Year 10 English - King Lear

There is tough competition for the title of Shakespeare’s best, most tragic (and most violent!) play, but King Lear may just win it. Presenting one of the playwright’s most well-rounded and fascinating protagonists, King Lear is a gripping and dark experience. In this play, there can be no question of how rewarding it is to study Shakespeare. Digging in, we find a view of the human condition we cannot afford to ignore, discussing ideas about political power and family, madness and ageing. Beginning the year with Shakespeare challenges high school students in the best way. It should open them up to what English requires of them: imagination, energy and a willingness to put complex ideas into words. In class, we will read through the play scene by scene, analysing all the key moments and themes. Our approach also will be closely focused on developing important skills such as interpretation, annotation and analysis, translated into weekly writing in a variety of text types.