These teacher-made King Lear PowerPoints are designed to enrich students’ understanding and delve into various facets of the play, from character relationships to overarching themes.
PowerPoints containing artworks and quotes invite pupils to dissect the complexities of power dynamics, familial bonds, and human nature depicted in King Lear. You’ll also investigate plotlines, symbolism and the rhythmic cadence of Shakespearean verse.
King Lear PowerPoints
The first PowerPoint asks students to look at various images and make notes about what they think is happening, character relationships and themes. Artworks include Cordelia by Ford Madox Brown, Cordelia in the Court of King Lear by Sir John Gilbert and Goneril and Regan by Edward Austin Abbey, among others.
There’s also a quotes PowerPoint that presents over 20 slides of quotes to discuss in class.
Other PowerPoints in the download focus on the following themes.
The nature of a king
- Divine right
- Context of the play
- King as contradiction
- Kingly references
- King Lear’s family
The opening scene
- Introducing the plot, subplot and characters
- The contest
- Kent
- Cordelia
- Sisters
Edmund exposed
- Edmund’s credo
- Emotions
- Land grab
- Dramatic pause
- Plot
- Superstition
Meet the fool
- Context
- Truth teller
- First 100 lines
- “Darkling”
- Looking ahead
- Lear’s tutor
- Curses
Meter matters
- Iambic pentameter
- Verse and prose
- Blank verse
When was King Lear written?
It is thought that Shakespeare wrote the play sometime between 1603 and 1606. It was performed before James I in 1606.
What is King Lear about?
King Lear is one of William Shakespeare’s most enduring tragedies, exploring themes of power, family, betrayal and the consequences of pride and folly.
At its core, the play follows the story of King Lear, an aging monarch who decides to divide his kingdom among his three daughters based on their declarations of love for him.
However, his rash actions lead to a chain of events marked by deceit, treachery and ultimately, his own downfall.
As Lear’s authority crumbles, he descends into madness, grappling with the consequences of his decisions and the loss of everything he once held dear.
Alongside Lear’s journey, the play also delves into the parallel storylines of other characters, including his loyal advisor Kent, his honest daughter Cordelia, the villainous Edmund and the wise Fool.
Through intricate plot twists, Shakespeare crafts a profound meditation on the nature of power, the fragility of human relationships and the complexities of the human condition.
Jonathan Peel is a former English Head of Department at a school in Harrow. You can find him at jwpblog.com and follow him on Twitter at @mrpeel.
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