Hi Everyone:
For this blog assignment, scan the list of interesting quotes from King Lear that is located in the "pages" section of the blog. Find two or more that you can connect either by theme, the appearance of a motif, similar tone, or are generally haunted by something similar. Discuss the quotations by: a) observing what connects the quotations, b) explaining what is significant about the quotations when one thinks about the play as a whole, and c) exploring what the implications are of the ideas present in the quotations.
P.S. By exploring implications, you are moving beyond simply observing what's there in the quotation. What conclusions can be tentatively drawn from what is expressed in the quotation? If you are to accept what is expressed in the quotation, where does it lead you?
Meantime we shall express our darker purpose. (1.1.36)
ReplyDeleteI want that glib and oily art
To speak and purpose not; since what I well intend,
I'll do't before I speak. (1.1.227)
Love is not love
When it is mingled with regards that stand
Aloof from the entire point. (1.1.241)
These three quotes are connected through the theme of hidden meaning being revealed as well as the false cover for an idea. The first quote from act one is a simple one line quote that talk about revealing or expressing a hidden purpose or a darker purpose that is separate from what other people see. The third quote is in relation because it states that love is not love when mingled with other ideas or wants. Love may be expressed when something else is desired such as how Lear’s daughters lied to acquire land and power. They hid their darker purpose with words such as art may tangle meaning and purpose with imagery.
The themes from these quotes are displayed throughout the book in many other places. Edmund plays with appearance and hidden meanings by taking advantage of people by tricking people into believing others were against them. He is also obsessed with the idea that his true personality is hidden by the fact that he is illegitimate and therefore immediately discredited. This relates to the quotes because he is hidden from the truth because of some words people have used to define him.
1.) O, sir! you are old;
ReplyDeleteNature in you stands on the very verge
Of her confine. (2.4.165)
2.) You see me here, you gods, a poor old man,
As full of grief as age; wretched in both! (2.4.314)
3.) 'Tis the infirmity of his age: yet he hath ever
but slenderly known himself.
King Lear, 1. 1
These quotes are connected by the motif "age". It mostly reflects age in a negative way, most of them pertaining to King Lear. The first quote is Regan telling King Lear that he is old and his life is on the verge. She is saying that his age is holding her back, and provokes him to ask for such forgiveness. The second quote is said by King Lear, it is the middle of a long quote by him. He is saying that he is old and upset by it. He is full of grief and his age is coming down on him. What grief does he mean? The fact one of his daughters has disowned him? or that deep down he know she may be right. Something is causing him to feel regret.He refers to the gods. I am not exactly sure as to why he does this. He is speaking, but not speaking to anyone in particular. The third quote i think, says that King Lear is old, the sick thought of his age may bring him down but he knows himself. He is aware of his age and is making sure he does the right things before the day comes when he cant. I think that King Lear is trying to do the right thing but is getting put down because of his age. Age is a big part of this book surrounding King Lear and his daughters and their imminent youth. Age is important in this book.
How sharper than a serpent's tooth it is
ReplyDeleteTo have a thankless child! (1.4.312)
Rumble thy bellyful! Spit, fire! Spout, rain!
Nor rain, wind, thunder, fire, are my daughters:
I tax not you, you elements, with unkindness;
I never gave you kingdom, called you children,
You owe me no subscription: then, let fall
Your horrible pleasure; here I stand, your slave,
A poor, infirm, weak, and despised old man. (3.2.14)
Ingratitude, thou marble-hearted fiend,
More hideous, when thou show'st thee in a child,
Than the sea-monster!
