King Lear Act 1 Questions

Act 1, scene 1
1. What information do we learn from the opening meeting between Kent, Gloucester, and
Edmund?
This scene serves to bring the audience up to speed about conflicts in the play. The audience learns
King Lear is planning to divide his kingdom and Gloucester's son Edmund is an illegitimate child.

2. Why does King Lear’s plan to divide his kingdom appear sensible? Why does it seem foolish?
The King believes he should divide his kingdom up because he is getting old and wants to retire. He
wants to pass his authority down to his daughters, the younger, vivacious generation. His daughters are
more capable. He splits it into three, one piece for each daughter, so they will not have to fight each
other for land and authority. It is also reasonable because he is giving his kingdom to his family. His
decision seems fair. King Lear abdicates his power to his daughters but still expects to be treated as a
king. He wants to remain a figurehead of the kingdom but he is now equal to any commoner. Dividing
his kingdom also makes it weaker as a whole. With no clear leadership, it will fall apart in military and
politics. How he is deciding who will get their share is foolish because he is not looking at actions, he is
looking at who can flatter him the most.

3. What does Lear’s plan to grant his “largest bounty” to the daughter who loves him most say about
his character?
Lear is egotistical, vain and foolish. His actual ego is also very fragile. He feels insecure and needs to be
told how great he is. He believes appearances ARE reality and what you see is what you get. His
daughters easily manipulate him. He creates rivalry. He also weighs words more than actions , and he is
immature in the way he acts to Cordelia.

4. Explain Cordelia’s reaction to her father’s request. Is her response reasonable?

She is the only daughter being honest. She says she cannot put into words how much she
loves her father as she has a big heart but not a way with words. She is also upfront with
her father about being a loyal wife and loving her husband just as much, if not more,
than her father. She lacks tact so her response comes off as sounding ungrateful. Her
response is reasonable as she is showing honesty, loyalty and devotion to the one who
she will marry.

5. What do we discover about Kent from his quarrel with Lear?

Like Cordelia, Kent is honest with the king, providing a voice of reason. He is one of the
few characters not looking to manipulate the King. He is loyal, devoted, and pure with
good intentions. He puts the King first while risking his position. He also defends
Cordelia. He has the moral conscience to speak out.

6. What are Burgundy and France’s reactions to Lear’s proclamation? What do their reactions tell us
about each of their characters?
Burgundy's decision to leave Cordelia because her dowry is taken away reveals men of the English past
only valued a woman's worth based on her dowry. He was greedy and a gold digger, and only wanted
to marry her for her wealth and inheritance. France values Cordelia as a person and claims "she is
herself a dowry." He understands the concept of appearance vs. reality and sees Cordelia's positive
characteristics. He has morals and virtues, and is looking for a wife not a sack of money.

7. What do we learn about Goneril and Regan in this opening scene?

They are devious and will do anything to hold on to power. They are both dishonest and have no
conscience, only appetite. They are treacherous and cunning and prove it by the way they tell Cordelia
good-bye and the way they speak about their father getting rid of their father. They are not sympathetic,
they didn’t comfort Cordelia.

Act 1, scene 2
1. What impression about Edmund does his soliloquy create?
Edmund appears to be a villain without a conscience, selfishly driven to secure his own needs. Edmund
starts off by declaring his services are bound to his goddess, nature. He feels like his illegitimacy defines
him but he is self-centered and wants all of his father's inheritance and legacy.

2. How is Gloucester’s betrayal by Edmund similar to Lear’s treatment by his daughters? How is it
different?
Yes, both are trying to manipulate their fathers for their own benefit. Due to Gloucester’s betrayal by
Edmund, he is quick to blame and views Edgar as a monster who dared to betray his father, someone
he should love above all else. This is parallel to King Lear who mistakenly accused the wrong daughter
of being evil, as Edgar is innocent and loyal to his father.

3. What philosophy does Gloucester express after reading the forged letter?
He expresses astrology. Gloucester asserts that the sun and moon play a role in
current events. Gloucester absolves himself of any responsibility for his actions by
giving power to the stars. Relying on astrological signs makes it easier to accept that
Edgar might betray his father. He believes in the Great Chain of Being. Bad energy
causes natural disasters.

4. What does Edmund think of Gloucester’s philosophy?

Edmund thinks his father is a fool and knows he can manipulate him by framing
Edgar as the bad guy. Gloucester is too trusting and barely questions Edmund's
claims. Edmund makes himself out to be the good guy and gives Edgar the benefit
of doubt, even though Edgar is completely innocent and oblivious to the situation.
He is making fun of people who believe in this so much that it governs their lives.
5. What do we learn about Edgar’s character in this scene?
Edgar is gullible like his dad. Edmund also easily fools Edgar, but not because of any misguided reliance
upon astrological signs. Edgar's innate honesty and dignity make accepting Edmund's duplicity easy and
prevents any questioning of Edmund's lies. Edgar cannot imagine that his brother would lie to him since
Edgar would not lie to his brother. Edmund easily convinces Edgar that he should arm himself against their
father, a man whom Edgar loves.

