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Transcript

Progressing into the play, Lear begins his journey into senility and madness, contrasting with his structured and controlled self at the beginning of the play. The way Lear spoke reflected his incoherent state of mind and his mental descent. It's when Lear completely hit rock bottom and lost everything, that he truly begins to acknowledge his weaknesses. Though in his insanity, King Lear experiences moments of lucidity, and begins to feel empathy, and acknowledges the true meaning of life.

Lear comes to the realization that clothes simply mask the true hideousness of people, and that we as humans are nothing but poor bare forked animals. (3.4.105. pg 167)

Afterwards, Lear proceeds to strip his clothing, this marking his realization of superficiality, and royal behaviour. He sheds the life that he ice belong to; the man he once was, gaining wisdom and foresight.

IN CONCLUSION

Therefore, the symbol of nothing demonstrates great importance throughout the play. Many characters fear the idea of having no power and or wealth and must lose everything to truly value what they had. When Lear loses everything including his mind, he never once gives up, thus showing his true determination. Gloucester on the other hand gives up completely deciding he now has nothing left to live for. This displays the true negativity and weakness of his character. Edmund and Kent on the other hand embrace their insignificance and never give up on those close to them. thus displaying their true stewardess and loyalty.

The Dictionary Defines Nothing as:

Pronoun:

Not anything; no single thing: "I said nothing".

Adjective:

Having no prospect of progress; of no value: "he had a series of nothing jobs".

Adverb:

Not at all: "she cares nothing for others".

Synonyms:

pronoun. none - anything

adverb. not at all - none - never - not a bit - not in the least

What Does "Nothing"

Mean to You?

Act One, Scene Two, Lines 30-40

Glouster asks what Edmund is holding and replies “nothing.”

This quote is significant as Edmund has just developed a scheme to eliminate his brother from the family fortune by crafting a fake letter indicating his brothers plan to murder their father. This quote is significant to the theme as the letter is literally nothing as it is untrue and made up. However Gloucester believes the false content in the letter and abandons his one and only loyal son. Edmund says the term nothing in a quick and suspicious tone as to hide the letter, thus indicating it actually is something. This quote is also significant as it indicates the lengths Edmund will go to not be considered unsignificant or a "bastard." Therefore Edmund fears the idea of becoming unimportant and destitute and displays his true greedy, cruel and manipulative character.

Act One, Scene Two

In King Lear,

"nothing" to us meant...

How we arrived at our thesis-

- took notes throughout the play and wrote down significant quotations

-discussed what the word nothing meant to us ( becoming nothing, not living up to expectations, having nothing in terms of value, etc)

-discussed how nothing affected certain characters ( Cordelia, Edmund, Edgar, Lear, Gloucester, Kent)

-determined the outcome nothing had on those characters

-developed a main idea about how nothing affects these characters and used the outcome to determine the significance

THESIS

In Shakespeare’s play 'King Lear' the symbol nothing represents the fear characters have of becoming insignificant and destitute.

Lear and Gloucester must lose everything, through trials and tribulations in order to see the true value of loyalty through the words and actions of those close to them.

The fact that Kent and Edgar stay true to others and themselves despite their reversal of importance shows that when characters are faced with losing everything, it is how they respond to this threat that displays their true character; this teaches the audience the importance of valuing one's actions over one's words.

Act 4, Scene 1, line 1-8

Edgar: “Yet better thus, and known to be contemned, than still contemned and flattered. To be worst, the lowest and most dejected thing of fortune, stands still in Esperance, lives not in fear. The lamentable change is from the best; the worst returns to laughter. Welcome then, thou unsubstantial air that I embrace! The wretch that thou hast blown unto the worst owes nothing to thy blasts.”

Edgar maintains balance with nothing: he embraces the ideal of becoming nothing but having (metaphorically) everything; while maintaining the ingrained thought that he must protect, defend, and stay true to his father. Many people in our society live off nothing, have little worldly possessions, and still live fulfilling lives.

Act 1, scene 1, line 89-95

Cordelia -“Nothing, my lord.”

Lear- “Nothing?”

Cordelia- “Nothing.”

Lear-“Nothing will come of nothing. Speak again.”

Act One, Scene One

NOTHING

This quote is significant in terms of the theme nothing as Edgar is saying that when things are at their absolute worst they can only take a turn for things of the better. Thus he has nothing to fear as he has nothing to lose. This truly displays Edgars optimism despite his reversal of importance. This quotation is also significant as it foreshadows what is to come, hinting that when characters are at the bottom of the wheel the only direction left to move is towards the top. In this play we witness this aspect a lot as many characters must face a reversal of power and status to not only appreciate what they had but to discover who they truly are and learn from their mistakes.

