by : Luvila Al Fitra
Abstract
In this writing, the writer would like to analyze the characterization of the tragic hero, King Lear from the play King Lear by William Shakespeare. The purpose of this writing is to understand what makes King Lear as the tragic hero through his characterization. This play talked a lot about loyalty and betrayal, so does about love and hate. It would use the theory of close viewing and Aristotle's tragic hero in order to analyze the play. This analysis is made in the hope for the readers to get more awareness about themselves.
1. Introduction
Drama is one of the genres of literature, the definition of drama itself is any kind of fictional performance, usually a play, but also including short skits, vaudeville shows, musicals, etc. Anything with actors counted as drama, even when it is a comedy. Like others genre in literature, drama also has intrinsic and extrinsic elements and it this paper the writer will talk about one of the intrinsic element which is characterization to determine the character of the tragic hero, King Lear.
2. Purpose of the Study
The purpose of this study are:
1. To understand the characterization of King Lear
2. To understand why King Lear is the tragic hero
3. To appreciate a work of literature
3. Scope of Study
The scope of this study is the analysis of the tragic hero King Lear in a play by William Shakespeare entitled King Lear.
4. Biography of William Shakespeare
William Shakespeare (baptized on April 26, 1654 to April 23, 1616) was an English playwright, actor, and poet also known as the "Bard of Avon" and often called England's national poet. Born in Stratford-upon-Avon, England, he was an important member of the Lord Chamberlain's Men company of theatrical players from roughly 1594 onward. He wrote 37 plays in total. William Shakespeare died on April 23, 1616.
5. Summary of The Play
King Lear, the King of Britain decided to retire and split his kingdom to three and each part will be given to his daughters, Goneril, Regan and Cordelia. Before that, he wanted each of his daughters proved their love to him. He was amazed by both Goneril and Regan sweet talk and disown Cordelia because he thought that she did not love him enough. Cordelia then married the King of France and moved with him. Later on, Goneril and Regan both treated him badly and with the ongoing war, it was Cordelia who saved him in the end but ended up losing her life. Lear died too in the end because he could not handle his grieve over Cordelia's death.
6. Discussion
King Lear appears as a character who was too naive. He believed what he wanted to hear and often did not considered that reality is not as splendid as he imagined. Throughout the play he also acts recklessly and made those who cared for him worried, like when he ran to an open field when it was raining. There are some of his characterization that made him being viewed as the tragic hero, a hero who met an unfortunate event because of their fatal flaw. Based on the steps of Aristotle's tragic hero, here is King Lear.
1. Pre-eminence
This is the background of the tragic hero themselves. They usually maintained a high social status which in this case is that Lear is the King of Britain.
2. Tragic Flaw
Tragic flaw or fatal flaw is the personal traits of the characters that bring them down to their fall. King Lear was naive, having a hard times accepting reality, arrogant and too easy to believe in what he wanted to believe. He believed Regan and Goneril's lie when their promises flutter him and out of his arrogance, he banished Cordelia who cannot express her love for him in words although she is the only daughter who truly cared about him. When he finally realized that Goneril and Regan has mistreated him and betrayed him, he ran to the wild to escape his sadness and told his fool to entertain him. It was these flaw that brought him to his own fall.
3. Downfall (Hamartia)
It is when Cordelia left for France after he banished him and he realized that Goneril and Regan did not love him in the way they said they are. The momentum of this was when Goneril and Regan kicked him out of the castle that eventually leads to the unfortunate event that occured to him following his downfall.
4. Gaining of insight (Agnorisis)
This happened when King Lear realized that Goneril and Regan have mistreated and betrayed him in which he later met with his daughter, Cordelia again and realized that she was the one who truly loved him. Despite about to attack England with his husband's army, Cordelia still saved Lear.
5. Rise (Catharsis)
This is when he cherished Cordelia and admitted his mistake for banishing her. In this moment, Lear found his happy place again with Cordelia but somehow that did not last long because they were both captured and Cordelia ended up being hung and dead. It left Lear in a grieving situation when he eventually died because he could not take the sadness anymore.
7. Conclusion
Lear was not necessarily a bad character, he was a protagonist one indeed but because of his tragic flaw, he later brought his own downfall. What he did was out of his love for his daughters but somehow what he got in return was so much worse. Cordelia's death was the end of the string that kept him alive. He did not get much of character development but he did admitted that he was wrong for banishing Cordelia.
