Prose Close Reading Chart and Essay #2

	Linguistic	Semantic	Structural	Cultural
Specific textual examples of what you’ve observed when reading at this level—cited in MLA format. (You may use numbers or bullets here to take notes)	“The moment is thy death. Away! By Jupiter, This shall not be revoked.” (1.1.181-182) “Thus Kent, O princes, bids you all adieu. He’ll shape his old course in a country new.” (1.1.193-194) “Nothing, my lord. Nothing? Nothing” (1.1.87-89)	“Why have my sisters husbands if they say They love you all?” (1.1.99-100) “My sometime daughter.” (1.1.122) “So young and so untender? So young, my lord, and true.” (1.1.107-108)	“So young and so untender? So young, my lord, and true.” (1.1.107-108) “Nothing, my lord. Nothing? Nothing” (1.1.87-89) “Our last and least” (1.1.83)	“Why have my sisters husbands if they say They love you all?” (1.1.99-100) “My sometime daughter.” (1.1.122) “So young and so untender? So young, my lord, and true.” (1.1.107-108)
Demonstrate the development of complexity of thought at each level by writing a descriptive response to what you’ve written in the row above. (Analyze your thought patterns when observing the examples you’ve listed above—these may also be in note-taking form)	Shakespeare employs several literary devices in his works. In his plays, it is important to differentiate between upper and lower class characters. This can difference can be seen through dialogue; upper class characters (Lear) speak in verse, lower class characters (Kent) speak in prose. Since Lear is a tragedy, it is crucial to recognize his power to later understand his fall from power. Another device used is anaphora. This repetition of similar sentence beginnings helps emphasize meaning in the dialogue.	In these quotes, Shakespeare employs a rhetorical question, irregular diction, and anaphora as a form of characterization and plot development. The rhetorical question Cordelia asks conveys the unfairness of Lear’s demands. If Lear occupies the whole of his daughter’s love, then they have no love leftover for their husbands or anyone else deserving of love. This realization unveils the greed that is controlling Lear’s capacity for true love. When Lear mentions in his speech (in regards to Cordelia’s refusal to outdo her sisters’ admissions of love for Lear) that Cordelia is his “sometime daughter,” the word sometime is out of place. A daughter is a permanent person; unless she is disowned. This use of irregular diction is how Lear disowns Cordelia, which helps develop the plot of the play. Also, Shakespeare employs anaphora, which is used for emphasis. In this case, Lear refers to Cordelia as “young and untender” because he views her as immature, and her silence as cruel and rebellious. However, Cordelia replies that she is “young and true” because thought she is inexperienced, she is honest and will not construct a miraculous declaration of all consuming love solely to please Lear and gain land, because that would be immoral.	The anaphora used, again, creates emphasis which is why Shakespeare’s literature is dense with anaphora. The repetition of the beginning word or phrase in his characters’ sentences allows him to create meaning and characterize simultaneously. The beginning emphasizes, and the remainder of the sentence differentiates, which allows the characters to create their own identity. Shakespeare is also adamant is using alliteration to create emphasis on a main idea. This repetition keeps his audience engaged in his work while simultaneously characterizing and acting as a catalyst for plot development.	The main idea this scene in King Lear conveys is the immorality of greed. The rhetorical question Cordelia asks highlights Lear’s greed for love, because if his daughters give him all of their love, they will not have any left to give to their husbands. When the anaphora is used in the third quotation, Lear is clearly hurt by Cordelia’s silence and lashes out on her, essentially deeming her cruel. However, Cordelia wisely states she is not cruel, only honest, unlike her ignorant father. Lear’s greed forces him to ignore Cordelia’s wise statements and continue his lashing out by disowning her, since he could not have all of her love. Unfortunately, this leaves him with no love at all.

