OCR A2 English Literature, F663/01: Drama & Poetry pre-1800, 6 June 2014

Im really trying not to cram in too many and just pick ones wich can be related to Every theme :L

Thank you so much !

Natural order is HUGE In Lear!

One of my main arguments would be the rivalry between Edmund and Edgar (Although Edgar was quite oblivious to it). Edmund elevates himself to a force of nature, unbound by any human law in his first soliloquy. I'd then do some A03 points all surrounding this. Marxist view of Edmund representing a new order and although it's not essentially rivalry, he is trying to dissolve the current feudal or aristocratic order - good quote would be "The younger rise when the old doth fall" and calling the feudal system a "plague of custom," in which he doesn't have to adhere to.

Then another big point of discussion would be Goneril vs Regan and their lust for Edmund, and how inevitably, it brings the whole situation to chaos with both of them dead. The natural order would be that they sought the power of men, but what brought them down was the lust for men. Then all that AO4 shizzle about patriarchy and androcentric society.

Not too sure if that helped!

I knowww, theres too much to write and I'm not great at being selective :/ I just wanted some advice on what points to use as obviously I can't write about everything

Thank you so much! This is really useful have a better idea of what AO4 to include for my points and how to structure it.

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Anyone's teacher have a prediction for possible King Lear Qs? It seems as if they do one question on a character study and another on a broad theme... I'm hoping Edmund/Goneril come up this year, which could contrast with the "good" character of Gloucester last year!

My teacher said the Fool could come up. He said it with a grin on his face in a weird way. I think I know what this means. He also gave a slight nod.

Trust me, revise the fool.


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I somewhat doubt the fool would come up. Your teacher can grin all he wants but for a character that leaves half way through the play and adds little to our understanding of the play (apart from helping Lear understand his flaw) there would not much to write about.

My guess would be one of the women or Edmund /Edgar. I'm hoping for the latter

We did a comparison essay in class tis pity and wife of bath, i got a frickin C!!!! How do i improve arghhhdvbdg


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No worries I feel as if Section A is going to be much easier than Section B, and because 10/30 marks are for A03 I'm just trying to find as much as I can!

Did anyone see the National Theatre production of King Lear live in cinemas today? Saw it and it was really helpful

I went to see it at the National Theatre! Thought it was excellent and now I have loads of A03 points which is great

I certainly think its not impossible to see a Lear/Fool/Kent question- like a question about how the fool and Kent try and make Lear gain insight


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I somewhat doubt the fool would come up. Your teacher can grin all he wants but for a character that leaves half way through the play and adds little to our understanding of the play (apart from helping Lear understand his flaw) there would not much to write about.

My guess would be one of the women or Edmund /Edgar. I'm hoping for the latter

Ahh how on earth did you get tickets? Apparently they sold out in seconds! But yeah same, I found it really interesting and have a lot of points now

Hey fellow OCRs

I'm studying King Lear too for Section A and the topic areas / themes that are suggested by the exam board are:

• Order and chaos
• Parents and children
• Kingship and power
• Tragedy
• Gender
• Humans and nature
• Old age
• Evil

I wanted to ask if anyone has any ideas for quotes about order and chaos? So far all I've got is the contrast between the love test in 1.1 and the storm scene.

Also studying Volpone and William Blake for Section B if anyone wants to discuss those

Thanks!

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Hi I'm doing King Lear too.

Order and Chaos: for these themes I would very much focus on the theme of 'nature' in terms of what was the natural order in the jacobean era. Lear splitting the kingdom was certainly unnatural and not orderly to the natural expectations of a Jacobean society (a contemporary audience would have recognised this) and that his actions form a spark that initiates chaos as the two evil sisters take over.

Equally, you can argue that Cordelia's actions are not orderly to the Christian doctrine. She disobeys her father and she is perhaps a catalyst for Lears madness as with her out the picture Lear is left vulnerable.

Definitely talk about the chaos that Edmund, Goneril and Regan cause. Edmund betrays his father, causes his eyes to get gauged, Edgar being disowned as he manipulates him.

Goneril and Regans un orderly behaviour towards Lear. The animal imagery associated with them arguable suggests that are unorderly as they lock Lear out in the chaotic storm.