“I am a man more sinned against than sinning”

Explain the extent to which you agree with the statement above. Acknowledge classical approach

The statement above illustrates the thought that lear has sinned in his life far less than he has been sinned against. Bringing into context the ultimate comparison of religion versus malicious intent. In the play it is thoroughly exposed that many of the characters do not follow a righteous path and are led by sinful intentions. For example King lear’s daughters; who plan duplicity against their father in the attempt to strip him of his power and rid him of the land. Could be seen as a representation of the devil or in such sense demons from a classical point of view. These scenes demonstrate the idea that lear has been sinned against and his daughters have lost all reverence for their father; a considered sinful action at the time.

Once Lear began to realise his daughters objectives, he fears for his sanity and finds their actions unfair. The play is set in a period where near all, were adherents to the religious culture/belief in god. These actions defied all rules set at the time and disregarded the classical ideals. At this age lear believed he was a messenger of god and these belligerent actions truly ignored his right to power and the natural hierarchy of the religious system. Leading him to feel lost and fearful for his sanity.

This quote, though it is true, is debated by lears ignorance and naive outlook to the situations at hand. When lear first perpetrates the plan to give away his kingdom, he ignorantly decides to challenge each one of his daughters to prove their utter most love to him and whoever in so did. Would claim the kingdom. This scene really protrudes the fact that lear was a bit of a fool, as this situation lead to the daughters with no true love in the hearts to gain he kingdom and the daughter he felt most deeply about father was banished from the kingdom in lears beknighted outlook towards his daughters, begging the fact that even though lear has been sinned against. From a modern perspective we can say It was his own immoral actions that brought these state of affairs upon himself.

ACT THREE SCENE FOUR:

At the beginning of the scene lears speaks of a tempest in his mind. The word tempest illustrates the idea that lear has become overwhelmed by his situation, his mind struggling to cope with the affairs at hand causing a tempest in his mind: an idiom used to describe a small event exaggerated out proportion in british english or in modern terms a storm. The two quotes used to convey this situation are “The tempest in my mind, doth from my senses take all feeling else save what beats are there”. By using the word tempest Shakespeare truly expresses lears bellerigent anger he now feels towards his daughters actions and their loss of reverence towards their father . The second quote is “prithee go in myself; seek thine own ease. This tempest will not give me leave to ponder. On things would hurt me more”. The word tempest describing his mind also coincides with the storm he is surrounded by. Shakespeare relates one another to each other to give perspective to the reader of the severity of struggle in lear’s mind.

ACT THREE SCENE 1 lines 4-14: What impression of lear does the gentleman give?

In act three scene one the gentle man describes lear as struggling with the wind and rain. He’s shouting at the wind to blow the earth into the sea, or make the sea flood the earth—he wants to see the world return to primal chaos. He keeps tearing out his white hair, which the blindly raging winds catch up and blow away into nothingness. Small but brave in his surroundings, he’s trying to stand up against the wind and rain blowing back and forth. He’s running bareheaded, calling for the end of the world, out there on a night like this, when even savage animals ravenous with hunger crawl under cover and hide.

ACT THREE SCENE 2

What images does lear use in lines 1-9 to describe the storm. What do they say of his inner mental state