King Lear - Shakespeare

I read Shakespeare in college. I think Othello was the one. I did not like it at all.

I picked up King Lear this time hoping that I would like it. And I did.

I had read the summary of King Lear in school and thought it a rather simple story.
Having read the original play this time, I cannot say I loved the story itself but I did like the literary splendour in those pages.

I took an unreasonably long time to finish this book which was hardly a hundred pages. I spent much time understanding the various ranks of aristocratic society.
I was struggling with the language initially but started enjoying it after the first few pages.
The more convoluted the sentences became, the more I enjoyed deciphering them.

We all know the story. King Lear had three daughters – Goneril, Regan and Cordelia – in that order. The king’s judgment failed him on a fateful day. He got carried away by the flattery of his two elder daughters with ulterior motives. But he condemned and banished his last daughter who refused to flatter him, but loved him sincerely.

The king realized his folly soon after he divided his wealth between the two elder daughters and their husbands, who treated him with unkindness.

Cordelia, the third daughter, did not inherit anything from her father. The king of France who loved her, married Cordelia and took her with him to France.

The earl of Gloucester, a member of the King’s court, similarly permitted himself to be poisoned by his illegitimate son Edmund who eyed the throne greedily, against his good son Edgar.

In the meanwhile, an illicit affair started between Edmund and Goneril.

All the shrewd characters plot against one another, deserving each other’s shrewdness.
In this story of greed, foolishness, betrayal and wickedness, death triumphs over the protagonists and the antagonists alike.

While the situations are not so improbable, the story itself is very improbable – it is an overkill - the kind of tragedy that exasperates you more and moves you less.

As you all might know, Shakespeare’s one lines and quotes are famous.
Here are a few lines from this book that I found noteworthy.

How sharper than a serpent’s tooth it is to have a thankless child…

Time shall unfold what plaited cunning hides…

The art (alchemy) of our necessities is strange, that can make vile things precious…

The worst is not, so long as we can say “this is the worst”…

As flies to wanton boys are we to the gods; they kill us for their sport…

Wisdom and goodness to the vile seem vile…

Filths savour but themselves…

Thou hast spoken right, ‘t is true; the veil is come full circle; I am here…

I am a gentleman of blood and breeding…

And from the extremist upward of thy head to the descent and dust below thy foot, a most toad-spotted traitor. Say thou “no”, this sword, this arm and my best spirits are bent to prove upon thy heart, where to I speak, thou liest…

You all have heard the word bedlam and used it too. Now, this is how the word originated.

Bedlam – A generic name for mad beggars who often roamed the country side; Bedlam refers to the London insane asylum at the Hospital of St. Mary of Bethlehem.