In the American play, the characters are very vivid and enact American life (at the time) very well. The ''American Dream'' as it was then is still the same now.
The main character Willy is a perfect example of someone who is strivng for the American Dream. He is a man with conflicting values and a false sense of how to attain the American Dream. Willy, short for William is ignorant, contradictive and impatient to say the least. He is rough and unreasonable, only sees his view on things, which in most cases are negative.
His wife, Linda on the other hand is the complete opposite. The positive charge of energy. She is mild and humbly agrees to everything her husband sats, even when he contradicts himself. She is the calm soothing balm on his scathing wounds when he cannot achieve whatever he wishes or when things do not go as he planned. A proper and supportive wife, but a bit too docile.
Biff, one of Willy's sons is Willy's " champion" whilst Willy is his "idol". Biff is extremely active in sports (especially American Football) and is enthusiastic in pleasing his father and getting his father's praise.
The other son, Happy' is rather the extreme opposite. He too seems to want praise from his father, but apparently does not get much, as all his father's attention is on Biff. Happy seems to contradict his name and ensue a melancholy spirit. He is starving for Willy's attention and no one seems to notice.
Monday, November 29, 2010
The flaws of Lear, detrimental or no?
In the play King Lear, we identify some major flaws in the characters especially the king himself.
King Lear's tragic flaws include his inability to perceive true love from flattery, and letting his passion override his sense of reasoning. In the first Act, where he is dividing his kingdom between his three daughters, he asks each to tell him how much she loves him. He used this method to decide which daughter got what amount of the kingdom. This was foolish because it gave way to lies being told.
The major flaw of Lear, which is enjoying flattery lead to the banishment of two people who loved him dearly: his youngest daughter, Cordelia(who could not express her love in words so remained silent) and his trusted advisor, Kent(who was defending Coredelia). This left Lear (and the kingdom) vulnerably open to any attack, not outwardly, but inwardly-by his two older daughters, Goneril and Regan who were trying to destroy him. They went as far as kicking him out of their homes in the middle of a raging storm.
Cordelia showed her love rather than stating it; and Kent's action spoke louder than words. Lear's realization hit when he saw the wickedness of one daughter(Goneril) being supported by another (Regan), but he still refused to acknowledge Cordelia's unspoken love, until she came to his rescue. This shows that Lear, eventually learned his mistake when it was almost too late for the kingdom, but entirely too late for Cordelia, for he only came to his senses when agonizing over her dead body.
Such flaws in someone so old illustrates the fact that he is unstable and unwise; in no position to run a country. Leaving both the country and the individual himself in a dangerously vulnerable situation.
King Lear's tragic flaws include his inability to perceive true love from flattery, and letting his passion override his sense of reasoning. In the first Act, where he is dividing his kingdom between his three daughters, he asks each to tell him how much she loves him. He used this method to decide which daughter got what amount of the kingdom. This was foolish because it gave way to lies being told.
The major flaw of Lear, which is enjoying flattery lead to the banishment of two people who loved him dearly: his youngest daughter, Cordelia(who could not express her love in words so remained silent) and his trusted advisor, Kent(who was defending Coredelia). This left Lear (and the kingdom) vulnerably open to any attack, not outwardly, but inwardly-by his two older daughters, Goneril and Regan who were trying to destroy him. They went as far as kicking him out of their homes in the middle of a raging storm.
Cordelia showed her love rather than stating it; and Kent's action spoke louder than words. Lear's realization hit when he saw the wickedness of one daughter(Goneril) being supported by another (Regan), but he still refused to acknowledge Cordelia's unspoken love, until she came to his rescue. This shows that Lear, eventually learned his mistake when it was almost too late for the kingdom, but entirely too late for Cordelia, for he only came to his senses when agonizing over her dead body.
Such flaws in someone so old illustrates the fact that he is unstable and unwise; in no position to run a country. Leaving both the country and the individual himself in a dangerously vulnerable situation.
Wednesday, November 3, 2010
Similarities and Differences of characters in "King Lear"
In the Shakespearean play of "King Lear" there are many characters which work together and against each other. There are both "flat" and "round" characters. The flat characters are Cordelia, Goneril, Regan, Edmund, Cornwall, Albany. Kent and the fool. The round characters include: Lear, Gloucester, and Edgar, who all change because of the actions of other characters toward them.
The characters King Lear and the Earl of Gloucester have very similar traits. They both are fooled by their offspring due to blindness to deception and their own pride and rage. However, only one is harmed in the play.
Edgar and Cordelia are the loving and beloved children who both get into the "wrong books" of their fathers. However, the way each came about this is different. Cordelia is banished from the kingdom whilst Edgar is deceived by his brother and is pursued by his father.
The sisters Goneril and Regan are both evil, manipulative, power- hungry, self destructive people, who both meet their end as a result of their own folly and greed. Edmund, the illegitimate son of Gloucester also has these same destructive traits. These three characters were all encouraged by the same thing: power and money.
The characters King Lear and the Earl of Gloucester have very similar traits. They both are fooled by their offspring due to blindness to deception and their own pride and rage. However, only one is harmed in the play.
Edgar and Cordelia are the loving and beloved children who both get into the "wrong books" of their fathers. However, the way each came about this is different. Cordelia is banished from the kingdom whilst Edgar is deceived by his brother and is pursued by his father.
The sisters Goneril and Regan are both evil, manipulative, power- hungry, self destructive people, who both meet their end as a result of their own folly and greed. Edmund, the illegitimate son of Gloucester also has these same destructive traits. These three characters were all encouraged by the same thing: power and money.
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