Play King Lear example essay topic

The Canterbury tales emphasize men and women along with the roles that they play. Specifically in marriage, Geoffrey Chaucer has etched out a tradition of literary brilliance. He has taken it upon himself to reverse roles and give women favor over the men. In this way, Chaucer is considered as a pioneer. In several of his tales women are aggressive, self-willed, and powerful. Some of Chaucer male characters are against tradition too.

In The Wife of Baths Tale the first female character introduced in very controversial. The wife of bath is a woman who has been married five times. She expresses this openly without any shame. It is almost like she is proud of it. My Lords, since when I was but twelve years old, / Five husbands have I had at the church door; (258). A woman of that time was usually looked down upon if she were a widow.

Men assisted widows in time of need, but they would never consider marrying them. The fact alone that she has had five husbands liberates her from women of her time. Then she goes on to say that she will take on a sixth husband when he comes along. Blessed be God that I have wedded five! / Welcome the sixth, whenever he appears (259). The wife of bath is a woman who knows what she wants.

She does not need a man to dictate her feelings for her. So, in her story we see similar women and men who depend upon them. In The Millers Tale there is representation of aggressive women and lovesick nave men. In this tale the premise centers on a woman who has men going in circles for her. At the beginning of the tale we learn about a young wife who is only eighteen years old. Alison is described as wild because of her age.

Her husband John is an older man who tries his best to keep her caged. She was a girl of eighteen years of age. / Jealous he was and kept her in the cage (89). Already we know that John is helplessly in love with his wife. We also learn of a man named Nicholas who moves onto Johns property. He is a young student who is sly and eager.

This lad was known as Nicholas the Gallant, / And making love in secret was his talent, / For he was very close and sly, and took / Advantage of his meek and girlish look. (89) King Lear King Lear is a most unusual play in that it only deals with the present and neglects the past and the future. The reader is not informed about an earlier time period in the play. The play opens up with Lear immediately choosing to, express our darker purpose (I, i, 35). There is no mention of any of the three daughters childhood. In contrast, Smiley makes a point of adding description to her novel.

She constantly describes the three girls childhood, their ancestors, and other memories from the past. The description of the past is the most powerful part in A Thousand Acres. It reveals hidden roots that shape and define behaviors of the characters. This hidden knowledge and exposure of secrets is exemplified in Edgar's line in King Lear, In nothing am I change But in my garments (IV, vi, 9-10). It tells the reader that although things may appear to be a certain way, reality will prove them to be different. The major difference between King Lear and A Thousand Acres is that the past comes to life in A Thousand Acres.

It provides a means by which one may sympathize with one character in A Thousand Acres and equally detest that characters counterpart in King Lear. In the play King Lear, the reader shows pity for Lear after his rashness because his two eldest daughters show hate and disgust for him. They disrespect their father when Goneril scolds him and, others of your insolent retinue (I, iv, 195). Regan attempts to make her father abandon his train of followers when she asks him, What need one (II, iv, 261). Lear does not understand either of his daughters attitude towards him and, due to the lack of background information presented in the play, the reader identifies with him and feels sorrow when he recites his memorable line, I gave you all- (II, iv, 248). Another reason that he is seen as a victim could be due to the third person limited point-of-view that accompanies a play.

The reader is only aware of the lines that are recited in the play. Occasionally, a soliloquy or an aside is given for further insight, but these do not occur frequently in King Lear. The reader only knows what he or she is told. The characters do not express deeper and darker concerns. Goneril talks about always disliking her father for his playing favorites among the daughters, The observation we have made of it hath not been little (I, i, 288-89). This is the readers only insight in the story about a possible disagreement or other catastrophic event that happened in the past.

Jane Smiley provides a background in A Thousand Acres that gives the reader a whole different attitude toward the character of King Lear.