Act 1, scene 3
1. Describe Goneril’s complaints.
She wanted to Lear to reduce his entourage because she believes that they are causing trouble. She is
limiting her father and telling him what to do. She doesn’t want her father to have power.

2. Do her complaints seem justified?

Maybe, maybe not, because she is creating a narrative

Act 1, scene 4
1. How does Kent manage to work himself back into Lear’s company?
Kent, earlier banished by Lear, reappears in disguise as Caius. Lear enters and begins asking Kent
questions about his identity and his intent. Kent's responses are vague, but he asserts his loyalty and
willingness to serve the king. Kent's obvious admiration impresses Lear. He becomes completely immersed
in his role.

2. What was the fool’s role historically?

The fool is a part of the King’s entourage. The fool’s role historically was a comic entertainer whose
madness or imbecility, real or pretended, made him a source of amusement and entertainment at the
court. They can criticize the king without getting in trouble because they are there to entertain.

3. How does the fool talk to Lear? Provide a specific example.

He is being informal and rude to Lear. He is telling off and criticizing the King in a joking manner. The fool
is trying to tell the King the truth. He keeps on reminding the King consistently of his mistakes and his
wrongs. For example, he keeps on reminding the King he was foolish when he banishes Cordeila who was
truthful, and gives the kingdom to his two daughters who do not care about him.
The fool says that Lear has no sense and maybe he has not come to his senses yet.
He said hh would exchange his two fool caps for the two daughters that took over the kingdom
The fool is Lear’s conscience.

4. What reasons does Goneril give for wanting Lear to reduce his “train”? What is Lear’s reaction to her
request?
Goneril, of course, says that the reason she demands this reduction is that the knights have been loud and
destructive in her castle. Goneril said they were foolish and should not be given the responsibility that
they are given when there are so many of them outnumbering her people. She says that they are not
respectable. Lear becomes angry and decides to go to his other daughter. Goneril doesn’t really care what
the king has to say.

5. Comment on Goneril’s relationship with her husband.

Their relationship seems to be unhappy and tense. Albany is Goneril's opposite, gentle and kind as
compared with his wife's cruel and self-serving demeanor. Albany thinks that Goneril should treat her
father better and she doesn’t like that.

Act 1, scene 5
1. What does Lear’s trusting of Kent as courier tell us about him?
The fact that Lear willingly gives Kent the letters. This shows that Lear is way too trusting.

2. Does Lear show any signs of stress in this scene? Explain.

- King Lear wants to retire

- Bastard refers to an illegitimate child
- The largest gift is the land/kingdom
- Cordelia is speaking the truth, she said that I Can't say something that i don’t necessarily
- The older sisters were able to swindle their father
- Cordelia is disowned and banished from the kingdom. She has no status and title
- Truth is stranger than fiction
- Kent has 5 days to leave or else he will be executed
- King Lear is egotistical
- Cordelia is genuine and blunt
- Kent is hotheaded; brave enough to challenge to the king
- Kent is also loyal and devoted
- Burgundy is a gold digger
- King of France chose Cordelia because he sees the virtues of Cordelia
- King Lear is a play about virtue(loyalty and devotion) as well bad decision making
- The great chain of being, if someone at the top of the chain makes a bad decision it will affect
everyone under
- Virtue is something that is considered morally good, good quality
- Cordelia’s virtue’s, honesty, respectful because of the way she behaves towards her family after
they banished her, devotion, loyalty
- 4D chess
- The two sisters have to work together to go against France
- Strike while the iron is hot (There is an opportunity so we have to take advantage of it)
- Kingdom is split
 - Edmund is saying I am not governed by superstitions, I am only governed by natural law
- I will show you what a real bastard is like and you all will be the recipients of it
- It shows he is ambitious and he is not satisfied
- He is being denied
- He is bitter since he is an illegitimate child and he won’t receive any inheritance
- Divide and conquer
- King Lear and Gloucester are both foolish because they don’t know their kids well
- He is making fun of his father for believing in astrology and superstitions
- Edmund is devious because he incriminates Edgar by telling him to get a weapon
- The fool is Lear’s shadow
- Shadow is a part of your personality that tears you down
- Immersion
- Even though Kent was banished, he came back because he was loyal to Lear
- Kent knows more about Lear than, Lear himself
- Lear was impressed by Kent because of his flattery, Lear values honesty, hardworking and loyalty
- It is ironic because when Cordelia was honest and blunt, Lear didn’t like it
- The workers have little respect of Lear
- Lear says that he is not in control, but nature is; very crazy for him to say
- Parallel; Lear gives Kent a letter and Edmubf gave his father a forged letter
- Lear admits that he did Cordelia wrong
The Great Chain of being
- people believed that authority was derived from God in a great chain of being