King Lear 3

King Lear is one of William Shakespeare’s greatest tragedies which involves a common story of three daughters vying for the love of their father. Jane Smiley parallels the story of King Lear in her novel A Thousand Acres. Though this novel is derived from the roots of King Lear and the basic plot is similar, the reader’s reaction to each work of literature varies greatly. One may wonder why the reader’s perspective …

…concepts of male dominance and female victimization, and how secrets can change the whole tone and attitude given to a piece of literature. Once gaps are filled in and past details expanded upon, an entire story can be changed. Hopefully, the reader learns from this explosive series of events and derives a deeper understanding of life in general with the outstanding point of not being quick to judge an individual without knowing the “real” facts.