King Lear, 1. 4
All three of the quotes above reflect upon the ingratitude of one's own children. The first quote and the third quote are very similar and reflect upon the same thing: that ingratitude in a child is much worse that the bite of some deadly creature or the deadly creature itself. The second, like the other two, also deals with the same topic, but taken from another view- the view of the farther of the ungrateful children and how it has torn him apart. The significance of the quote to the play as a whole is rather large, if not one of the main contributors to Lear's descent into madness. Regan and Goneril only pretended to love him at the beginning in order to claim their father's wealth and lands; once they had acquired the lands, they pushed aside Lear and treated him like dirt. Lear's disbelief and rage at the betrayal and ingratitude from his daughters not only made him realize the mistake of disowning Cordelia and giving her share of his wealth to her sisters, it causes him to go insane. The idea implicated in the quote is rather simple- ungrateful children are one of the absolute worst things to ever have and they just bite. Combine that with Lear's rant against the raging elements and they also suggest that ungrateful children can take a great toll on their parents' mental health- perhaps even to the point of insanity.
Nothing will come of nothing: speak again. (1.1.92)
ReplyDeleteMend your speech a little,
Lest it may mar your fortunes. (1.1.97)
Let not women's weapons, water-drops,
Stain my man's cheeks! (2.4.277)
These three quotes are all generally haunted by the tension between Lear and his daughters. The first two passages are taken from Lear’s heated dialogue with Cordelia, which follows her refusal to wax ad nauseam about her affection for her father in order to win her portion of his kingdom. The third quote is taken from one of Lear’s monologues, in which he divulges his intent and strong resolve to exact revenge on the daughters whose betrayal has become evident. Where the first two quotes are situated around the cause and growth of tension, the third resonates with the consequence and festering of that tension. Cordelia evokes Lear’s frustration, but Regan and Goneril ignite his rage. Evident in all three of these snippets of the tragedy is Lear’s recklessness, or rather, to illuminate a baser explanation, his poor judgment. Lear consciously decides to dole out chunks of his territory to his daughters as they dump doting on him. Cordelia says “nothing”, which will, according to Lear, beget nothing, when in fact Cordelia speaks, if one considers truth to be of substance, volumes more than her conniving sisters. Lear is wrong in his assertion for such a reason and also for being ignorant of what did come of the “nothing” of which Goneril and Regan spoke: betrayal and a power struggle. Lear’s request in 2.4.277 underlines the ire that, while slow to manifest in full, will more than likely persist until another unstoppable force attempts to hinder it. What is vexing here is the question of how to extract coherence from some apparent contradictions. Cordelia is stripped of her dowry upon her utterance of truth, and Regan and Goneril are rewarded for their embellishments, but once Lear becomes privy to their ulterior motives he regrets his inability to realize their intentions sooner. His anger stems not just from his realization of his betrayal but from his realization of his shortsightedness. The perhaps bitter truth was not so desired before, but the embrace and unknowing relinquish of control in exchange for embellished expressions of affection are regretted now. The consequences of Lear’s first mistake reverberate noisily through the text. What confounds is the presentation of truth. Why was such excessive sentiment more favorable? Accepting the truth was not as pleasant as accepting something sweeter. Love is not so much a lie, but one must screen out affectionate deceit in order to rediscover it. For Lear, there is only pain left for signing away to bearers of untruths. Trust is not to be taken for granted, and statements are not to be so easily appraised as honest.
Time shall unfold what plaited cunning hides. (1.1.302)
ReplyDeleteMeantime we shall express our darker purpose. (1.1.36)
Love is not love
When it is mingled with regards that stand
Aloof from the entire point. (1.1.241)
These three quotes share the common themes of false love, trickery, and betrayal. Throughout the play, these themes are brought up again and again. They are seen most commonly with Lear’s daughters, who trick him into believing that they truly love him. However, they are only lying in order to gain his entire kingdom. The first quote refers to the fact that lies cannot be kept secret forever. Eventually they will be revealed somehow and everything that has come about from the lies will be affected. This quote is directed especially at Lear’s daughters, who repeatedly lie to him in order to gain his full trust. The second quote simply talks about revealing something which might have originally been different from what people thought it was about. The public could think something to mean one thing, but it is later revealed to mean something entirely different. An example of this could be seen with lies. The third quote states the idea that love cannot be true when there are separate motives and other issues involved. The case of King Lear and his daughters are excellent examples to this because of the fact that his daughters only show him their allusion of love in order to gain his kingdom. All of their fake affection leads to their ultimate motive to betray him, even in his old age, and take everything he has. Although this conflict is the strongest example of these issues, they are brought up all throughout the play. Many of the characters will lie and play tricks in order to get to whatever their ultimate motives are.
