Comments on: Alvin Epstein on King Lear http://www.radioopensource.org/alvin-epstein-on-king-lear/ Christopher Lydon in conversation on arts, ideas and politics Sun, 12 Feb 2012 19:09:22 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.2.1 By: nother http://www.radioopensource.org/alvin-epstein-on-king-lear/#comment-66954 nother Sun, 04 Dec 2005 16:04:06 +0000 http://www.radioopensource.org/?p=329#comment-66954 For me, the “love� interaction in Act 1, between Lear and his daughters may be the most power thing Shakespeare has written. I feel that with this exchange, Shakespeare’s message went beyond the main themes of the play and spoke to the limits of both our greatest playwright and of the written word. When Cordelia says “nothing� in response to her fathers query, and then says “I cannot heave my heart into my mouth,� is not Shakespeare telling us something profound about himself, about writing, and about love? That not even he, Shakespeare, the master of words, can ultimately convey true love- with words! For me this revelation came while reading the preceding passages where Goneril and Regan profess their love. Their pronouncements of love for their father are some of the most beautiful in our written language, “a love that makes breath poor, and speech unable. Beyond all manner of ‘so much’ I love you.� Shakespeare writes the most beautiful words he can think to convey pure love, and he writes them for a character who is disingenuous, who will ultimately betray; amazing! Moreover, Shakespeare foreshadows Cordelia’s response, with Goneril’s statement that true love makes “speech unable.� As great as Shakespeare was, he still had humility. For me, the “love� interaction in Act 1, between Lear and his daughters may be the most power thing Shakespeare has written. I feel that with this exchange, Shakespeare’s message went beyond the main themes of the play and spoke to the limits of both our greatest playwright and of the written word. When Cordelia says “nothing� in response to her fathers query, and then says “I cannot heave my heart into my mouth,� is not Shakespeare telling us something profound about himself, about writing, and about love? That not even he, Shakespeare, the master of words, can ultimately convey true love- with words! For me this revelation came while reading the preceding passages where Goneril and Regan profess their love. Their pronouncements of love for their father are some of the most beautiful in our written language, “a love that makes breath poor, and speech unable. Beyond all manner of ‘so much’ I love you.� Shakespeare writes the most beautiful words he can think to convey pure love, and he writes them for a character who is disingenuous, who will ultimately betray; amazing! Moreover, Shakespeare foreshadows Cordelia’s response, with Goneril’s statement that true love makes “speech unable.� As great as Shakespeare was, he still had humility.

]]> By: Tisha http://www.radioopensource.org/alvin-epstein-on-king-lear/#comment-66953 Tisha Wed, 30 Nov 2005 15:55:16 +0000 http://www.radioopensource.org/?p=329#comment-66953 Thanks for a wonderful interview. It reminded me of a great performance of King Lear which I saw more than 50 years ago in Bristol, UK. Eric Porter played King Lear and I think he was with the Royal Shakespeare Company. I was at high school in nearby Bath. We were studying for important national exams but our English teacher took time out for us to read thru King Lear (not on our syllabus) so we'd be prepared for this performance at the Bristol Old Vic Theatre. Even at the age of 17 I was deeply moved as the play seemed to express the pathos of being human with such compassion and humour. I still have the theater program after umpteen moves, emigration to the USA etc. as it is a very precious memory. Thanks for a wonderful interview. It reminded me of a great performance of King Lear which I saw more than 50 years ago in Bristol, UK. Eric Porter played King Lear and I think he was with the Royal Shakespeare Company. I was at high school in nearby Bath. We were studying for important national exams but our English teacher took time out for us to read thru King Lear (not on our syllabus) so we’d be prepared for this performance at the Bristol Old Vic Theatre. Even at the age of 17 I was deeply moved as the play seemed to express the pathos of being human with such compassion and humour. I still have the theater program after umpteen moves, emigration to the USA etc. as it is a very precious memory.

]]> By: zeke http://www.radioopensource.org/alvin-epstein-on-king-lear/#comment-66952 zeke Sat, 26 Nov 2005 13:44:22 +0000 http://www.radioopensource.org/?p=329#comment-66952 I saw this performance and loved it. Will there be an MP3 link to the show so that I can hear the interview? I saw this performance and loved it. Will there be an MP3 link to the show so that I can hear the interview?

]]> By: nother http://www.radioopensource.org/alvin-epstein-on-king-lear/#comment-66951 nother Thu, 24 Nov 2005 07:30:27 +0000 http://www.radioopensource.org/?p=329#comment-66951 I hope you can find context for Kurosawa's version of King Lear, "Ran." Aside from the stunning visuals one expects from Kurosawa, I came away with a palpable sense of the universality of Shakespeare’s main themes. The themes are the same as the ones that August Wilson said drive all of his work; love, honor, beauty, betrayal, duty. I hope you can find context for Kurosawa’s version of King Lear, “Ran.” Aside from the stunning visuals one expects from Kurosawa, I came away with a palpable sense of the universality of Shakespeare’s main themes. The themes are the same as the ones that August Wilson said drive all of his work; love, honor, beauty, betrayal, duty.

]]> By: loki http://www.radioopensource.org/alvin-epstein-on-king-lear/#comment-66950 loki Wed, 23 Nov 2005 20:34:20 +0000 http://www.radioopensource.org/?p=329#comment-66950 Former Amherst College President Tom Gerety's speach about King Lear opened for the the sadness and the pathos of shakespeare's play. Yes,Lear is loveable but he is betrayed by family and friends and he betrays his true love his daughter. As a family implodes a kingdom crumbles. Forty years ago I saw Paul Scofield's masterful Lear. Can we be God's spies agents in Bush's Kingdom today. Is laughter possible after Katrina and Iraq? Former Amherst College President Tom Gerety’s speach about King Lear opened for the the sadness and the pathos of shakespeare’s play. Yes,Lear is loveable but he is betrayed by family and friends and he betrays his true love his daughter. As a family implodes a kingdom crumbles.

Forty years ago I saw Paul Scofield’s masterful Lear.

Can we be God’s spies agents in Bush’s Kingdom today. Is laughter possible after Katrina and Iraq?

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