King Lear would be classified as an Aristotelian tragedy if it is to be measured against the Aristotelian criteria for a tragedy. The play possesses most, if not all, the characteristics of a tragedy as defined by Aristotle. Such includes an unhappy ending, characters of superior moral quality, a spectacle which arouses fear and pity, a plot built on a catastrophe, and a hero and heroines undone by a their character flaws. However, should King Lear be restricted such a reading many aspects of the play are neglected. The play can also be read from a Freudian aspect, which would reveal its psychological and philosophical depths. It can too, be read in a feminist perspective to unravel some of its social and cultural values.

Firstly, without any need for argument, King Lear has a tragic ending. The overall progression of the plot is from order to disorder, harmony...