Parents and children: (subtitle--and you thought dysfunctional families were new!) We are shown two families rather closely--Lear and his three daughters and then Gloucester and his two sons. Do a little research and tell me what a RENAISSANCE reader would think made a GOOD family--and then show how these families are good and how they are not. Which of Gloucester's two sons loves him? How does he show this? How does Gloucester treat him--initially? Compare to Lear's treatment of his daughters.
http://suite101.com/article/family-life-during-the-renaissance-a19993
ReplyDeleteThe women were expected to stay home while the men worked in the field or in town. The women took care of the children. The children were brought up and as soon as they were old enough the boys would go off to work and learn the ways of a man and the girls would stay home and do woman/motherly work. Few girls were educated and the boys got little education unless they were wealthy and could go to a private school. I personally think that the children of both families have no work ethic except for Cordelia and Edgar. They conduct their lives just like their parents: vain, selfish, big-egos. Edgar is the son of Gloucester that shows he loves him and Gloucester does not acknowledge him because I think he finds Edmund more interesting and they have common traits so they connect more. He is too blind to see that the qualities they both possess are not good ones.
ReplyDeleteTraditionally, the women stayed home and the boys would go out in the world to learn what ever skill was expected of them. Mostly, the boys would follow the man of the house and learn the business of the family. In both instences, the children did learn the family business. With Lear his daughters learned how to rule (not a good trate in those days)and it lead to their demise. The only one of the three that didn't try to rule (Cordelia) was forced to lead troops in her fathers name (which they lost the war). This wasn't a bad mix, she loved and respected both king and father which made her a good women of the day. Gloucester had two sons which both picked up on his role as a duke. One had to much ambition and wanted what was not his and learned only what he needed to in order to mislead people to his advantage. The other (Edgar) learned the respect and nobleness of the rule which was his rightful position and had to earn it back (think Cain and Able this was a religious time still).
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