Existential Reading Of King Lear example essay topic
355 words
King Lear written in 1606 by William Shakespeare shows the consequence of misjudgment. During the time the play was written, England was under the transition from Elizabeth I to James I and the unity of the kingdom were valued. However, as responders from different context, values viewed will be different. The existential reading will question the meaning of human existence and view Lear's decent into madness as punishment for excess ride and ego. In the original play, Lear's transition into madness was shown through his imaginary trial of Goneril and Regan. In the Bondi production, directed by Matthew O'Sullivan, the progression from sanity to insanity was enhanced by Lear's costume. In the beginning of the play, Lear was dressed in a formal, neat, black suit representing his power, authority and sanity. However, as the play develops, some of Lear's costumes was discarded, symbolism all the power he has given away.
The other costumes became worn and torn, representing the torn state of his mind. Other than the existential reading of King Lear, Peter Brook's production also explores the family drama. The family drama reading of the paly focuses on the sorry of King Lear and his three daughter and also Gloucester and his two sons. Both Lear and Gloucester were manipulated and decieved by their blindness to their children as the children plots over the land. In the text, the dividing of the kingdom can be seen as a father dividing his will according to the "performance" of the daughters in the "love test". Both Goneril and Regan's fancy statements can be seen as false as Cordelia points out, "why have they husbands, if they love their father all".
However, Lear did not see their deceit while Cordelia was disclaimed for her honesty. In the Peter Brook production, the conflict of the family was seen through the clever usage of cinematography. While Goneril and Regan were shot with close-ups to portray their power and dominance, it was then contrasted with Cordelia's distant which showed her isolation and plain nature.
