The Dysfunctional Family of Shakespeares King Lear Essay -- King Lear

The Dysfunctional Family of poof Lear One of the reasons why Shakespeare is so thoroughly read immediately is because of his ability to portray human nature so accurately through his characters. Shakespeares play, King Lear shows us that humans are treacherous and selfish. We can also affiliate to the play because of the family issues that Shakespeare incorporates throughout the work. Lears family is definitely a dysfunctional one. However, the disrupted family unit is the basis for the plays tragedy. The Contemporary Guide to Literary Terms defines tragedy as a piece of writing that inspires fear or pity, through which the audience/reader experiences catharsis (a purging of emotions). Tragic plots should have a clear beginning, middle and complete that all involve the protagonist in some way. It is essential in this play for King Lear to have serious family problems in order for him to become a tragic hero. The whole premise of the plot is based on his conniving daughters (with help from Lears ego). These family problems turn Lear into a tragic hero. Much the same could be give tongue to about Gloucester, which will also be examined in this paper. It is universally agreed that the primary source for the story of King Lear and his daughters was the anonymous earlier play know as The True Chronicle History of King Leir (usually abbreviated to King Leir or just Leir), which was not published until 1605 but was probably performed in 1594 or earlier (Thompson, 13). Shakespeares King Lear is a detailed description of the consequences of ones man actions, and the behavior of his family. Lear is the king of England in this play, who decides to distribute his kingdom amongst his three daughters... ...otagonist in the work who suffers long emotional and physical pain, which the reader/audience can identify and sympathize with. This hero must also suffer and/or die, which is unacceptable but inevitable. King Lear is such a hero, the r esult of both egocentrism and family problems. Works Cited Frey, C. Experiencing Shakespeare. Columbia University of Missouri Press, 1988. Granville-Barker, H. Prefaces to Shakespeare. London B.T. Batsford INC, 1984. Halio, J. The Tragedy of King Lear. Cambridge Cambridge University Press, 1992. Kimbrough, R. Shakespeare and the Art of Human Kindness. NJ liberal arts Press International, 1990. Thompson, A. King Lear Criticism. NJ Humanities Press International, 1988. Vickers, B. Appropriating Shakespeare. New Haven Yale University Press, 1993.