How Has King Lear Held Its Appeal for a Modern Audience?

How does Shakespeares King Lear hold its appealingness to a modern audience? King Lear, a cinch by William Shakespeare has held its appeal for modern audiences as it explores the universal ideas and sequenceless themes of Power and Loyalty communicated by dint of characterisation, language techniques and re set upations that parallel the context of the time in which they are produced. In the opening opinion of the love test Lear is offering his kingdom to his daughters Goneril, Regan and Cordelia.Much slaughter and arguing occurs, leaving Cordelia banished and Goneril and Regan in full control of the kingdom. The concept of exponent is present as Shakespeare examines the importance of relationships where a hierarchy is in order. later withdrawing himself as king, Lears eldest two daughters Goneril and Regan strip him of his supremacy and disembowel him to reduce the number of knights in his service, demonstrating his loss of authority as a King and a man. Shakespeare uses t he simile comparison of Lear to animals to clearly depict his weaken worth and power. O, reason not the need Our basest beggars are in the poorest liaison superfluous. Allow not nature more than nature needs, mans bearing as cheap as beasts The rudimentary theme of power is consistent throughout King Lear and is also present in todays society. Goneril and Regan believe that by possessing Lears kingdom they obtain power over everything, paralleling that of modern day society philistinism is power. The theme of loyalty is apparent in the Storm scene. Lear is exhibit as a flawed individual whose arrogance has caused him to make mistakes.This scene acts as a catalyst, a turning point, as Shakespeare symbolises a clean period for Lear. His diminishing sanity is represented through the personification of the behave rumble thy bellyful spit, fire, spout, rain Despite the harsh storm, Lears Fool stands with him in his period of despair and rage demonstrating his loyalty towards h is king. This scene is the first time in which Lear reveals his true emotions, ones which Elizabethan and contemporary audiences can relate to.Shakespeare has presented the consequences of disloyalty, and the traitorousness of fathers and siblings is an underlying theme. However, the loyalty of Cordelia to her father is maintained, if not strengthened throughout the stainless play. O my dear father, restoration hang thy medicine on my lips, and permit this kiss repair those violent harms that my two sisters have in they idolise made. The love that Cordelia holds for her father is symbolised through the gentle nature of her tone and language.The propitiation scene of Cordelia and Lear expresses the devotion felt by both father and daughter, as well as the connection they share when united emphasises the faith and autocratic love between them, despite previous disagreements. This element of the play is relevant to all audiences. Lear undergoes rapid character development and by the end of the play is able to recognise the more important, intangible aspects of life a lovely daughter and loyal friends.This is comparable to the lives of modern audiences as the important things in life are often taken for granted. Shakespeares King Lear offers never-failing and universal themes of Power and Loyalty that are portrayed through differing literary and dramatic techniques. The character development of Lear also allows for the audience to connect and cleanse understand the play as the transformation of a man unfolds, whose life is not dissimilar to one in contemporary society. These aspects of the play have allowed for King Lear to hold its appeal for audiences of the present and future.