《李尔王》英文版读书报告Reflections on King Lear.docVIP

Reflections on King Lear After reading this book—King Lear, it seems that I have seen an impressing movie in which I hold my breath lest I miss one scene. No fierce fight, but the plot has haunted in my mind so far. With two main stories involved—one about King Lear and his daughters, the other concerning Earl of Gloucester and his two sons, this great tragedy not only exerts a strong effect on me, but also motivates the readers to conceive its underlying connotation. I’d like to explain my thoughts in the following two parts. I will give priority to language. The play, King Lear, definitely proves the saying that language has its own power. What the characters say reflects their inner world, together with their standpoint, and thus present a vivid scene in my mind. From what the characters say, I am able to be furious as King Lear to be when he is abandoned by his two daughters. I can even experience the huge regret and anxiety when Gloucester knows that he is beguiled by his bastard son Edmund to kill his biological son Edgar. Moreover, different language, more accurately, different words represent distinct characters. Therefore, the various portrayals are authorized to have their own lives. They are tridimensional rather than rigid. So, I almost integrate myself into the play, I cry when they weep, I am gloomy when they are filled with sorrow. When Goneril asked King Lear to reduce his knights and banished him who gives her one third of his kingdom where she possessed, King Lear said desperately: “Suspend thy purpose, if thou didst intend To make this creature fruitful! Into her womb convey sterility! Dry up in her the organs of increase, And from her derogate body never spring A babe to honour her! If she must teem, Create her child of spleen, that it may live And be a thwart disnatur’ d torment to her!” Such words are full of antipathy, such a malicious curse