Shakespeare's King Lear is a study of brutality, not only of human beings, but also of the natural world. Evaluate this view of King Lear.

In King Lear, Shakespeare uses many literary techniques such as metaphor to paint a picture of his characters' behaviours. These techniques often use nature such as dangerous animals or extreme weather to show the brutality of a characters actions. For example, in Act 2, Scene 4, King Lear exclaims his daughter "struck me with her tongue, / Most serpent-like, upon the very heart.' This draws similarity between the pain of a serpent's bite and the brutality of his daughter's words to him.
In Act 3, Scene 4, Shakespeare draws comparison between how Lear treats his subjects and how a horrific storm treats his subjects. Lear cries 'Poor naked wretches, wheresoe’er you are, / That bide the pelting of this pitiless storm.' This suggests regret at the brutality he treats his subjects with, that the storm is a visual representation reflecting his past actions.

NH

Related English GCSE answers

All answers ▸

Why is space important in Chopin's 'Story of an Hour'?


(Language paper) - ' How has the writer structured the text to convey his/her message to its readers'?


How many quotes do I need to learn from (relevant book title)?


When faced with a poem to analyse what are first few things would should look out for.