Harold Bloom's Analysis of Shakespeare's King Lear

Harold Bloom's Analysis of King Lear

Harold Bloom, Shakespeare: The Invention of the Human, 1998 Harold Bloom's analysis in "Shakespeare: The Invention of the Human" situates "King Lear" as one of Shakespeare's most complex and significant works, comparable to sacred texts in its exploration of human nature and destiny. Bloom emphasizes the uncanny experience of reading "King Lear," which transcends typical literary boundaries and evokes a profound sense of estrangement and familiarity.

1. Comparison to Other Great Works: - Bloom places "King Lear" alongside works like "The Iliad," "The Koran," Dante's "Comedy," and Milton's "Paradise Lost," suggesting its mythological and quasi-scriptural significance.
2. Reading vs. Staging: - Bloom argues that "King Lear" is best experienced through reading rather than performance, as modern directors and actors often fail to capture its depth, echoing Charles Lamb's sentiment against staged versions.
3. Lear's Character and Biblical Parallels: - Bloom explores the parallels between Lear and biblical figures, particularly contrasting Lear's impatience with Job's supposed patience. He suggests that King Solomon, particularly his portrayal in Ecclesiastes and the Wisdom of Solomon, influenced Shakespeare's creation of Lear. - Lear's profound speech to Gloucester about human birth echoes Solomon's reflections on mortality and common humanity.
4. Lear's Greatness and Tragic Flaws: - Lear is depicted as a grand figure-father, king, and a mortal god-embodying male authority. His demand for love, particularly from Cordelia, highlights his vulnerability and the intensity of his need for affirmation.
5. Love and Suffering: - The play examines the destructive nature of both paternal and filial love. Bloom underscores that every benign character loves Lear, despite his flaws, while the villains resent or fear him. - Edmund and Edgar serve as antithetical figures, with Edmund embodying cold indifference and Edgar representing a path of suffering and ultimate wisdom.
6. Edgar's Role and Self-Abnegation: - Edgar's journey is central to the play's emotional core. His refusal to reveal his identity to Gloucester until the last moment adds depth to his character, showing a parallel to Cordelia's resistance to Lear. - The lack of a dramatized reconciliation scene between Edgar and Gloucester shifts focus to Edgar's narrative and character development.
7. Central Themes and Literary Techniques: - Themes of madness, blindness, love, and tragedy interweave throughout the play, with Bloom highlighting their combined effect in creating a "giant bewilderment." - The interplay of love and folly, as noted by Samuel Johnson, is crucial, with love leading to immense suffering and tragedy in "King Lear."
8. Edgar as the Central Consciousness: - Unlike "Hamlet" or "Macbeth," "King Lear" does not have a single dominant consciousness. Lear's grandiosity and Edgar's reflective nature share this role, with Edgar emerging as the new king, burdened by the suffering he has endured and witnessed.
9. Familial Love and Despair: - The play challenges the idealization of familial love, presenting it as a source of profound anguish and destructive potential. Bloom notes the absence of maternal love, suggesting that its inclusion would have been unbearable given the play's already intense emotional weight.

Conclusion of Bloom's Analysis

Conclusion: Bloom's analysis of "King Lear" underscores its unparalleled complexity and emotional depth, portraying it as a meditation on human suffering, authority, and the perilous nature of love. His insights encourage a reading that acknowledges both the grandeur and the tragedy of Lear's journey.

King Lear Contexts and Sources (Jay Halio)

Plot Summary and Character Dynamics

King Lear Contexts and sources (Jay Halio) Plot Summary and Character Dynamics - Opening Scene: The play begins with King Lear deciding to divide his kingdom among his three daughters based on their declarations of love for him. Cordelia, the youngest daughter, refuses to flatter him with false praise and is consequently banished. Kent, who tries to intervene and advise Lear against his rash decision, is also banished. - Lear's Folly: Lear's decision to divide his kingdom leads to political chaos and personal tragedy. His elder daughters, Goneril and Regan, betray him, stripping him of his power and dignity. Lear's journey from authority to madness is marked by his gradual realization of his daughters' treachery and his own mistakes.

Historical Context and Performance

Historical Context and Performance - Historical Context: The play was performed during a time when King James I was trying to unify England and Scotland. The themes of division and unity in "King Lear" would have resonated strongly with contemporary audiences. The political strife depicted in the play parallels the real-life difficulties James I faced in his attempts to unite his kingdoms. - Performance History: The document mentions the performance of "King Lear" at court on St. Stephen's Day in 1606, highlighting the immediate relevance and impact of the play on its original audience, particularly in light of James I's political ambitions.

