English 366B, Section S02
: Shakespeare's Histories and Tragedies >
King Lear
: The judgement of the Heavens?
King Lear: The judgement of the Heavens?
Gloucester's quiet death: joy and grief; "ripeness is all" (5.2.11).
"We two alone will sing like birds i' the cage" (5.2.9)
Shakespeare radically changes his sources in the ending -- Edmund's orders (5.2.26ff).
The deaths of the sisters: black comedy? (5.3.76ff)
The duel and Edmund's repentance (?) (5.3.247-8).
Edgar (5.3.173-6) and Albany (5.3.235) find justice in the deaths of Gloucester and the sisters.
Lear brings in Cordelia: justice? (5.3.265)
"Look there, Look there" (5.3.313): what does he see at the end?
The ending: Albany (Quarto) or Edgar (Folio).
This page last updated on 8 january 2007. © Michael Best, 2007.