By the kind gods, 'tis most ignobly done
ReplyDeleteTo pluck me by the beard. (3.7.35)
Necessity’s sharp pinch! (2.4.231)
How sharper than a serpent's tooth it is
To have a thankless child! (1.4.312)
Shakespeare often alludes to descriptive imagery. Many of his most famous plays are characterized by intense images, and descriptive language. One of his most famous plays, King Lear, makes use of imagery pertaining to contempt, power, deceit, anger, love, and pain. These three passages are all connected by pertaining to some type of discomfort, often by imagery. Whether the descriptive word choice be "pinch", "pluck", or "sharp" a reader imagines some type of pain alongside with this choice of diction. It is evident, therefore, that this play is one in which the main characters go through various arrays of pain, both in an emotional and physical sense.
Without any source of background knowledge, the first passage seems almost barbaric and illogical. One would have to go back to Act 3 to understand its meaning. While in Reagan's kingdom, Gloucester is suspected to be a traitor. In order to reprimand him for his actions, Reagan and Cornwall strap him to a chair and individually pull out the hairs of his beard. This is used as a torture tactic, in order to get him to confess. Gloucester believes that this tactic is not only unjustifiable, but also disgraceful. When one strictly reads from context, this quote seems relatively unimportant. If you are to connect it to the the overall play as a whole, though, it illustrates the depravity of the situation Gloucester is in, and how he is simply a man without a driving force. It could be said that he is simply a pawn in the play, and although his character adds depth to the complexities, he himself is simply a static character who is forced to undergo torture and pain. The next passage revolves around the struggles in which King Lear must undergo. He is forced to deal with family conflict, and also the disobeying actions of his unruly daughters. The fact that they are family makes it a "necessity" that must be dealt with, but the arising conflict is one that is not easy to resolve (resulting in a discomfort, or "sharp pinch"). The third passage once again deals with the discrepancies King Lear's family discrepancies. In this passage, he is referring to Goneril who refused to keep up with their agreement once she attained her kingdom. In for fitting their pact, he sees her as greedy and thankless. Her actions have upset his pride greatly, and in doing so have hurt him emotionally. Both passages two and three highlight the emotional turmoil that is involved in this play, and also create an intricate web of family conflict. It leads the reader to believe that King Lear has been assaulted by the pain he feels in his close relationships, which will then cause his demise. As you can see, each passage refers to different levels of pain, but pain nonetheless.
So, what is the importance of this overriding theme? King Lear is undoubtedly plagued by pain, but how is this important to the play as a whole? I believe by constantly describing images of pain, Shakespeare is acting on the reader's sense of emotional imagination and in doing so is forcing us to cultivate a deeper sense of ethos with the play. It is hard not to feel defeated when another character is expressing their pain, and makes it so we are more emotionally connected with the play.
there was supposed to be paragraphs in that, but the blog changed my formatting.
ReplyDeleteO! let me not be mad, not mad, sweet heaven;
ReplyDeleteKeep me in temper; I would not be mad! (1.5.51)
No, I'll not weep:
I have full cause of weeping; but this heart
Shall break into a hundred thousand flaws,
Or ere I'll weep. O fool, I shall go mad!
King Lear, 2. 4
He's mad that trusts in the tameness of a wolf, a horse's health, a boy's love, or a whore's oath. (3.6.20)
In King Lear, madness or insanity plays a prominent part in the course of the play. Edgar disguises himself as a crazy beggar named Poor Tom and Lear literally is driven to insanity by the anger he feels against his two daughters, Goneril and Regan. In the three quotes above, the characters speak about madness as related to his relationship between his daughters and almost condemns Lear for trusting his wicked daughters instead of Cordelia, who actually loves him. The first and second quotes occur when Lear is yelling at his daughters for treating like their father rather than a king. In these instances, the word "mad" means both anger towards his daughters for their cruelty and also means insanity since he is going insane due to his furiousness. In addition, the first and third quotes deal with the condemnation of Lear for his arrogance. In the first quote, Lear calls upon higher powers to keep him from going insane. However, we later see that he does lose his mind. This could imply that the higher powers that Lear called on allowed him to become insane because of his arrogance and pride, which drove him and his family apart. In turn, the third quote condemns anyone who puts their trust in the unfaithful and wavering. This alludes to Lear's naivety to trust the daughters the audience knew were wretched and power-hungry, calling Lear "mad" to ever trust such wicked women. Throughout the play, we see how this sort of madness was inflicted on Lear and how it continues to punish him until the very end.
