4. Which character says, "O don't waste your hypocrisy on me. You tried to kill yours once. My spies told me and they don't lie. They're the only moral institution in this country"?

5. Who says, "To fight like us you must hate. We can't trust a man unless he hates"?

Short Essay Questions

1. Who appears to Lear in prison? How was this character known to Lear before this point?

2. In Act 2, what character changes has Cordelia undergone since Act 1?

3. What do Thomas and Ben reveal to Lear that they plan to do in Act 3, Scene 2? Why?

4. Why has Lear been spared in the prison? How does he escape?

5. What does Warrington advise the king regarding the war with Bodice and Fontanelle? What is Lear's reply?

6. Why does the Ghost stay with Lear at the end of Act 2, Scene 2?

7. Describe the character of Lear as we first encounter him in the play. How old is he? What is his demeanor?

8. Describe Lear's reaction to the mirror in the court scene.

9. Compare and contrast the characters of Bodice and Fontanelle. Whom are they related to? How are they similar? How are they different?

10. What does the Councillor tell Lear and the others is the fate of the Small Man? How does Lear react?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

What is the significance of Lear's being blinded? How does this relate to actions in Shakespeare's Lear? What is the symbolism that this act illustrates?

Essay Topic 2

Discuss the production history of Bond's Lear. How has it been received by the public? What characteristics of the play make it controversial? Why?

Essay Topic 3

What is the climax of Lear? How does this climax reflect both the actions in the play and the thematic climax? What has been sacrificed?

(see the answer keys)

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