8/7/2019 Lear exam passage based Q

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King Lear

Q. This is a passage based Q. The passage for analysis was Act 4 Scene 7 in relation to the rest of

the play.

Act 4 Scene 7 is the scene of Lear and Cordelias reunion and Lears awakening unto reality after

a long time of madness. It is soft and emotional scene, touched with tender love and

forgiveness. It is also significant because Lear is now able to see through the glass of his

madness onto his folly and arrogance at the beginning of the play. It is the scene of realization

and guilt for Lear which is eased by Cordelias love and easy forgiveness.

Lears first line- you do me wrong to take me out of the grave, reflects his pain even in

unconscious, caused by his ever present guilt. He feels that he does not deserve good cure after

what he has done. The word grave is used as a pun- it could be taken mean that he should

have been left to die in his madness and it would have been no more than he deserved or itcould reflect his belief that he is already dead and does not deserve to go to heaven. Keeping

with this view he calls Cordelia a soul in bliss which could be either literal or metaphorical.

Lear could feel Cordelias loving and peaceful presence even before he recognizes her. He does

not begrudge her that bliss but neither does he feel that he could become a part of it.

The pain evident in Lears words becomes paramount as he describes his own condition.

Being bound upon a wheel of fire is very significant because it brings out the imagery of

destruction and pain left in its wake. It also emphasizes the lack of control Lear had over this

wheel of fire which has pained so many while it burned Lear himself who was bound to it. It is

very significant in terms of the rest of the play where Lear banishes his loving and loyal

Cordelia, exiles Kent who had dared to be unmannerly when Lear was mad and eventually

drives away his loyal fool too. There are also unintentional victims of Lears madness such as

Gloucester who helped him escape to Dover and paid with losing his eyes. The onset of war is

also a byproduct as the situation had forced Cordelia to march against her sisters to retrieve

Lear. All these causes make the imagery of the wheel of fire very appropriate.

Lear is still confused about truly being alive. Calling Cordelia a spirit is a pun and could

be taken to mean an angel metaphorically or a spirit literally after death. I will not swear these

are my hands reflects this same confusion, for his hands are now clean unlike the time whenhe wandered in the open in madness.

While it takes Lear realize consciously that Cordelia is his wronged daughter,

unconsciously he acknowledges her superiority of character by kneeling before her. Lears

madness has given him insight he never had before. He realizes that power, position, riches and

luxury do not matter at all. It is the inner goodness and sincerity of a person that make all the

8/7/2019 Lear exam passage based Q

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difference. While once he had begged Goneril to reason not the need for luxury for he

thought it essential for his spiritual health, now he sees it matters not at all. Thus, when Lear

kneels to Cordelia it is as an old guilt ridden man kneeling to goodness, compassion and

sincerity. It indicates how Lear has come full circle because his first error had been how power

to flattery bows. Lear now sees himself only as a foolish fond old man.

When awareness slowly returns to Lear, only than does he realize that he had lost it for

a time. His uncertainty is reflected in his fear that he may not be in his perfect mind, his

question of where have I been? and his request of Do not laugh at me. He now fears

becoming the fool again and is trying hard to hold on to reality and sanity. However it is difficult

for him to believe that he is finally being reunited to with Cordelia, after having wished for her

so often in the lonely wilderness. Be your tears wet? he asks for their wetness confirms

realty.

Lear at this point is filled with remorse and sadness for what happened. As the doctorsays- the great rage has been killed in him and has been replaced with wisdom and hindsight.

He recognizes Cordelias right for vengeance for being wronged If you have poison for I shall

drink it he says for he feels he shall deserve no more. But even then it only saddens him that

his other daughters wronged him without cause. There is yet more remorse here because he

brought them up to value possessions and not love.

Lears last line summarizes the whole scene for the reader. pray you for get and forgive

for I am old and foolish. The tone is humble and mellow and the words reflect his

transformation, where he asks forgiveness for his faults. He also recognizes his mistakes and

foolishness showing how he has cast off the mantle of arrogance. This scene is also significant

for highlighting Cordelias noble character.

Words: 886

Written in an exam situation in 1hr 15 min