Context of the play

It shows a king giving up his kingdom - i.e. the Divine Right of Kings = his authority is God given, it is not his right to abdicate = POLITICAL MISTAKE - foolish as the man himself

The king is presented as flawed, not an elevated figure.

A happy ending was a usual outcome.

They embody the wider concerns of the play, have dramatic functions, and are set in a social and political  world with particular values and beliefs. They reflect and express issues of significance to Shakespeare's society and todays.

They were full of people who had been rejected from society (Tom O'bedlams) = Shakespeare argues there should be a re-distribution of wealth. Lear previously disregarded these people but when he encounters Edgar as Tom o'Bedlam, he learns as essence of humanity

It is corrupt - the rich prey on the poor

“which is the justice, which is the thief

“there thou mightst behold the great image of authority: a dog’s obeyed in office”

“Through tattered clothes great vices do appear; Robes and furred gowns hide it all"

This is dangerous for Shakespeare though he gets away with it because it is being said by a mad man - background-colorhe argues wealth makes you immune to justice

An sense of ordered society i.e. you do something bad, you get punished by the Gods - evident in King Lear to an extent. Another way of reading it is that humanity cause this suffering (look at Albany quotes "monsters of the deep" p.313"

As a result of his background-colorhamartia = two different translation - a moral flaw or a mistake. The different translations imply subtly different conceptions of the cause of tragedy.

Tragedy has been reduced to this concept - take men from prosperity to ruin whatever ther moral/ sprirtual merits = test of a man's resolution and acceptance of a divinely ordained universe, whose methods they may not understand but whose force must be accepted. 

Forms of learning were revived = the authority of the church over intellectual life was weakened, leading to a humanist philosophy in which man is the ultimate measure of the world = philosophical uncertainty

Shakespeare is now regarded as the major dramatist to emerge from this intellectual ferment.

England had changed from a Protestant country to a Catholic country = significant turmoil in society and in individuals as it fundamentally changed how people saw themselves in relation to God - is there such a thing as the Divine Right of Kings?

England would go from autocratic monarchical rule to a revolution against the king, leading to his execution and the establishment of a republic (Charles I of England)

The line of succession was becoming less direct between Mary, Elizabeth I and James I = the Divine Right of King propagated by James I was questioned.

Elizabeth was on the throne for the latter part of the 16th century = arose considerable uncertainty on the correct role and status of women. The behaviour of women e.g. their sexual appetites was a source of considerable anxiety for men at this time.

England moved from a feudal society (everyone new their place, hierarchy etc) to a meritocracy = money granted power. 

Nature of King Lear - Edmund is outside the structure of a traditional hierarchy. 

It was a time of great uncertainty.

They focus primarily on the demand for private revenge arising because faith in the public justice system as been eroded. 

They are either presented as an angelic virgin or a whore.

BLINDING

The violence happened offstage in Greek tragedy. 

It is to be expected in a tragedy - the mistakes are all part of the tragedy.