Themes: Chaos and Disorder (Leaving Cert English): Flashcards
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Practise the cards
15 cards from this deck
Main theme running throughout King Lear
Main theme running throughout King Lear
Chaos and disorder
Lear's fatal mistake triggering chaos
Lear's fatal mistake triggering chaos
Giving up throne while alive & dividing kingdom by love tests
What forms of order are interconnected in the play
What forms of order are interconnected in the play
Political, familial, and natural order
What Lear wants to keep: 'The name, and all...'
What Lear wants to keep: 'The name, and all...'
...additions to a king' - glory without responsibility
Immediate result of Lear's abdication
Immediate result of Lear's abdication
Power vacuum that ambitious people exploit
What Lear prioritises over reality with daughters
What Lear prioritises over reality with daughters
Appearance - public declarations over genuine feeling
Goneril's false declaration opening (Act 1, Scene 1)
Goneril's false declaration opening (Act 1, Scene 1)
'Sir, I love you more than word can wield the matter'
Edmund's rebellious declaration (Act 1, Scene 2)
Edmund's rebellious declaration (Act 1, Scene 2)
'Now, gods, stand up for bastards!'
What the storm (Act 3, Scene 2) symbolises
What the storm (Act 3, Scene 2) symbolises
Emotional & moral turmoil in Lear's mind and kingdom
Lear's command to the storm
Lear's command to the storm
'Blow, winds, and crack your cheeks! Rage, blow!'
Lear's self-reflection during storm
Lear's self-reflection during storm
'I am a man more sinned against than sinning'
What Edgar's defeat of Edmund represents
What Edgar's defeat of Edmund represents
Triumph of legitimacy over deception
Virtuous character who dies in the tragedy
Virtuous character who dies in the tragedy
Cordelia
Lear's final question about unfairness of death
Lear's final question about unfairness of death
'Why should a dog...have life, / And thou no breath at all?'
How new order at play's end is described
How new order at play's end is described
Built on ruins of old, knowing how easily all can fall apart