King Lear - A Complete Analysis (Shakespeare's Works Explained) 

1:22 - The Story of King Lear 14:18 - King Lear Character Analysis 26:01 - The Fool Character Analysis 32:05 - Cordelia Character Analysis 36:39 - Edmund Character Analysis 42:14 - Themes of King Lear

The fact that the only people who seem to read Shakespeare anymore are college students who are doing so out of coercion rather than enjoyment speaks volumes about our current state of affairs. Shakespeare found me in the hole in prison when I was 19 and I was immediately enthralled that anyone could write with such eloquence and a comprehensive understanding of human nature in all its decadent depravity. 15 years after reading his plays for the first time I'm still coming back trying to unravel the sheer complexity of these stories that took me years to even somewhat grasp because I'm kind of a moron. And still I'm discovering things that I hadn't noticed before, because these plays really are that profound. I appreciate everyone who continues to keep these works alive, I just wish more people knew how fortunate we are to have this kind of stuff available to us. We would be all the poorer without it.

Lear always felt Sophoclean to me: kings, blindness, daughters, will of the gods and all that. Highly recommend Kurosawa's Ran (1985) as alternative to the typical Lear play. For that matter, I've always liked Throne of Blood as the go-to Macbeth performance. Thanks for the video!

I don’t think Cordelia couldn’t use the words during his love test, I think it’s because she refused to flatter him. Gonriel and Reagan both make these grandiose speeches trying to out do each other about how much they love their father in order to secure more power in the dividing of the kingdoms and also probably to avoid his wrath like we’ll see on Cordelia. Cordelia is honest about her love to him instead of flattering him. King Lear is an insecure and prideful old man. He takes this as in insult and in doing so casts out his favorite daughter. The only one that had the ability to truly love him.

Thank you for making the world more cultured and educated.

42:30 "King Lear" is a supremely logical play. It makes perfect sense. It is not really about either Justice or Karma. More it is about actions and consequences. Delusions versus power realities. The ending is both just and unjust. The actions of the characters play out logically, it is a REALISTIC play, philosophically.

I have a literature exam tomorrow, i love the way you break the characters and themes down!

"A bit of a dick." Hmmm. If only I had thought to write **that** down on my AP English essay exam re Lear back in 1983. 👼 Cheers!

Lear's main flaw, which is the cause of the main plot, is his VANITY. His vanity is not just that he has come to believe his 'Yes men', but that he believes his personal authority and charisma will out live the practical sources of his power. He thus renders himself powerless and experiences the entirely logical consequences of this. To me the main theme of the play is the "Vanity of power", and that those who wield power should not believe their own propaganda or disaster can result. In this case civil war and invasion. Look not to Greek tragedy to understand Lear but to Machiavelli.

I have an English exam tomorrow so this is brilliant, thanks so much!!! I love the way everything is phrased.

Thanks for explaining this convoluted plot line. Romeo Juliet is much better because its pretty straightforward. Some of Shakespeares plays are more like 4 season TV shows

NOT AT ALL RANDOM! ENTIRELY LOGICAL - actions have consequences.

This is a play of true coincidence. Not how we use the word(random event with no discernable reason) but in that it is a series of events unfolding as a result of what came before. Leer brought his fate on himself with his arrogance and hubris. He gave his daughters everything in hopes not of making them better, but in the hopes they'd love him more. This turns them selfish and greedy, so much so that they shun their father (albeit for some legitimate reasons) and plot against each other. The old, blind man who's name escapes me loses his eyes after being too blind in sight to see the treachery right in front of his face. Cordelia's death is the most unjust seeming if you look through the eyes of point A to B karma, but even the Bible tells stories of seemingly unjust events being just in the grand scale. Leer himself killed her in his vanity, and her character echos the sacrifice of Christ who died for his love and passion. in a way, had she survived Leer may have lived a bit longer, but probably wouldn't have taken the lesson so seriously. Cordelia would have also had to live with the memory of tragedy much longer than her father would have which would leave deeps scars on one as kind and noble as she was. The fools death was likewise seemingly meaningless, but if taken from the perspective of narrative, it probably represents the fact Leer no longer needed his external voice of reason after he found peace. In the end, it's up to us to form our own meaning from tragedy because "The Gods'" plans encompass more than we could ever know.

Love your legends of history channel didn't know you had another one made my day 💖💖

A fair description of the synopsis, however, the given character analysis of Lear is here much oversimplified.

Nice production, but this is an utterly terrible take on King Lear. Hubris? That’s what you got out of this?

Shakespeare's "not that good at writing"?? Then you want money? lol.

Very helpful for my exam revision, thanks.

Have a final exam on king Lear and have been looking for something to listen to while I do regular tasks so I can revise while doing other things. This helped so much xx

42:40 The world was and IS a terrible place. Worse things happen in Africa everyday but are not heard about.

The Japanese movie Ran (Turmoil) is based on Shakespeare's King Lear.

Such an underrated channel wow cant believe I found a gem by accident

Written by Shakespeare the year 605!!!!

I truly enjoyed this

Thank you. Thanks alot.

This isn't very analytical at all and aa for themes, hello.... what about parenting? What about flouting the will of God by abdicating?

You sound so much like Thomas Brodie Sangster

The new DLC campaign for AOEII: King Lear

I believe you should also listen to Ian Mc Kellen’s view on Lear the persona and transition. Great video tough.

So I have never read or seen this play, but just realized I have to give a class on it tomorrow, so thank you for saving my ass haha On your last point: I always think of nihilism as the launchpad for existentialism in the sorta Camus sense, and I think through that lense the Game Of Thrones levels of meaningless death make more sense. Life and death really are meaningless and arbitrary, so all you can do is create meaning for your own sake while you can, as Lear's ark from Trump to loving father shows.

Thank you legend of history for video

Just read, and more importantly, watch, and most importantly, act King Lear. Don’t replace the art for an analysis and executive summary.

🙈 Think I've just had a fan girl moment 😂 generally I just listen to videos. I immediately reconize "this voice" its as recognisable as sir David Attenborough's and just as melodically soothing while it educates me.. Lol I realised indeed it is you, and I'm so glad I found this chanel too! 🤷‍♀️ Why I've never checked b4 now idk!

Can you do analysis for Romeo and Juliet

It's really just the equivalent of an old timey soap opera. A lot of soapy drama but little more to say beyond that. And arguably it even isnt successful at that. I imagine at least 90% of the viewers are just watching for schoolwork and rather than have any real appreciation for the story are looking for a shortcut to avoid having to read/watch it.

Check out Gerald Cantor re the opening. You've got it wrong.

Man its been a while

Was King Lear based upon a tale of an ancient Irish High King. Before written histories?

thank u so much for this

Shak was truly a genius

Your channel is a gift. Thank you for your amazing job:)

51:39 best part 😂 come at me.

Dead bodies sells tickets.

please make a video for twelfth night as well :))

Brilliant ❤

I'm a 74 year old Shakespeare lover. So, tell me.... if you're presenting a detailed. educated analysis of Lear, why would you include foul language in your presentation? Are you aiming at a younger audiance or is it an example of the 'dumbing-down' of society that inevitably leads to the eschewng of literary geniouses like Shakespeare, Dickens and the like because it calls for the use of a brain?

Good job

There is no way William Shakspar wrote this play or any of the others attributed to him. The belief that he did is nothing more than an absurd fantasy that is maintained today because there are so many financial interests that benefit from it.

For some reason youtube decided to bury your channel. I have to check manually to see new uploads. Eh a sacrifice im willing to make for good content.