Answers to questions on King Lear.

1. Who are the two nobles in the opening scene and what are they talking about?
The two nobles in the opening scene were Kent and Glouchester the were talking about the division of the kingdom and Glouchester talked about how much he adored his bastard son

2. How do you think that Edmund must be feeling at this moment?
Edmund must feel good and is relief upon the fact that he was not looked down upon because of the fact that he was also introduced to the Earl of Kent as a bastard son of Earl of Glouchester.

3.What does Old King Lear plan to do with his kingdom? What is the test that he proposes to the daughters?
King Lear's plan was to divide his kingcom among his three daughters. The daughters must acknowledge him and states how much the love him individually in order to obtain their shares in the kingdom.

4.How do each of the first two daughters answer the old man?
Gonerial flattered him tell him her love was so great and she never loved someone as much as she loved her father while Regan agreed she still tried to outshine her sister in her answer saying that her love was beyond words basically.

5. What is Cordelia's answer and why does she answer as she does? What does her reference to "nothing" suggest about the use of this motif in the rest of the play?
Cordelia answer was honest in which she stated she loved her father just like how a daughter should love her father she answers this way because of the fact she knew her sisters answers were fake and they did not love their father they only wanted his fortune.
Her reference to "nothing" suggest that in the end King Lear had "nothing" famill nor fortune.

6.Do you think that Cordelia is being cruel in refusing to play her father's game? Why?
No i do not think that she is being cruel because of the fact that she did not want to stoop to their level because she knew her sisters were evil.

7.How does Lear react to Cordelia's response? How does Lord Kent react to Lear's response?
King Lear responded by disowning Cordelia as his daughter. Lord Kent told King Lear he was making a big mistake and he is blinded by lies of his older daughter and Cordelia was the one who trully loved him.

8.How might the references to sight and blindness become important for the rest of the play?
Sight and blindness become important for the rest of the play because that was the two major theme of the play.

9.How do France and Burgundy each react to the news that Cordelia will not receive any dower and what does their reaction tell us about their characters?
Burgundy refused to take her if she had no crown and fortune this showed that he was low lifeted and a gold digger. while France made her stay with him even though she had nothing this showed that he was a caring character.

10.What does Cordelia mean when she says to her sisters, "I know you what you are." What do the sisters say about their father near the end of the scene?
Cordelia means that she know they are evil and all they wanted was fame and fortune. the sisters stated at the end of the scene that their father was old and they are gonna hurt him and stripe him of his powers.

11.What are the two views of nature contrasted in the action and dialogue of this scene?
good and bad.

12.What parallels do you see between this scene and the first one?
they have to do with the deception of children on their fathers because Act 1 scene 1 was about Lear and his daughters while Act2 Scene 2 Glaouchester and Edmund.

13. A couple of months have now passed; what is bothering Goneril at this point and what does she instruct her servant Oswald to do about it?
she is bothered by the fact that King Lear army is strong so she told Oswald to be discourteous to them.

14.Why does Kent wish to serve Lear? What does he discern in Lear's countenance and how is this ironic?
He wanted to serve Lear because he cared for him and did not want him to be harmed by his evil daughters and their plans.

15.What is Kent's reaction to what Oswald's servant does to Lear?
Kent tripped Oswald.

16.Why is what the knight says about the Fool's pining away "since my young lady's going into France" important?
It is important because the Fool was seeing Cordelia for the first time since she left and she retuned all joyful and happy.

17. What is the Fool's function in this part of the play and what are at least three examples of how he fulfills this function?
The fool function in this part of the play was to show a sense of laughter three examples are:
- "I am better than thou art now, I am a fool, thou art nothing.”
-"I have used it nuncle, e’er since thou mad’st thy daughters thy mothers, for when thou gav’st them the rod, and put’st down thine own breeches,”
-"The hedge sparrow feed the cuckoo so long, that it had its head bit off by it you."

18.How does Edmund trick his brother Edgar into fleeing?
He tricked his brother into fleeing by telling him his father knew where he was hiding.

19.How do Kent's actions with Oswald characterize him as a "plain dealer"?
Kent acted out of his usual character he insulted Oswald and he did not understand why because Oswald did not even know what he was trying to say.

20.How might Kent's line "Nothing almost seems miracles/But misery" serve as a motto for the play?
This serves as a motto for the play because this lined occur over and over in the play which resulted in pain.

21.How is Edgar's disguising himself as a bedlam beggar an example of social criticism in the play? Why is Edgar's comment, "Edgar, I nothing am" important to the meaning of the play?
It is an example of social criticism in the play a begger is always criticised in everyday life. Edgar comment is imporatnt in the play because he would rather be a begger than to be looked up to just because of his status.

22.Why is Lear so angry that his servant Kent has been put in the stocks by Regan and Cornwall?
Lear is angry because Kent is the one who cared for him and he grew a bond with Kent because of this.

23.What is Regan's first response when Lear complains of his treatment at the hands of her sister?
Her responce was she blames her father.