King Lear - Book Club Comments

Dick Arms:  How to give a grade to Shakespeare?  I suggest limited reading.  From the standpoint of ideas, he is fascinating.  The Old King in his story is now changing his will.  Great literature:   Some of it is awfully contrived, coincidence heavy.  I give it an A because it is Shakespeare.

Bob Simon:  I give it an A also.  I was in Paris in May at a private home art collection:  from Gelato to Caravaggio (a leading exponent of Baroque art).  His painting of a snake in the grapes reminds me of Shakespeare, who captivated the true human condition and projected it to theater. Worthy of whatever grade – so compelling.

Rob Easterling:  Occasionally as an adult I have done some light reading of Shakespeare.  I appreciate your picking this, aging parents in here, our offspring facing taking care of us.  This is good for an aging men’s book club.  Lear needed a Turnover Plan.  The first two or three acts were tough for me, until I found the No Fear Shakespeare for King Lear.  I give it an A, and I appreciated the video. 

Ron Bousek:  Charlie gets an A; as for the play, several considerations:  1) Difficult to understand; 2) Need outside assistance; 3) Plot clever.  Some redeeming qualities.  As a secondary grade:  A; Primary: no grade.

Dick Jensen:  I have one daughter, and it bugged me how fast emotions happen/change in this play.  Edgar was taken out by Edmund’s oration. Can’t see someone disowning his own favorite daughter.  I don’t want to grade the damn thing.  Told my wife, “I feel like I’m going to English Class tonight.”  Punt:  A

Ken Gillen:  (sigh).  As opposed to those who read Shakespeare in High School or college, this is my first Shakespeare play since high school.  For the fun of it, I started reading the center column, Act 1, Scene 1.  If I continued, the grade would be D.  I switched to the translated (novel), and it was much more understandable, but still far-fetched.  Still not my cup of tea, but grade went from D to B.  Not thinking, “Gee, what is the next Shakespeare I want to read?”  Grade:  B

Tom Genoni:  I’m with Tolstoy and Ira Glass – the Emperor wears no clothes.  The translation was mildly interesting.  The value is in the language.  The DVD acting was way over the top.  C

Mike B:  When I think of Shakespeare, I think of Frank McCourt in Angela’s Ashes discovering it for the first time: “I don't know what it means and I don't care because it's Shakespeare and it's like having jewels in my mouth when I say the words.”   Forget the plot, this is 16^th century entertainment, but the beauty is in the King’s English. Very great kudos to Charlie for getting us the tools to enjoy this ancient work.  It was tough in high school, but the phrases hang around today for me:  “Nothing will come of nothing.”  “Now, gods, stand up for bastards!”  (words I live by).  Hamlet may be better, Henry V ( St. Crispin’s Day speech) are A, this is A- 

Bob Woods:  I had always heard of this as great literature, but I was not impressed.  The plot was a skeleton to hold vignettes on.  The plot, play was contrived.  About a B.

Keith:  Concise summary:  Tragedy is 5 acts:  Defeat, Desperation, despair.  [see the previous blog entry for the Poetaster’s Leary Review]  B

Jack:  [by early email] 
Sorry I won't be able to attend the LTBC meeting you're hosting next week.  I'm leaving this week to seek out my green valley somewhere on the Llyn Peninsula in North Wales.  I only hope it is greener than the one Richard Llewellyn portrayed and calmer and drier than the heath where Kent searched for Lear.  My comments about King Lear follow:

I wish the Folger Shakespeare Library had published materials like those Charlie provided us prior to 1970 when I was struggling to appreciate the greatness of Shakespeare as a playwright.  What I would have done for just a glossary, not to mention a translation (which even kept the soliloquies in iambic pentameter).  The multimedia option was also a big plus for me.  A classic tragedy with all the pessimism and nihilism that tug at my Germanic/Celtic heart, King Lear is in my opinion one of Shakespeare's greatest works, dealing with themes we can all relate to--betrayal, cruelty, justice, and reconciliation as they relate to family conflict.  A  (It is Shakespeare after all.) and an A+ for Charlie.  

Charlie:  The trouble with Shakespeare is that it takes such a huge front load of work.  The quality of the writing is extraordinary.  My strongest interests are music and art, which are easy to understand, to react to – but this stuff is like another language.  Is it worth the effort?