King Lear :: essays research papers

King Lear is one of William Shakespeares greatest tragedies which involves a super acid story of leash daughters vying for the love of their father. Jane Smiley parallelsthe story of King Lear in her overbold A Thousand Acres. Though this novel is derived fromthe grow of King Lear and the underlying plot is similar, the readers reaction to each work of literary working varies greatly. One may wonder why the readers persuasion on the play KingLear changes so drastically after indication the novel A Thousand Acres. A couple of thereasons include the pieces of writings being told from two different view points and howthe paralleling characters in the two works assume roles than are unexpected and seemunlike the comparable characters in the separate piece of literature. However, Scott Holstadstates the reason for the differing responses best by saying, Smiley is successful becauseshe fills in so many of the gaps left open in the play. She gives us bran-new and differentperspec tives (Holstad 1).King Lear is a nearly unusual play in that it only deals with the present and neglects the chivalric and the future. The reader is not informed nearly an earlier time period in the play. The play opens up with Lear right away choosing to, express our darker purpose (I, i,35). There is no mention of any of the three daughters childhood. In contrast, Smileymakes a point of adding description to her novel. She constantly describes the threegirls childhood, their ancestors, and other memories from the past. In the beginning ofthe novel, Ginny elaborates upon her great-grandparents and, when they came the firsttime to Zebulon County, in the spring of 1890, and truism that half the land they hadalready bought was under two feet of water (Smiley 14). Ginny also remembers whenshe used to take care of Caroline, I had such(prenominal) hope for her, such a strong sense that whenwe sent her out, in whatever capacity, she would finish well, with enthusiasm andconfidence t hat were mysteriously hers alone (Smiley 262). The description of the pastis the most powerful part in A Thousand Acres. It reveals hidden roots that shape anddefine behaviors of the characters. This hidden knowledge and exposure of secrets isexemplified in Edgars line in King Lear, In nothing am I changd But in my garments(IV, vi, 9-10). It tells the reader that although things may appear to be a certain way,reality will prove them to be different. The major difference between King Lear and A Thousand Acres is that the past comes