Edmund's soliloquy

     Edmund is jealous of Edgar and begins his speech. He hates being a bastard and wonders why he is short changed in life. In his eyes he will always be a second in his father's eyes. Edmund's speech also speaks of society's view of being judgemental on illegitamate children. Edmund questions why he should be at the bottom. He curses his mother for his misfortune and claims that it is her dishonesty in his conception that it is at fault. Edmund compares himself to Edgar and says that he is just as intelligent, fit and likeable as him.
    He is upset that Edgar receives all Gloucester's inheritance and at the end of his speech he plans to deceive to get what is 'rightfully' his. This is a soliloquy because it shos Edmund's internal thoughts of the character.The audience is given a glance into Edmund's evil plans that are to come.Edmund challenges the gods to stand up for the bastards.      

Blindness in King Lear

      The Duke of Albany is blind to the fact that his wife Goneril is planning an affair with Edmund. He loyally stands by his wife during the battle with France. Albany is rudly confronted with the truth when Kent gives him the letter which he intercepted form Oswald.
      Both Gloucester and Lear are men that have made all the wrong decisions when it comes to trusting people. Gloucester's physical blindness is symbolic of Lear's metaphoric blindness. Both men parallel each other by having one loyal  and one disloyal children, they also give their throne to the dishonest one and cast out the loyal child. Additionally, both men  refuse good consule and refuse the truth. Gloucester children remove his eyes but Lear has gone mad in the storm.      
    

Of the tragic flaws of King Lear

          King Lear was a mana that loved to be flattered. He asked his daughters to express which one loves him the most. This test for his love encourages flattery. King Lear knew his daughters character but was blind to Goneril and Regan's deceit. He did not use his own knowledge.

Death of a Salesman- Symbolic Themes

       The flute represents Willy's father. Willy's father left him as a child and Willy was left without any money or assets and without any legacy. This the cause for Willy making his own way in the world and creating his own American Dream. He is afraid of abandanment and wantsa his family with him at all times.

The flute also tells the reader that Willy is now having a flashback.

      The ghost of Ben is the representation of  succes and power that Willy wants to achieve and wants his boys to be familiar with. Ben is everything that Willy wants to be and feels resentment that he is the one trying to keep his family together. Willy fails to realize that Ben did not just wake up wealthy but that Ben worked hard for it.
          
  Seeds represents Willy not being able to impact his pride seed, Biff, the way he intented.In Willy's eyes, Biff had all the potential in the world and should have been able to achieve Willy's American Dream. But when this hope becomes distant, Willy takes the failure personaly and as a mirror of his inability to guide as a father. Additinally, the seeds represnts Willy not being able to provide financially for his family. It is a source of shame and embarrasement for Willy to not be able to provide food for Linda and the boys. Mentally, Willy makes the unfortunate connection to his father as not being able to provide and be there for his sons.

The African Jungle represents Willy's failure as a business man. Ben became rich in the jungle and pains Willy when he thinks of their life in comparison. It also shows how Willy has created this depressing state for him and his family since he cannot compete with Ben's economic status and his own broken down conditions living in a Brooklyn apartment.

Death of a Salesman- Charlie and Bernard

    Charlie is Willy's bestfriend and neighbour. Charlie is also the son of Biff and Happy's childhood friend Bernard. Willy and his sons constanly make fun of Bernard as being a nerd and not well- liked. It is poetic justice to note that Bernard becomes a successful lawyer and Happy and Biff are discondented with thier lower class jobs. Charlie is constantly being brought down by Willy. But Willy seems to be a hypocrit since he begs Charlie for money so that he can pretend to be successful as a traveling salesman. Charlie in the end turns out to be faithful and truthful friend to the Lowans.  

Death of a Salesman- Ben Lowan

    Ben is Willy's brother. Through hard work and dedication, Ben was able to go to Africa at the tender age of 17 and leave with millions years later. Ben represents the American Dream that Willy longs for. Willy refused to with Ben to work because he had a family and know feels that he lost his chance for the good life. 

Death of a Salesman- Biff Loman

      Biff is loved dearly of his father and is often excused by his father for any wrong he has done, e.g. stealing the ball. Biff is a womanizer and an athlete. He was a leader in his youth and Willy admires him and has high hopes for him in the future. However, Biff's tragic flaw is that he is unable to keep a job. He has high hopes of being a farmer in the South but is unable to settle down.

Death of a Salesman- Happy Loman

       Happy is the younger of the brothers and is always trying to compete with Biff in order to win over Willy but he works to no avial. However the mature Happy is very much aware of this father's condition and pleads with biff to keep a job. Happy lons to settle down and settle a family of his own. He says" Somebody with character, with resistance!". It is clear that Happy is the more level headed of the brothers.  

Death of a Salesman- Linda Loman

   Linda is Willy's underserving wife. Linda is very clearful not to offend her fragile husbland's ego. She goes as far as to agree with everything that Willy says. It can therefore be fair to say that Linda is somewhat responsible for Willy loss of reality. She even knew that Willy was suicidal when she found him trying to kill himself with a rubbre hose. Linda refused to give Willy the mental care that he desperately needed.

The beginning of Death of a Sales Man

        The first few pages of the book, details the backdrop into the life of the Lomans'.Willy is a salesman who travells from state to state selling in order to make ends meet back home.Willy is an overweight man who has severe mental problems that has even resulted in him experincing delusions. He has two sons, Happy and Biff, and a wife Linda.Willy is obessed with being a well liked and thinks that grades don't matter in the end but it is all about friends, getting women, and money.
       Willy has also consumed his life with living the 'American Dream'. He wants to leave a great legacy and business for his sons. He encourages his sons not to be only rich but to be well- liked by everyone arond them. The American Dream entails being a leader and a great athlete. Willy expects to be honest and hardworking but having a public persona i also important. The American Dream also consists of being strong spirtied in your youth, e.g. having lots of women. Willy also expects to be able to provide materalistically for his family, e.g. buying panty hose for Linda.

Differences between France and Burgundy

    Burgundy is only interested in money. France sees Cordelia's love as a dowry. France was 'unmixed' with self-interested. France's intention is pure unlike that of Burgundy.  

Differences between the evil sisters

           Goneril seems to be the superior evil to her sister Regan. Goneril character is the most hedious character in Shakespeares' play. Goneril plays the role of the leader and Regan is the follower. Goneril commits adultery with Edmund while Regan tags along pleading with Edmund to chose her instead.

   In Act 3 sc.7, both men are old and have white hair, both seem to be widowers and both have children. Lear and Gloucester are surrounded by torment by their decision to choose one child over the other. The men both have rushed to hasty decisions. They are selfish and their sufferring is their own fault. In the end, they both have an enlightenment period where they both learn the same moral lessons.  

Cornwall is seen as the more ambitious duke. Albany has real love for Goneril. He is horrified when he discovers Goneril has cheated on him with Edmund. Albany is a kind gentlemen but Cornwall is a fierce man. It is obviuous that Cornwall knows only evil.