Of Shakespeare's four great tragedies, "King Lear" is remarkable for its vastness. Its largeness and expansiveness have been dwelt on by many critics.
What gives King Lear its large dimensions is mostly its preoccupation with nature in all its vastness. Nature plays in it as great a role as in no other of Shakespeare’s plays. ‘Nature’, indeed, serves as a ‘key-word’ of the drama.
Table of Contents
- Nature in Shakespeare's King Lear
- Naturalism in King Lear
- Medieval and Renaissance Concepts of Nature in King Lear
- Edmund's Concept of Nature
Objectives and Key Themes
This paper aims to explore the concept of nature in William Shakespeare's tragedy King Lear and analyze its role in shaping the play's themes, characters, and overall atmosphere. The paper argues that Shakespeare's representation of nature is multifaceted, encompassing both medieval and Renaissance perspectives.
- The vastness and significance of nature in King Lear
- The dualistic conceptions of nature as a source of moral order and a force of chaos
- The contrasting views of nature held by the play's characters, particularly Lear, Gloucester, Cordelia, and Edmund
- The relationship between human nature and the natural world
- The impact of nature on the play's thematic explorations of power, justice, and the human condition.
Chapter Summaries
The first chapter explores the pervasive presence of nature in King Lear and its influence on the play's setting, characters, and thematic concerns. It argues that Shakespeare's depiction of nature is integral to the tragedy's vastness and uniqueness.
The second chapter focuses on the concept of naturalism in King Lear, examining how Shakespeare uses animal imagery and comparisons to highlight the characters' moral and psychological qualities. This chapter examines the ways in which nature serves as a mirror to humanity, reflecting both its nobility and its savagery.
The third chapter explores the interplay of medieval and Renaissance concepts of nature within the play. It analyzes how Shakespeare employs the traditional medieval worldview, emphasizing natural order, filial duty, and the consequences of disrupting this order, alongside a more modern, Renaissance view of nature as a force that can be manipulated for personal gain.
The fourth chapter delves into Edmund's perspective on nature, contrasting it with the traditional views held by characters like Lear and Gloucester. It explores Edmund's embrace of nature as a source of power, his rejection of societal norms, and his belief in the inherent selfishness of human nature.
Keywords
The key words and focus topics of this paper include Shakespeare's King Lear, nature, naturalism, medieval and Renaissance concepts of nature, filial duty, societal order, power, human nature, and animal imagery.
- Quote paper
- Olga Nikitina (Author), 2005, Concepts of Nature in Shakespeare's "King Lear", Munich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.hausarbeiten.de/document/69811