This quotation is significant in terms of the symbol “nothing” in the play King Lear, as Lear threatens Cordelia by saying if she has nothing to say she will receive nothing in return. Cordelia simply intends to speak the truth and despite the threat of receiving nothing in terms of power and land, she refuses to flatter Lear as she feels her actions speak louder than her words. The irony in this quotation is that the words of Regan and Goneril are meaningless as they simply are telling Lear what he wants to hear however he is oblivious to this fact. Thus, if Lear could see the true empty statements from his daughters and focus more on the actions of love displayed rather than the words he would have avoided major conflict.

Act Two, Scene Three

“Poor turlygod! Poor tom! Thats something yet! Edgar i nothing am.”

This quote is significant in terms of the theme nothing as Edgar comes to the realization that he can no longer be who he once was, meaning he now has no money or status. However he embraces his new insignificance and decides to disguise himself as Poor Tom to keep a watchful eye on his father. This demonstrates Edgar's true loyalty and pure heart and shows that he values family and the well-being of humanity over money or power. Edgar is willing to risk his life all for the greater good of his father and the kingdom. Thus he is a true stewardess.

Act One, Scene Four: lines 187-189

“Now thou art an O without a figure. I am better than thou art now: I am a fool, thou art nothing.”

This quote is significant in terms of the theme nothing as the fool is telling Lear that he literally is someone with no significance in value or status. He is saying that he is a fool and yet he still better than him. This truly portrays the mistake Lear made by falling for the empty words of Goneril and Regan as his consequence or karma is that he now in return becomes nothing. He has no power and no land. Thus the wheel is turning and Lear is slowly approaching the bottom of nothingness.

Act One, Scene Four

Act 1, Scene 4, line 112-130

“Mark it, nuncle.

Have more than thou showest,

speak less than thou knowest,

lend less than thou owest,

ride more than thou goest,

learn more than thou trowest,

set less than thou throwest,

leave they drink and thy whore,

and keep in-a-door,

and thou shalt have more than two tens to a score.”

Lear- “why boy,nothing can be made out of nothing.”

This quote is significant to the theme of nothing in the play as the fool is pointing out all of Lear's mistakes in the play and yet Lear has no idea what he is saying and simply tells him that it means nothing to him. However if Lear could see the truth of his words for what it really was he would realize his mistakes and be able to fix them and avoid further conflict. This is the same situation with Cordelia for if he was able to see the true meaning of “nothing” he would have spared himself many mistakes. This quotation is also important in terms of the theme as the fool is someone who has always been seen as unimportant and yet he still goes out of his way to help lear realize his mistakes and never abandons Lear when he himself becomes no more significant than the fool. This displays that the fool is not only intelligent but loyal.

Shortly after banishing Cordelia, Goneril begins to undermine Lear's kingship. Lear continues his demands and holds his desires to remain king, presuming that is remaining daughters will wholeheartedly take care of him in his old age. He comes to the realization that this is untrue when his family bonds are broken, as well as his emotional and psychological well-being. Denied by Goneril and Regan, Lear calls them "wicked creatures" and "unnatural hags" in his hostile rampage, thus losing his title as king, and cannot accept the poor judgements he's made. As Lear questions his being, The Fool quips with, "Lear's shadow." (4.4.227. pg 63)

Lear fail to understand at this time the he has never truly has any substance to his character, and that he was rather superficial.

In The Beginning...

The first impression of King Lear is that he's an esteemed, powerful man (as he declares his daughters to flatter him to earn the divided parts of the kingdom). His two eldest daughters flatter him with hypocritical professions of love, and his last, most favored daughter says "nothing", and is subsequently disowned. This action shows Lear's poor sense of character judgement, and that he favours appearances rather than the true reality of love.

At the beginning of the Shakespearean tragedy, King Lear, we find King Lear's ignorance unbearable, but soon, said ignorance grows into knowledge as he becomes aware of his actions.

LEAR

Near the end of the play, under the care of Cordelia, Lear has significantly changes from a self-absorbed king (lacking in self awareness and empathy) into a man who values nothing more hat the love he shred with Cordelia. This is also the time (in his new state of mind) that King Lear becomes aware of the wrong he's done.

It's funny that King Lear, a man who suffered so much, gained the ability to love, an wisdom in return.The journey that he took shaped him into the man he became by the end if the play.

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