King Lear (1 Viewer)

[Uggy]

hey...

any ideas on the 'values' in king lear rather than the themes. Like instead of blindness... truth. As the truth was found when Lear was blinded by his madness etc.

And anyone got comments on the bondi pavilion performance of king lear. eg. costumes, setting, props, music etc?

 

[ellipsis]

Values ? Sorry, we haven't done much on that in class, lots more on readings etc. Would be interesting to hear ppl's ideas tho.

For the bondi thing, we were talking about it a little in this thread.

I think that the wheel was really cool, but the costumes were kinda average - lots of modern productions of Lear use business suits etc so it wasn't really innovative.
They were still alright (tho Cordelia was wearing something weird at the start, and Gonerill's military shirt was a bit odd too), but they didn't stand out.

 

[Uggy]

was it just my imagination or did oswald become kinda.. ah gay towards then end? (hope i dont sound mean hehe) Like when he was sitting next to kent he seemed very feminine, and then kent rode him like a horse after.

 

[trinity]

yeh that was a bit weird...
as for set: the whole screen thing at the back was cool- blue at the beginning and then as it all goes to chaos and violence it goes red and it was all slashed in the second part... that was well done....

 

[Leap]

was it just my imagination or did oswald become kinda.. ah gay towards then end?

According to my English teacher, traditionally Oswald is always portrayed as really feminine in productions of Lear. I dunno why.

 

[Nose Bleed]

i just think lear is gay (in the mtv generation way)

Lear challenges issues of power and etc and penis obsolete vernacular. Write 18 pages

but seirsouly, we have this question

Has your study of King Lear and its reception led you to believe that the play is essentially conservative or does it challenge issues of power?

does MY STUDY mean just reading the play or is my studies all the diff interpretations?

Is this absolout bullcrap for an intro:

King lear strongly bases itself on a family and hierachys downfall due to a sudden power imbalance. This takes place when King Lear divides his land into three sections which is essentially an unwise thing for a king to do, because dividing lands up is bad for defence and maitenence.

I know intros are supposed to include a little something from every upcoming paragraph but I dont know what to write about.

 

[imsooverskool]

well first of all you need to take ur stance in the intro, do u agree that the play of lear is condervative ie. it doesnt critiscise royalty and power or do u believe that it challenges the ruling class? personally i think that Lear does challenge authourity as it depicts the demise of a ruler and the powerful in society being underhanded and 'evil'. i do think that u should talk about the different readings that you have studied- ie. a communist reading of the play definetly challenges power

 

[PIE]

I really enjoyed King Lear at the Bondi Pavilion. I was really impressed by the versatile circle, the floor and the effects they used to incorporate the responder into the feel of the play. We've been discussing in our class the production and the debate arose whether or not the aircon was turned on and off during differnt scenes to create a sense of warmth or coolness. Some of us got the feeling that the aircon was turned on during scenes such as when Edgar is becoming Tom o' Bedlam and there is a sinister feel to the scene then turned off when this scene is finished. It might have been because we were sitting over an aircon vent but it seemed too much of a coincidence that it happened everytime and our whole row was noticing it. If anybody else noticed this or anything else write back n let me know. By the way this is my first time using this so nice to meet everyone and good luck

 

[Nose Bleed]

so u guys relate it to feminist? or family
and if so how? hehe coz i have no idea

 

[no_proof_needed]

Look at sight vs. insight and the irony of that

Also appearance vs. reality, and the true meaning of legitimate (are Goneril and Regan legitimate? Even though Edmond becomes Earl of Gloucestor, is he legit?)

 

[Uggy]

a feminist perspective would be seen as what they agree or disgree with, although thats very basic.

E.g the feminists would say that lear treated the daughters unfairly as he cursed them, therefore their actions towards him are forgivable.
Gonerill and Regan wouldnt be seen as liars after their fathers money/land, but purely speaking of their love to him how was done at the time. All the flattery crap they went on with was expected, because thats how you spoke to your father then.

 

[Nose Bleed]

nah i mean did u relate the feminist to the bondi production, and how

 

[Uggy]

ahhhh

gonerill used her sexual and positonal power over oswald (as he was her servent) when she pushes him away from her while they are on the circle. and then she also ignores him when she has something better, Edgar (power) and she is seen rocking the circle, symbolic then of lears power... it shows her intentions towards lear

gonerill and regan where seen as major characters in the performance, having power over their husbands...... eg gonerill was much taller than her husband, symbolic of power

 

[losty]

hey PIE i agree... the aircon was turned up and down.... i realised it during the storm.... i know the storm was evident pretty much throughout the entire production but im refering to when it was much more severe and when there was lightening and so on... i thought the lighteneing was cool... i owuld have to say that pretty much all of my frineds jumped when that first struck

but overall i hated the production.... it confused me because our school hasnt read the play as yet we just got it explained to us so it just muddled everything around for me...
props? what props? i thought it was shit how they only yused the wheel which i dont understand why anyway... and i didnt like the choice of people to play the characters... my teacher was saying how the two siosters were supposed to be really bitchy and sleasy but that didnt come accross in the production

i dont know maybe thats because i havent read it yet but yeah i thought it was shit

 

[Nose Bleed]

Originally posted by Uggy
ahhhh

gonerill used her sexual and positonal power over oswald (as he was her servent) when she pushes him away from her while they are on the circle. and then she also ignores him when she has something better, Edgar (power) and she is seen rocking the circle, symbolic then of lears power... it shows her intentions towards lear

gonerill and regan where seen as major characters in the performance, having power over their husbands...... eg gonerill was much taller than her husband, symbolic of power

cool thanks. Did you relate it to anything else?
if doing an essay relating values to the bondi production, should I explain the feminist interpretation a little or is that assumed and i can just go straight to the comparison? Does that make sense? thanks

 

[Uggy]

the lack of a mother would also interest feminists, as there is no balance or maternal care....

the daughters being in a patriarchal family could also be a reason why gonerill and regan act in such a masculine way (ruthlessly going after power/authority, and things like gouging out glousters eyes)

 

[Uggy]

what are some dramatic techniques present in king lear?

also, does anyone know the link to the 'table of devices' thing? i cant get it to come up from the english notes section.