Sources and Influences

2Sources and Influences - Primary Sources: Shakespeare drew inspiration from earlier works such as "The True Chronicle History of King Leir" and Holinshed's "Chronicles." The play "King Leir" features a more melodramatic and less tragic story, with a happy ending where Lear regains his throne. In contrast, Shakespeare's adaptation introduces a parallel plot involving Gloucester, based on Sir Philip Sidney's "The Countess of Pembroke's Arcadia". - Gloucester Subplot: This subplot mirrors the main plot of Lear and his daughters, involving the betrayal of the Duke of Gloucester by his illegitimate son Edmund, and the loyalty of his legitimate son Edgar. The subplot emphasizes themes of blindness and insight, both literal and metaphorical.

Critical Interpretations

Critical Interpretations - Lear as a Tragic Hero: Lear's tragic flaw is his inability to see the true nature of his daughters and his rashness in dividing his kingdom. Unlike earlier tragic heroes, Lear has clear alternatives presented to him, which he willfully ignores, leading to his downfall. His journey is one of self-discovery, as he gains insight into his own nature and the nature of human suffering - Parallel with Historical Figures: The document draws parallels between Lear and contemporary figures known to Shakespeare's audience. The Annesley case, where a daughter tried to declare her father incompetent to seize his estate, mirrors the familial betrayal in "King Lear." Such real-life events would have added layers of meaning to the play for its original viewers.

Critical Approaches to King Lear (Jay Halio)

Psychoanalytical Criticism

Critical approaches to King Lear (Jay Halio) Psychoanalytical Criticism - Freud's Interpretation: Sigmund Freud's essay "The Theme of the Three Caskets" links Lear's three daughters to the three fates of Greek mythology. Rejecting Cordelia is seen as Lear rejecting death. Cordelia's silence symbolizes death. - Blinding and Castration: Blinding in the play symbolizes castration. Gloucester's punishment for adultery is seen as fitting within this framework.

Feminist (Gender) Criticism

Feminist (Gender) Criticism - Origins and Evolution: Gender criticism emerged from the civil rights movement, influenced by psychoanalytical criticism. It critiques patriarchal structures and seeks to understand gender relations in literature. - Kate McLuskie's Analysis: McLuskie's essay "The Patriarchal Bard" critiques earlier feminist analyses and views "King Lear" as a defense of patriarchy. She argues the play links sexual insubordination to chaos and portrays patriarchy as essential to social order. Gonerill and Regan's actions violate natural order, while Cordelia's role reaffirms patriarchy.

Linguistic Analysis

3Linguistic Analysis - Speech and Silence: The analysis explores the significance of speech and silence, particularly Cordelia's refusal to flatter Lear in Act 1, Scene 1. This refusal symbolizes resistance to patriarchal demands and the disruption of natural order.

Myth, Ritual, and Folklore

Myth, Ritual, and Folklore - Storm Symbolism: The storm in "King Lear" represents a churning of old impulses, similar to the storm in "The Tempest." In "King Lear," unresolved taboo desires lead to tragedy.

Christian Interpretations

Christian Interpretations - Moral Lessons: Some interpretations view the play through a Christian lens, focusing on themes of redemption, sin, and divine justice. Gloucester's suffering and Lear's ultimate realization of his mortality are seen as reflections of Christian moral lessons.

New Historicism and Cultural Materialism

New Historicism and Cultural Materialism - Historical Context: These approaches place "King Lear" within its historical and cultural context, examining how power, politics, and social structures of the time influence the play's themes and characters. These critical approaches collectively provide a deeper and more nuanced understanding of "King Lear," highlighting its complexity and the various ways it can be interpreted.

Dramatic Structure (Jay Halio)

Dramatic structure (Jay Hailo) The essay discusses the dramatic structure of Shakespeare's play "King Lear," focusing particularly on its double plot involving the main character, Lear, and the subplot involving the Earl of Gloucester and his sons. The essay highlights how Shakespeare masterfully interweaves these two plotlines to enhance the themes and dramatic impact of the play. In the main plot, Lear's story unfolds rapidly as he banishes his youngest daughter, Cordelia, and subsequently suffers betrayal and mistreatment from his other daughters, Gonerill and Regan. Lear's descent into madness and eventual reconciliation with Cordelia are central to this plotline. Meanwhile, the subplot involving Gloucester and his sons, Edgar and Edmund, adds complexity to the narrative. Edmund's deceit and manipulation lead to Gloucester's downfall, including his blinding and eventual death. Edgar's efforts to protect his father and eventually reveal himself to him contribute to the subplot's resolution. The essay examines how Shakespeare creates tension and parallels between the two plotlines, ultimately culminating in a tragic climax where characters from both plots converge. Despite moments of hope and redemption, the play ultimately delivers a devastating conclusion, underscoring themes of betrayal, suffering, and the unpredictability of fate. 4