Elements Of Tragedy In Shakespeare's King Lear

Shakespeare is the greatest writer in all of written English; he is known most for his death-ridden tragedies. Shakespeare has written also, a substantial number of comedies, which have humor, but not the kind that would be found in modern-day comedies. Shakespeare had a fascination with death and love, both of which are common themes in his plays. In Shakespeare’s comedy about mistaken identity and twisted love, Much Ado About Nothing, Shakespeare has his villain make this comment about love, “Speak low if you speak love.” (Don Pedro, Act 2 Scene 1) Even though this was pulled from a comedy this line is very tragic, because it comes from the play’s villain. Shakespeare often likes to play this game of “Guess the Genre.” Pulling elements from

One notable element of tragedy is the character the tragic hero and everything that comes with a tragic hero. Lear’s being a tragic hero has terrible effects on his life, “Lear 's death was his own fault. This reason came about because of King Lear 's tragic flaw, his pride. Pride is also his reason of how he is a tragic hero.” (Jacobson) Pride is really important in this play. Lots of key moments happen because of it. After losing his good daughter to his pride, he loses his kingdom to his evil daughters. Lear of course does not see them as good or evil, that is just how they are referenced for ease of understanding. Lear is a very prideful individual and thus refers to himself in grandiose, and often unnecessary ways, as seen in Act 1 Scene 1, “Come not between the dragon and his wrath.” Lear has called himself a dragon, a great and mighty beast of much power. Which is funny because in this scene he is relinquishing his power to his daughters. From Patrick Galloway’s analysis of pride and King Lear, “It is the King 's egotistical demand for total love … that set the stage for his downfall…” (Galloway) Lear, much like the rest of us just wants to be loved, but he wants it on his own terms. He cannot look past his own inability to see what love really is. Lear’s tragic

Shakespeare’s comedies and tragedies are very similar, right up until the point where someone gets stabbed. Both of these texts are very confusing, and in both texts people are deceived and tricked by a person in disguise. In Much Ado it is with Beatrice and Benedick while in King Lear Edgar dresses up as Poor Tom to protect his maddening father. A noticeable in interesting difference is the setting of the play. Much Ado is set in Italy, where Shakespeare often sets many of his comedies; King Lear is set in archaic Britain, which is odd for Willy. He often liked to set his plays outside of England, so his setting King Lear in England, be it a very old version of England, would make his commentary all the more noticeable to the intellectual crowd. A major difference between Willy’s comedies and tragedies is what happens to the villain in the end. Often in his comedies the villains would disappear into unimportance, while in his tragedies his villains either die, kill themselves, or come to horrible, horrible