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Introduction
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About the lecture
In this module, we provide a broad introduction to the play, focusing in particular on: (i) the basic plot of the Leir/Lear myth, which dates back to at least the 12th century; (ii) the historical context to the play (early 17th-century England); (iii) the position of ‘King Lear’ in Shakespeare’s career; (iv) the importance of family (especially the relationship between a father and his children), as well as the themes of nature and old age; and (v) Shakespeare’s experimentalism, and the ways in which ‘King Lear’ might have confounded audience expectations.
About the lecturer
John McRae is Special Professor of Language in Literature Studies and Teaching Associate in the School of English at Nottingham University, and holds Visiting Professorships in China, Malaysia, Spain and the USA. He is co-author of The Routledge History of Literature in English with Ron Carter, and also wrote The Language of Poetry, Literature with a Small 'l' and the first critical edition of Teleny by Oscar Wilde and others.
Cite this Lecture
APA style
McRae, J. (2019, February 26). Shakespeare: King Lear - Introduction [Video]. MASSOLIT. https://massolit.io/options/shakespeare-king-lear-58735df7-e6f3-429d-b60e-3e1756d5e09f?auth=0&lesson=2433&option=7812&type=lesson
MLA style
McRae, J. "Shakespeare: King Lear – Introduction." MASSOLIT, uploaded by MASSOLIT, 26 Feb 2019, https://massolit.io/options/shakespeare-king-lear-58735df7-e6f3-429d-b60e-3e1756d5e09f?auth=0&lesson=2433&option=7812&type=lesson