above is from the original Alice and Wonderland and exemplifies the behavior that is accepted as "mad" from the Mad Hatter and his tea party guests. Their "mad" behavior includes making up holidays such as "unbirthdays"and creating non-sensical rules for Alice to obey. Because of his name, the "Mad" Hatter, it is known that these movie characters are mad. Comparing King Lear's behavior to the behavior of the Mad Hatter shows us that Lear is truly not mad as others accuse him of being. In comparison, Lear's actions of wanting to keep his knights while staying at his daughters' homes (the land in which he gave them) seems fairly reasonable and not at all non-sensical. Therefore, in connecting King Lear's actions to the Mad Hatter and other Alice in Wonderland characters, Lear is seen as reasonable in his demands rather than senile.

Discussion Question by Jess S.

To what extent do Albany, Edgar, and Kent continue or break Fortune's Wheel, as mentioned by Edmund in Act 5, Scene 3, Line 185, at the end of the play?

Bret is lame (discussion question)

Before his death, King Lear tells the people surrounding him to "look on her, look, her lips" (referring to his daughter) What is the significance of his dying words? Does this mean that he dies thinking that his daughter is alive? Is he still a blind, gullible old man? Or has he changed? 

Beautiful, yet sad quotations

"I am bound/ Upon a wheel of fire, that mine own tears/ Do scald like molten lead."
-Lear (Act 4 Scene 7 Lines 52-54)


"Rumble thy bellyful! Spit, fire! Spout, rain!
Nor rain, wind, thunder, fire, are my daughters:
I tax not you, you elements, with unkindness;
I never gave you kingdom, called you children,
You owe me no subscription: then, let fall
Your horrible pleasure; here I stand, your slave,
A poor, infirm, weak, and despised old man."
3.2.14

A Reversal of Roles Discussion

From the onset of the play, characters appear to act in opposition of what their role would suggest (as everyone's favorite author mentioned): a king gives away his land, women are given the power then plot against their "beloved" father, logic seems to come mainly from a Fool's mouth...  And, at the end of the play, those who cast off their archetypal roles wound up dead.  So, what is Shakespeare implying about the act of rebelling against one's assigned role in society?

Passage Analysis from King Lear

Analyze the techniques used in Act 3 Scene 4 - paying close attention to the interactions between Lear and Tom as well as the ever-present storm - to develop an answer to the question: How should a person be classified as "mad"?

Cordelia's Death (Cam B.)

Joyce Carol Oates (oh, don't you just love the mentioning of her name?) noted in her essay "Goddesses" that Cordelia's death is rather undermined in Act 5 Scene 3 (pg 255). Despite her holding such importance in the play in rejuvenating Lear, her death occurs off-scene (as do all but Lear's death). Consider Lear's recovery upon reconciling with Cordelia, as well as the passage in which Edmund and Goneril plot Cordelia's murder as a staged suicide (pg 237) and the passage in which Lear enters the stage with Cordelia in his arms to the end of the play (beginning pg 255). Shakespeare displayed all of the characters on stage before their untimely death  -- Gorneril and Regan fight before the ill Regan is led off-stage; when Gorneril leaves, she is pursued by a servant who brings back his sword bloodied. Edmund is wounded on-stage before later dying, and Lear dies out of grief on stage. Consider and explain why you think Shakespeare wrote Cordelia's death to occur entirely offstage. As well, connect Shakespeare's technique of Cordelia's death to Oates' interpretation of her death (bottom of 2nd page) and demonstrate whether it supports/goes against your argument as to why Shakespeare killed such a pivotal role in our main character's life in such a boring way.