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King Lear: Marxist Interpretation (1 Viewer)
- Thread starter LS
- Start date
Well, firstly take into account that the play is a tradgedy- in almost all readings, this idea of tradgedy will be included. So, just becasue the play doesn't end with everyone becoming communist doesn't mean that a marxist reading is any less valid.
Um.
Basically, King Lear in the beginning represents a feudal society/ monarchy. His daughters (G&R) represent a lean towards capitalism. Both of these are represented as inherently flawed, as the characters that personify them are inherently flawed.
Jump to the tempest scene, where Lear's basically saying that "poor tom" is the perfect example of man- natural- and "derobes" himslef in order to be like him. he says something along the lines of:
"Take physic, pomp, expose thyself to feel what wretches feel, that thou mayest shake the superflux to them..."
This is about as marxist as it gets- the representative of the monarchy is lowering himslef to be like the basest of human beings- ie, all are equal.
There's also a quote somewhere further on from that where he mentions making all equal, and making sure everyone has what they need- it may be G,oucester who says this. Again, a figure representing the monarchy and old way of things comes around to a more communist look.
That's about as far as i am into the play ^_^
cheers,
~Trill
Um.
Basically, King Lear in the beginning represents a feudal society/ monarchy. His daughters (G&R) represent a lean towards capitalism. Both of these are represented as inherently flawed, as the characters that personify them are inherently flawed.
Jump to the tempest scene, where Lear's basically saying that "poor tom" is the perfect example of man- natural- and "derobes" himslef in order to be like him. he says something along the lines of:
"Take physic, pomp, expose thyself to feel what wretches feel, that thou mayest shake the superflux to them..."
This is about as marxist as it gets- the representative of the monarchy is lowering himslef to be like the basest of human beings- ie, all are equal.
There's also a quote somewhere further on from that where he mentions making all equal, and making sure everyone has what they need- it may be G,oucester who says this. Again, a figure representing the monarchy and old way of things comes around to a more communist look.
That's about as far as i am into the play ^_^
cheers,
~Trill
miss_shady72
New Member
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- Nov 5, 2004
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- 2006
I reckon Marxist is a great interpretation, that's the one I'm swinging towards. Here are my notes:How Lear begins
1. Believes in own rightness (DIVINE right), absolute power.
2. Cannot conceive his will being challenged.
3. Power and possessions are everything.
4. Superficial, unstable power.
Blindness
1. Result of power.
2. Inability to feel love that can’t be measured and quantified – Cordelia’s.
How wider context begins
1. First scene establishes humanness, how power opposes this.
2. Feudalism – corruption and injustice system breeds = Lear.
3. Time of discord and poverty, exploitation by capitalists.
4. Radical transformation in industry, farming, land owners.
5. Opposing forces to bring about change:
- bourgeois, capitalist = Goneril, Regan, Edmond.
- philosophy based on individual ambition.
- Cordelia = new changing aristocracy that imbues honesty, courage.
Lear’s changes
1. Act 3, Scene 4 – kneels down to pray for the “poor, naked wretches.”
2. Unstable mind, assumptions about humanness, power, justice shaken.
3. Not mad but beliefs destroyed.
4. Greater awareness of humanness, society = emotional disturbance.
5. Knows how to feel, therefore see.
6. Achievement – no longer blind to love and injustices.
Gloucester’s changes
1. Act 4, Scene 1 – parallels Lear’s turning point, termination of blindness.
2. The man “that will not see/ Because he does not feel.”
3. “So distribution should undo excess,/ And each man have enough.”
Changes – wider context
1. Edgar – illegitimate, lower class of men – personifies.
2. Kingdom won’t be ruled by another king who blinded by power.
3. Edgar is compassionate – ignores Albany’s attempts to restore power, only concerned with suffering, dying he seen.
4. Old, blind system destroyed – prospect of new, more compassionate, just system established.
Hope that helps you!
I have a question... the only way i can see the Fool fitting into a Marxist interpretation is as some kind of "Voice of the oppressed" or, the middle ground...
Can anyone think of another way he can fit into this interpretation??
(yes, the essay on it was due earlier today. *dies* )
~Trill
Can anyone think of another way he can fit into this interpretation??
(yes, the essay on it was due earlier today. *dies*
)~Trill
louis.egan89
New Member
Well, in the Kozintsev production, the fool is depicted in the final scene as being kicked aside by the proletarian army that takes over (instead of the traditional Edgar). I'm not really sure what to make of that, in terms of what the fool could represent, other than just a symbol of the feudal decadence of Lear?