This is the excellent foppery of the world, that, when we are sick in fortune, -- often the surfeit of our own behaviour, -- we make guilty of our disasters the sun, the moon, and the stars: as if we were villains by necessity; fools by heavenly compulsion; knaves, thieves, and treachers, by spherical predominance; drunkards, liars, and adulterers, by an enforced obedience of planetary influence.
ReplyDeleteKing Lear, 1. 2
It is the stars,
The stars above us, govern our conditions. (Kent 4.3.34)
These two quotations are linked in that the first describes the fault expressed in the second; humans are more apt to blame their surroundings for errors committed by themselves than they are to accept responsibility. It is easier to say that a person was guided by forces outside of his or her own control than it is for that person to admit that they erred. In the first quote, King lear speaks of “the excellent foppery of the world”, meaning that humans are too vain to admit their own mistakes. Instead, we pretend that we are “villains by necessity”, compelled to make mistakes by influences that we can’t control. In so doing, we brush off our problems as if they were not originally ours to make, as if they were pre-ordained, thus rendering us blameless. The second quote is a perfect example of a character, Kent, doing just that. He dismisses Lear’s predicament and his daughter’s grief as things unavoidable.
These quotes are significant with regards to the play as a whole in that the mentality expressed in the second quote and condemned by the first, provides false justification for the acts of violence which occur throughout the story. By thinking in this manner, the characters are able to push aside any feelings of guilt and to proceed in whatever bad act they were committing.
The ideas expressed in these quotes are juxtaposed against each other; the first represents a purer way of thinking in which people take responsibility for their own mistakes. The second represents a more common and easier way of thinking in which the characters are able to brush off the guilt caused by their misdeeds by disassociating themselves from it. It is more than likely that most of the characters in the play, at least the ones committing acts like murder, will choose to follow the mentality promoted in the second quote. All this leads me to the conclusion that Shakespeare had a pretty dark outlook when it came to human nature.
How sharper than a serpent's tooth it is
ReplyDeleteTo have a thankless child! 1.4.312
A poor, infirm, weak, and despised old man. 3.2
These two quotes are representative of the new relationship between King Lear and his three daughters. I say new relationship because the opening scene alludes to the idea that the three girls were used to groveling and sucking up to their dear father and it was only when the shallow flattery was applied to the most important piece of business in the kingdom, namely the diving up of the King’s Empire, did the youngest daughter draw the line and tell him that while she does love him, she refuses to awarded here share of the kingdom based entirely on how much she flatters him. This gamble pays off luckily for her, as the King of France says that he loves her and wants to marry her. He takes her away from her elderly and egotistical father. The father seems so betrayed at not being given his “due” that he actually gives a valid point that few things hurt more than an ungrateful child. He wallows in self-pity however, which is why he will be eventually referred to poor, infirm and weak. Both are examining the relationship between parent and child, but is obviously applied to Lear’s relationship to his daughters, but they both can be seen in real world examples, such as where parents sometimes become burdens, or at least that’s how the parents sometimes feel when they reach old age and aren’t quite as able to take care of themselves.
The implications of the quotes are very interesting. The sharpness quote implies how a parents can feel that they have failed through their child’s actions, particularly in their attitude, and the second implies that the parent thinks they have made a mistake simply be continuing to exist. Both imply errors on the parenting side, but errors that can often be fixed by the child.
