Writer’s Username: Writergrrl101
Response Answer pertaining to “King Lear” Acts IV-V. The Response should be thoughtful and analytical in nature The Response need to include direct references to particular points in the text that you want the other group to consider. Be sure to include quotes in the Response.
In the Shakespeare’s King Lear, there are two characters that appear to be enduring in similar circumstances. King Lear and Gloucester both have children, and of these children, they each have one who is honest and loyal, while the others scheme to accomplish their own dubious plots. Both characters also suffer consequences, Lear slowly becomes mad, and Gloucester blind. Describe the similarities and differences between these two terms of madness versus blindness and explain what you think is the significance in their respective maladies.
Do you think that the King’s madness and the Earle’s blindness lead directly to the tragedies at the end of the play in act V or are they just side effects of a larger plot which occurs throughout the play? Is there a reason that Lear became mad when his children betrayed him and why Gloucester is instead blinded when his child does the same? Gloucester says that “As flies to wanton boys are we to the gods; They kill us for their sport” (King Lear IV.i.37-38). Gloucester obviously thought he was being punished by the gods, do you think that this was indeed the case, that it was Shakespeare’s way of having the gods punish Lear and Gloucester for failing in some regards in the raising of their children to eventually betray them? If so, did each punishment match the severity of the crimes committed by their children?
Shakespeare, William. King Lear. Greenblatt, Stephen and Abrams, M.H. The Norton Anthology of English Literature. 8th ed. Vol. I. New York: Norton, 2006. 1143-1227.
Please use the following criteria when developing the Response Answer:
Author’s name, title
Within the first paragraph, the post mentions the author’s full name, title of the work being discussed, and the page number upon which it appears (given in parenthesis).
Specific Detail
The post provides concrete details to support assertions that refer to direct references (paraphrases and quotations) from the appropriate text.
Contributions to Discussion
The post directly engages the class by directly referring to classmates’ posts and/or by providing new and exciting ways to look at the work into the class’s consideration of the work(s).
MLA Citations
Parenthetical citations are correct and correctly punctuated..
Format
The response is labeled correctly. Question is formatted in sections that are reader friendly.
Content
This post completely addresses the question asked, has an original thesis, provides strong analysis, making connections to other works or concepts. It is thoughtful and original in its approach.
