BBC: King Lear (2018) part 9

Read the previous post here: http://lilliteraturereviews.blogspot.com/2018/06/bbc-king-lear-2018-part-8.html

Act IV, Scenes 5-7

Plot Summary

The scene returns to Gloucester's castle, with Oswald informing Regan that Albany's army is on the move. Regan is curious about the letter from Goneril to Edmund, but Oswald refuses to let her see it, and Regan supposes that it is about their love affair. Regan tells Oswald that she fancies Edmund for herself, and says that she has already spoken to Edmund about it. She also says that it would be inappropriate for Edmund and Goneril to commit adultery, and that it is much more suitable for him to begin an affair with a widow. She gives Oswald something to send to Edmund, and promises Edmund a reward if he can kill Gloucester.

[This took place earlier in the BBC Production] Still disguised as Poor Tom, Edgar leads Gloucester to Dover and pretends that they are at the top of a cliff. He claims that the height gives him vertigo, and stands back as he watches Gloucester pray. It is clear that Gloucester wishes to commit suicide. Gloucester faints and collapses to the ground, no longer able to stand his suffering. Edgar, now no longer pretending to be Poor Tom (yet still not revealing his identity), wakes his father and claims it is a miracle that he survived the great fall, saying the gods have saved him. Edgar tells him a devil was tempting him to suicide, and Gloucester, satisfied with this explanation, resolves to be patient with his suffering.

Lear, who has been wandering in his state of insanity, comes across Gloucester and Edgar. He clearly recognises Gloucester, but his words lack coherence and he babbles about Gloucester's adultery and womankind. Cordelia's men arrive in search of Lear, but Lear escapes when they attempt to bring him to Cordelia.

Oswald arrives at the scene, recognising Gloucester and remembering his plan to kill him for a reward from Regan. Edgar, realising that Oswald has not recognised, decides to adopt another persona. He kills Oswald while defending Gloucester, and Oswald passes the letters onto Edgar as he dies. Gloucester regrets not being killed. Edgar reads in the letter that Goneril asks Edmund to kill her husband, Albany, so that they can be together. Infuriated, Edgar keeps the letter with the intention of showing it to Albany. He then buries Oswald and guides Gloucester to safety.

BBC Production

We then return to a town centre, where Edgar is sat on a bench with his father - again, we must assume that they walked, and Edgar must have led Gloucester down a cliff without him realising that he was walking down the cliff he supposedly fell from. Lear comes wandering into the scene, looking like a drunk homeless person with a shopping trolley full of junk and rambling on about all kinds of rubbish. Honestly, if it weren't for having the script handy then I don't think I'd understand this scene. False identities, madness and depression make for a confusing encounter.

Lear's mad speech when he is confronted with Gloucester is a crucial moment in the play, as Lear fails to keep iambic pentameter and cries "Fie, fie, fie! Pah! Pah!". His madness is visible not only in character, but in his scruffy attire. Lear gets genuine with Gloucester for the first time in the encounter and sits next to him on the bench where he and Edgar are sat. He removes his hat and pulls out a horseshoe, showing more signs of madness as he rambles about his horseshoe. The British army comes running in, headed directly for the King. They tell him they will take him to safety, and he starts laughing, saying they will seize him by catching him as he starts to run away, playfully.

The scene removes itself to Goneril and Oswald, in conversation about recent events, laughing. The letter between Edmund and Goneril has been totally omitted, but the affairs between Edmund and the two sisters are evident. Goneril approaches Edmund, and she passes a gold chain to him with promises of power and wealth and kisses him intimately. She is spied and confronted by her husband, Albany.

Edmund’s soliloquy narrates the scene as he goes to Regan, and has an equally passionate meeting with her, exchanging whispers and touches. Goneril and ­­Albany arrive, causing them to separate, and they converse about political happenings. The tension between Regan and Goneril could be cut with a knife as glances are exchanged and subtle yet snide remarks are made. At the end of the conversation, Edmund claps loudly, and follows them out of the room. 

Read part 10 here: http://lilliteraturereviews.blogspot.com/2018/05/bbc-king-lear-2018-part-10.html