In the opening speeches of the character King Lear one can infer that he is a pompous man who rather enjoys flattery, one of his many flaws. He can be said to be unstable since he first seems to like the Duke of Albany more than the Duke of Cornwall, and then prefers the latter over the former of the two son-in-laws. Also, he takes important affairs seriously.
2) The king demanded to hear the extent of their love for him, Goneril and Regan did as he requested and overexaggerated their responses by using metaphors and comparisons. This lead to their securing a good portion and a royal position for themselves, and their oily, lying tongue.
3) Yes. Most absolutely. It is obvious King Lear is acting crazy, which occurs because of his rage and blind fury. He will be strolling down the path to complete insanity, if he keeps allowing his rationale to be clouded by every little problem or misunderstanding he comes across. Kent is rightfully justified in saying that the king is mad.This madness is especially driven by passion and a lot of hot air. As seen when King Lear told Kent (at an earlier point) "come not between the dragon and his wrath"; indicating the force of his anger and how mad(crazy) he was becoming. Also, the King speaks as a fool. He knows that his youngest loves him most and he her, yet he lets her lack of speech throw him off- plain out folly; as Kent said, "when majesty stoops to folly". Kent also pointed this mutual love out to the King in a subtle way, but the King being foolish and mad was blind to it.
4) In Kent's last speech Shakespeare used rhyming lines to add expression, and allow them to be remembered easily. It gives a sense that he(KEnt) is leaving, but not really leaving or is leaving to come back. Also it ends the scene effectively and gives a climax for what else the book has in store for the reader. It also symbolizes and even foreshadows what is to come in upcoming scenes.
5) The King of France's little speech of calculated words were meant to work a bit like salve over Cordelia's fresh bitter wounds. He shows a bit of remorse for her having fallen suddenly from the graces of the father who had loved her so affectionately and dearly, and him having to suffer a little for she has no longer a dowry. Although her father now has lost his love for her and deems her unworthy and poor, France deems her worthy, beautiful and rich, making her feel wanted and even secure. "Fairest Cordelia, that thou art most rich, being poor;
Most choice, forsaken; and mostloved, despised!
Thee and thy virtues here I seize upon"
The smart(and smooth) but truthful words of the King of France to his soon wife-to-be.
6) The state of affairs at the close of the scene givesthe tone and setting a sense of continuance and foreboding, awaiting the next scene. Questions of "what?" "when?" "how?" "where?" enter the mind of the reader.
(ACt1:Scene2)
7) The sort of excuse that Shakespeare makes Edmund use for the sort of villainyhe is going to pursue is his rightful place as heir since he is the firstborn, so if he is not to get it by birthright, he will receive it by wit. It doesn't matter that he is an illegitimate child, he is human like every legitimate child is and has the same body functions, etc.
8) Edmund strengthen the plot, by appearing to defend his half brother, it makes Edmund look as though he really believes Edgar's honesty and integrity. This causes him to be the last person on the list that anyone would suspect and investigate. He comes out looking innocent, and hurt to have been "deceived" by his brother who he was "protecting".
9) Gloucester, loving both sons is very likely to trust both quite easily, for he has never been wronged by either. Edgar, being so noble is also naïve. He believes that all is right and kind and pure and true in the world and seems blind (or ignorant)to all the evil and wrong. Edmund uses these qualities of both father and half brother to play as dice in his hands. By creating a letter which bears Edgar's signature/name, he, Edmund under all pretense defends the "honourable name" of his brother against his father, then plays the disheartened loyal brother and warns Edgar of his father's possible rage.
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