Monday 5 January 2015

Use of Letters in King Lear

Letters are used throughout King Lear to spread false information to forward a character's plot against their foe. The act of the characters writing these false letters, usually with a negative intention, shows their true form. These letters helped develop the main plot and create subplots throughout the play.

The first letter sent is written by Edmund, framing his brother, Edgar, as the one with the negative intentions. He tricks his father, Gloucester, into thinking Edgar is plotting against him. Gloucester believes him completely, even stating that he recognises the handwriting to be Edgar's. Edmund's letter produces the chaos that spirals this story into a devastating mess, leaving Gloucester blind, and even leading to Edmund's own death. Edmund's letter informs Gloucester that Edgar is planning to murder him. Edmund's plan behind the letter is to build Gloucester's hatred and feeling of betrayal towards Edgar, thus furthering Edmund's chances of becoming Earl after his father. Because he is the illegitimate son of Gloucester, Edmund is sure that there is no way that Gloucester will allow him to inherit the title as long as Edgar is still loyal to his father. Shakespeare uses dramatic irony, as the audience knows the true intentions of Edmund, while Gloucester believes Edgar is now his enemy. The reader then observes, knowing the truth behind everything, as the family is torn apart because of Edmund's need for power and lack of conscience.

Another letter sent in the play is written to Gloucester, informing him of the French invasion. This letter is a big turning point in the play, as it pushes him to help Lear, revealing he was still loyal to the old king, and willing to fight for him. However, this causes Edmund to act and inform Cornwall that his father is a traitor, wanting to help France. This leads to the blinding of Gloucester, and Edmund finally reaching his goal of becoming Earl of Gloucester. This shows Edmund's relentless disloyalty to his father and desperate need for power.

The last two letters sent were from Goneril to Edmund, asking him to order the death of Albany, which eventually happened, and from Edmund to a guard, ordering the death of Cordealia and Lear. This shows that these letters had the power to end someone's life, the power to sway characters' opinions so easily. This made them a very powerful writing tool for Shakespeare, as he could dramatically swerve the main plot, and create many subplots, simply through deception through writing. At times in the play, it almost seemed as if letters worked better at tricking characters than spoken dialogue; if Edmund had simply spoken to Gloucester about Edgar being a traitor, I'm not convinced things would have gone down the way they did. The letters acted as very important explanations for each situation, showing who was on which side, and who was good or evil.



3 comments:

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  2. Just as in the play King Lear letters are an integral part of Austen's repertoire when it comes to advancing the plot in her novel Pride and Prejudice. Letters introduce the reader to new characters, inform the reader on the happenings to other characters in the play and can work as insights into the mind of characters in the novel, such is the intimacy of some of these letters.
    In King Lear letters progress the plot in ways such as informing Gloucester of the impending French invasion and when we see the order of executions of Albany and Cordelia sent in letter form. Similarly, in Pride and Prejudice letters from Mr Collins introduce him as a character and adds a new element to the plot in the shape of his arrival to Longbourne. Letters from Caroline Bingley also advance the plot as we learn of the departure of Mr Bingley from Neatherfield for the winter. Jane's letters from London to Lizzie are incredibly intimate and allow us to see her pain at the heartbreak attached to her confused relationship with Mr Bingley. Without these letters we would not see this deep an insight into the emotions of Jane.
    The use of these letters is therefore of most importance to the plot lines of both King Lear and Pride and Prejudice. The letters are cleverly worked in to give the reader extra or new information in a different format to normal narration and dialogue.

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  3. Really useful one, compact yet packed with important points.Thank You very much for the effort to make the hard one looks so simple. Further, you can access this site to read Dramatic significance of the subplot in King Lear

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