If directed to highlight theme, character and motivation, as a film King Lear could be revelatory in a way not possible on stage. Its themes are profound: The search for the ultimate power that determines human nature. The myth of universal justice. The meaninglessness of existence unless used for a higher purpose. Revelation of character through adversity. Learning to govern oneself before governing others. The search for self-realization. The immensity of accident and the unforeseen in the battle between good and evil. The search for the meaning of life. King Lear is an in-depth study of love, power and death.
I believe that through this play Shakespeare is saying, Dont blame the gods or the heavens for the horrors committed on earth. No. Blame hellish inhumanity on those who inhabit the earth. King Lear speaks to all of these issues more brilliantly than any other work. I consider it Shakespeares greatest play indeed, the greatest work in all of English literature. I know of no other that encompasses all those monumental themes. In the entire Shakespearean canon there is no more demanding a play and no more demanding a role than that of Lear.
Alexander Barnett
