'King Lear' in Context (Paperback)

Paperback. This engaging book provides in-depth discussion of the various influences that an audience in 1606 would have brought to interpreting 'King Lear'. How did people think about the world, about God, about sin, about kings, about civilized conduct? Learn about the social hierarchy, gender relationships, parenting and family dynamics, court corruption, class tensions, the literary profile of the time, the concept of tragedy and all the subversions, transgressions, and oppositions that made the play an unsettling picture of a disintegrating world in free fall. How did the court audience of 1606 respond to Shakespeares most disturbing tragedy? This guide to the various contexts that situate King Lear in its time uncovers the Christian ethics, contemporary political scene, literary atmosphere and requirements of tragedy that all inform the background of this harrowing play. Shipping may be from multiple locations in the US or from the UK, depending on stock availability.