Close Reading Text Analysis Chart

Complete the chart below by synthesizing your notes (above) into a brief (but thorough—fill the space) analysis of each level as it applies to your passage. You may replicate the chart and type your responses in the space provided—size 10 font, Times New Roman, roughly 300 words apiece

Passage #2 From Novel (Re-type or photo copy the passage in this column)

Analysis of Close Reading (Essentially a prose passage or poetry essay; synthesize the texture of the passage to the left.)

LEAR-Although our last and least, to whose young love The vines of France and milk of Burgundy Strive to be interessed. What can you say to draw A third more opulent than your sisters? Speak. CORDELIA- Nothing, my lord. LEAR- Nothing? CORDELIA-Nothing. LEAR-How? Nothing will come of nothing. Speak again. CORDELIA-Unhappy that I am, I cannot heave My heart into my mouth. I love your majesty According to my bond, no more nor less. LEAR- How, how, Cordelia? Mend your speech a little, Lest you may mar your fortunes. CORDELIA- Good my lord, You have begot me, bred me, loved me. I Return those duties back as are right fit— Obey you, love you, and most honor you. Why have my sisters husbands if they say They love you all? Haply when I shall wed That lord whose hand must take my plight shall carry Half my love with him, half my care and duty. Sure, I shall never marry like my sisters, To love my father all. LEAR- But goes thy heart with this? CORDELIA- Ay, good my lord. LEAR- So young and so untender? CORDELIA- So young, my lord, and true. LEAR- Let it be so. Thy truth then be thy dower. For by the sacred radiance of the sun, The mysteries of Hecate and the night, By all the operation of the orbs From whom we do exist and cease to be— Here I disclaim all my paternal care, Propinquity, and property of blood, And as a stranger to my heart and me Hold thee from this for ever. The barbarous Scythian, Or he that makes his generation messes To gorge his appetite, shall to my bosom Be as well neighbored, pitied, and relieved As thou my sometime daughter.

Shakespeare’s writing style is known for its wide variety of literary devices and its clever usage of these devices. In this passage from King Lear, the use of rhetorical question, anaphora, and irregular diction helps to characterize Lear and develop the plot in regards to the idea of greed. The rhetorical question Cordelia asks conveys the unfairness of Lear’s demands. If Lear occupies the whole of his daughter’s love, then they have no love leftover for their husbands or anyone else deserving of love. This realization unveils the greed that is controlling Lear’s capacity for true love. When Lear mentions in his speech (in regards to Cordelia’s refusal to outdo her sisters’ admissions of love for Lear) that Cordelia is his “sometime daughter,” the word sometime is out of place. A daughter is a permanent person; unless she is disowned. This use of irregular diction is how Lear disowns Cordelia, which helps develop the plot of the play. Also, Shakespeare employs anaphora, which is used for emphasis. In this case, Lear refers to Cordelia as “young and untender” because he views her as immature, and her silence as cruel and rebellious. However, Cordelia replies that she is “young and true” because thought she is inexperienced, she is honest and will not construct a miraculous declaration of all consuming love solely to please Lear and gain land, because that would be immoral. The rhetorical question Cordelia asks highlights Lear’s greed for love, because if his daughters give him all of their love, they will not have any left to give to their husbands. When the anaphora is used in the third quotation, Lear is clearly hurt by Cordelia’s silence and lashes out on her, essentially deeming her cruel. However, Cordelia wisely states she is not cruel, only honest, unlike her ignorant father. Lear’s greed forces him to ignore Cordelia’s wise statements and continue his lashing out by disowning her, since he could not have all of her love. Unfortunately, this leaves him with no love at all. The tragedy of King Lear is entirely dependent on this scene. The characterization of Lear as a greedy patriarch will lead to his ultimate fall from power, which starts with disowning Cordelia. Though Cordelia is right to omit from Lear’s competition, he is too greedy to recognize this, which causes him to become angry and disown her. Disowning Cordelia, his favorite daughter, leaves him alone with his deceitful older daughters, which is crucial to the plot development in regards to Lear’s messy and devastating fall from power.