In Act 1, Scene 1 of King Lear, Shakespeare builds a foundation for the action and images that will follow. Discuss.

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In Act 1, Scene 1 of King Lear, Shakespeare builds a foundation for the action and images that will follow. Discuss.

King Lear, one of Shakespeare’s most famous tragedies, was written around 1605 at a time when Shakespeare had already achieved both reputation and success in London. King Lear was not Shakespeare’s first tragedy therefore the audience knew what to expect. Act one, scene one is the most important scene as it sets the tone for the rest of the play. Captivating his audience from the beginning was crucial. This he was able to do, by creating a feeling of suspense and eagerness to discover the outcome. He builds a foundation for the action and images to follow. An atmosphere is created, characters are introduced and several omens are presented. Shakespeare’s creative use of imagery gives the audience a hint of what is to come in the following scenes.

        At the beginning of the play, when the Earl of Kent and Gloucester are speaking, it is evident that it is daytime. This is when the king would usually make business transactions. A royal atmosphere (one of affluence) is created. Lear is about to share his land and this makes the audience aware that he possesses a considerable amount of wealth.

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        Immediately, one is able to determine that Lear is the tragic hero of the play. At the time the play was performed, James 1 was the King of England. He reinforced the ideology of ‘divine right’ whereby the king serves as God’s representative on earth. The audience would be aware of the political climate and therefore aware of what was fit or unfit for a king to do. Evidently, Lear splitting his kingdom into three would seem absurd to Shakespeare’s audience. He abdicates and becomes ‘director’ rather than ‘king’. It would definitely be seen as a form of blasphemy by ...

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