... which he hopes to secure the bulk of his land for Cordelia, together with an alliance with the House of Burgundy. As Jaffa shows, Lear's plan, far from being the product of senility, is, if anything, too clever for his own good. I will not go over the details of Jaffa's subtle analysis; suffice it to say here ... He gains access to this wisdom only when he loses power, but that process in turn incapacitates him for further rule. In this essay, I will examine largely the second half of King Lear, and trace what happens to Lear when he learns the truths to which his position as king initia...

• Word Count: 8939
• Approx Pages: 36
• Grade Level: High School