Source: "The Storm Within: The Madness of Lear," in Shakespeare Quarterly, Vol. 13, No.2, Spring, 1962, pp. 137-55.
[Bennett focuses on three scenes-III.iv, III. Vi, and IV. vi where, in her estimation, Lear shows unmistakable signs of insanity. She sees the king's obsessive references to daughters, his attempt to tear off his clothes, and his delusion that Poor Tom is an ancient philosopher as clear indications of madness. The chief causes of Lear's insanity, Bennett observes, are his bitter resentment toward his daughters and his inability to put up an effective defense against repeated humiliations. The critic argues that Lear's delusion at the close of the play-that Cordelia is not dead-is an expression of love and hope rather than a sign of madness.]
An understanding of Lear's madness is essential to any serious interpretation of.....
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