1.

Record Nr.

UNINA9910787468003321

Autore

Elton William R. <1921-2000, >

Titolo

King Lear and the gods / / William R. Elton

Pubbl/distr/stampa

Lexington, Kentucky : , : The University Press of Kentucky, , 1988

©1988

ISBN

0-8131-6005-7

0-8131-6130-4

Descrizione fisica

1 online resource (386 p.)

Disciplina

822.3/3

Soggetti

Christianity and literature - England - History - 17th century

Christian drama, English - History and criticism

Religion in literature

Gods in literature

Lingua di pubblicazione

Inglese

Formato

Materiale a stampa

Livello bibliografico

Monografia

Note generali

Includes index.

Nota di bibliografia

Bibliography: p. ix-x.

"King Lear studies, 1967-1987": p. 339-345.

Nota di contenuto

Cover; Title; Copyright; Contents; Acknowledgments; Note on the Text; Part I; I. The Problem; II. Renaissance Concepts of Providence; III. Sidney's Arcadia: Four Attitudes to Providence; IV. From Leir to Lear; Part II; V. Prisca Theologia: Cordelia and Edgar; VI. Pagan Atheism: Goneril and Regan, Edmund; VII. Pagan Superstition: Gloucester; VIII. Deus Absconditus: Lear; Part III; IX. Double Plot; X. Minor Characters: Kent, Cornwall, Albany, the Fool; XI. Irony as Structure; XII. Conclusion; King Lear Studies: 1967-1987; Index; A; B; C; D; E; F; G; H; I; J; K; L; M; N; O; P; Q; R; S; T; U; V

WX; Y; Z

Sommario/riassunto

<P>Many critics hold that Shakespeare's  <I>King Lear</I> is primarily a drama of meaningful suffering and redemption within a just universe ruled by providential higher powers. William Elton's  <I>King Lear and the Gods</I> challenges the validity of this widespread optimistic view. Testing the prevailing view against the play's acknowledged sources, and analyzing the functions of the double plot, the characters, and the play's implicit ironies, Elton concludes that this standard interpretation



constitutes a serious misreading of the tragedy.</P>