King Lear Conclusion

King Lear Conclusion

There is no clearly defined or "exact" meaning of King Lear. No reputable modern critic claims to have found answers to the questions the play poses about human nature, universal order, and justice. Nor is there a single, identifiable source of Lear's tragedy, although various commentators have proposed that it may have its origin in human will, divine malice, or cosmic absurdity. Rather than attempting to "explain" the play, Northrop Frye suggests, try to "see something of its dimensions and its scope."_ King Lear has often been described as the Shakespearean tragedy that speaks most directly to twentieth-century readers and audiences. Despite all the commentary about it, words remain inadequate to express its incomparable power and artistry. Confronted by the unspeakable horror of Lear's suffering and Cordelia's death, our own response may be like his: "Howl, howl, howl!"

(See also Shakespearean Criticism, Vols. 2, 11, and 31)