Drama is one of the genres of literature, the definition of drama itself is any kind of fictional performance, usually a play, but also including short skits, vaudeville shows, musicals, etc. Anything with actors counted as drama, even when it is a comedy. Like others genre in literature, drama also has intrinsic and extrinsic elements and it this paper the writer will talk about one of the intrinsic element which is characterization to determine the character of the tragic hero, King Lear.
2. Purpose of the Study
The purpose of this study are:
1. To understand the characterization of King Lear
2. To understand why King Lear is the tragic hero
3. To appreciate a work of literature
3. Scope of Study
The scope of this study is the analysis of the tragic hero King Lear in a play by William Shakespeare entitled King Lear.
4. Biography of William Shakespeare
William Shakespeare (baptized on April 26, 1654 to April 23, 1616) was an English playwright, actor, and poet also known as the "Bard of Avon" and often called England's national poet. Born in Stratford-upon-Avon, England, he was an important member of the Lord Chamberlain's Men company of theatrical players from roughly 1594 onward. He wrote 37 plays in total. William Shakespeare died on April 23, 1616.
5. Summary of The Play
King Lear, the King of Britain decided to retire and split his kingdom to three and each part will be given to his daughters, Goneril, Regan and Cordelia. Before that, he wanted each of his daughters proved their love to him. He was amazed by both Goneril and Regan sweet talk and disown Cordelia because he thought that she did not love him enough. Cordelia then married the King of France and moved with him. Later on, Goneril and Regan both treated him badly and with the ongoing war, it was Cordelia who saved him in the end but ended up losing her life. Lear died too in the end because he could not handle his grieve over Cordelia's death.
6. Discussion
King Lear appears as a character who was too naive. He believed what he wanted to hear and often did not considered that reality is not as splendid as he imagined. Throughout the play he also acts recklessly and made those who cared for him worried, like when he ran to an open field when it was raining. There are some of his characterization that made him being viewed as the tragic hero, a hero who met an unfortunate event because of their fatal flaw. Based on the steps of Aristotle's tragic hero, here is King Lear.
1. Pre-eminence
This is the background of the tragic hero themselves. They usually maintained a high social status which in this case is that Lear is the King of Britain.
2. Tragic Flaw
Tragic flaw or fatal flaw is the personal traits of the characters that bring them down to their fall. King Lear was naive, having a hard times accepting reality, arrogant and too easy to believe in what he wanted to believe. He believed Regan and Goneril's lie when their promises flutter him and out of his arrogance, he banished Cordelia who cannot express her love for him in words although she is the only daughter who truly cared about him. When he finally realized that Goneril and Regan has mistreated him and betrayed him, he ran to the wild to escape his sadness and told his fool to entertain him. It was these flaw that brought him to his own fall.
3. Downfall (Hamartia)
It is when Cordelia left for France after he banished him and he realized that Goneril and Regan did not love him in the way they said they are. The momentum of this was when Goneril and Regan kicked him out of the castle that eventually leads to the unfortunate event that occured to him following his downfall.
4. Gaining of insight (Agnorisis)
This happened when King Lear realized that Goneril and Regan have mistreated and betrayed him in which he later met with his daughter, Cordelia again and realized that she was the one who truly loved him. Despite about to attack England with his husband's army, Cordelia still saved Lear.
5. Rise (Catharsis)
This is when he cherished Cordelia and admitted his mistake for banishing her. In this moment, Lear found his happy place again with Cordelia but somehow that did not last long because they were both captured and Cordelia ended up being hung and dead. It left Lear in a grieving situation when he eventually died because he could not take the sadness anymore.
7. Conclusion
Lear was not necessarily a bad character, he was a protagonist one indeed but because of his tragic flaw, he later brought his own downfall. What he did was out of his love for his daughters but somehow what he got in return was so much worse. Cordelia's death was the end of the string that kept him alive. He did not get much of character development but he did admitted that he was wrong for banishing Cordelia.
BIBLIOGRAPHY
King Lear Drama Script http://shakespeare.mit.edu/lear/full.html (May 27th 2018)
https://literarydevices.net/characterization/ (May 27th 2018)
https://literaryterms.net/drama/ (May 27th 2018)
https://www.biography.com/people/william-shakespeare-9480323 (May 27th 2018)
http://www.sparknotes.com/shakespeare/lear/character/king-lear/ (May 27th 2018)
Aristotle's Tragic Hero Theory (May 27th 2018)
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