When Shakespeare's King Lear was first performed at Whitehall in 1606, King James I sat in the audience. King James I (a.k.a. King James VI of Scotland) became England's monarch just three years prior, after Queen Elizabeth I died. What would James – who sought to unite England, Scotland, Ireland, and Wales under one crown – have thought of Lear's decision to divide his kingdom among his daughters, as was portrayed in the play by Shakespeare? In this activity, you'll learn about King James's political goals and why they resonate in Shakespeare's King Lear.

Step 1: Listen to the first 6 minutes and 45 seconds of the BBC's podcast "In Our Time" (King Lear), in which famous Shakespeare scholar Jonathan Bate talks about King Lear and the ambitions of King James I. As you listen, answer the following study questions:

1. According to Jonathan Bate, where and when was King Lear first performed? Who was in the audience that day?
2. What were King James's plans for England, Scotland, Ireland, and Wales?
3. Jonathan Bate thinks that Shakespeare was writing to "the condition of King James's thoughts." What does he mean by this? Do you agree with Bate?
4. Do you agree with Bate that King Lear's decision to "slice up" his kingdom would be of interest to King James? Explain why or why not.
5. According to the podcast, why was Shakespeare's theater company renamed after James took the English throne?
6. What do you think are the consequences of King Lear's decision to divide his kingdom among his children in Shakespeare's play? Do you think the play supports King James's goals to unite Britain? Why or why not?

Step 2: OK, now you know what King James I was up to when he watched the first documented performance of King Lear. Now it's time to get creative and to put your new knowledge to work.

Imagine you are King James I and you've just watched the first performance of King Lear at Whitehall (that's your castle). Write an entry in your royal journal (at least three paragraphs) about your impressions of the play. What do you think about Lear's decision to divide his kingdom between his children? Do you think the play's overall message speaks to your own political ambitions? Why or why not? Should you invite Shakespeare to your pad for a glass of iced tea?

http://www.shmoop.com/king-lear/power-theme.html

http://www.shmoop.com/king-lear/power-quotes.html

http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b0090s0l

Literature-inspired art can tell a great story and function as a piece of literary criticism. In this project, you'll work in a small group to create a series of pictures (drawings or paintings) that tell the story of Shakespeare's King Lear. Your group will also work together to write a narrative summary of the play, which will accompany your original artwork.

Step 1: Get inspired by the pros. Check out this selection of great King Lear-inspired art on Emsworth. The pieces have been gathered from a diverse range of artists and they represent various styles and time periods. Notice that the pictures have been arranged in a way that helps to summarize the events and major themes in Shakespeare's play.

Step 2: Work together in a small group to tell the story of King Lear through a series of original pictures. Just about anything goes, as long as your group follows these rules: 1) each student in the group should contribute at least one image based on his or her interpretation of an important passage or scene from the play; 2) Your group must also write a narrative summary to accompany the series of pictures.

If you need a quick refresher on how the play goes down, check out the King Lear brief plot summary.

Step 3: Present your work to the class, bask in the warm glow of your artistic success, and anticipate a call from the Museum of Modern Art. (They should be calling any minute now.)

http://www.shmoop.com/king-lear/summary.html

http://www.tate.org.uk/servlet/ViewWork?cgroupid=999999961&workid=1134&searchid=9737&tabview=image

http://emsworth.wordpress.com/2009/01/10/king-lear-and-cordelia-on-canvas/