How sharper than a serpent's tooth it is
ReplyDeleteTo have a thankless child! (1.4.312)
You see me here, you gods, a poor old man,
As full of grief as age; wretched in both! (2.4.274)
Both of these quotations are spoken by King Lear and have him expressing the various forms of discontent he has begun to feel in his life. The first quotation is clearly more focused on the anger he begins feeling towards his daughters, he is particularly addressing Goneril in that quotation. The point he is at in the second quotation appears to be when all of the various disappointments in King Lear’s life between his daughter’s betrayal and his own bad decisions all have come crashing down on him. Both quotations very clearly give off Lear’s own sense of discontent in his own life. When thinking about the play as a whole, these quotations are both very significant. His daughters cause the major conflict within the play by betraying their father in the way that they do. Lear’s regret of some of his own actions also plays a significant role in the plot of the play. From the quotations you can draw the conclusion that Lear’s fate for the end of the book will end tragically. Everything is going wrong for him in nearly all aspects of his life and it only leads you to believe that eventually everything will build up even more to a point where there is no point in salvaging everything he once had. Between his own daughters plots to rip their father from power and his dismissal of the only daughter that may have actually cared for him, he has doomed himself, without any hope of regaining substantial power.
No, I'll not weep:
ReplyDeleteI have full cause of weeping; but this heart
Shall break into a hundred thousand flaws,
Or ere I'll weep. O fool, I shall go mad!
King Lear, 2. 4
Oh, that way madness lies; let me shun that.
King Lear, 3. 4
I am a very foolish fond old man,
Fourscore and upward, not an hour more nor less;
And, to deal plainly,
I fear I am not in my perfect mind.
King Lear, 4. 7
As the play continues, the characters are plagued more and more by madness. King Lear, Edgar (now Tom O’Bedlam), and Edmund (who has always held a bit of madness) are all increasingly insane. It plays a role especially in Lear, who seems to be driven mad by the betrayal of those closest to him. This theme also fits in with the motif of disease and rot that is carried through in the betrayals themselves. As the substance of society begins to collapse as war approaches and the personal schemes of each character are revealed, more and more madness if found—whether pretended or real. This summons another question of the difference between the real madness and that of those hiding behind it. The implication of the spreading madness, especially in King Lear, comes from a disintegration of their world. Once those that they love have forsaken them, madness sets in. On this current path, by the end of the book everyone will have gone mad. Shakespeare’s point may be connected to how we rely on the truth from others, as well as how shaken we are when we find that what we know to be the truth is a lie.
How sharper than a serpent's tooth it is
ReplyDeleteTo have a thankless child! (1.4.302)
Rumble thy bellyful! Spit, fire! Spout, rain!
Nor rain, wind, thunder, fire, are my daughters:
I tax not you, you elements, with unkindness;
I never gave you kingdom, called you children,
You owe me no subscription: then, let fall
Your horrible pleasure; here I stand, your slave,
A poor, infirm, weak, and despised old man. (3.2.14)
These two quotes are connected by the motif of children being disrespectful to and doing awful things to their parents in order to get what they desire, a prevailing theme in this book. Both also are said by Lear, who has begun to understand and is hurt by the treachery of Goneril and Regan, and is insulting them for being ungrateful. Children throughout the book have a tendency to trick and manipulate their parents into doing their bidding solely for their own purposes, the only real exception being Cordelia who was ironically cast away from her father because he did not try and manipulate him to make him happy. In these quotations we can conclude that although Lear is insulting his daughters, it's really just all talk and he's helpless when it comes to what they're trying to do, as is the rest of the parents. It's interesting how the children throughout the entire story seem to be the powerful ones, and the parents are at their mercy. In a way it's like the children have assumed the parental role, but in a much more sinister way.
Who is it that can tell me who I am? (1.4.230)
ReplyDelete"It is the stars,
The stars above us, govern our conditions."
- William Shakespeare, King Lear, (4.3.34)
"Is this the promised end?"
- William Shakespeare, King Lear, (5.3.265)
The three quotes are connected by an underlying lack of control resulting in ones fate in the hand of others. Throughout the play many characters are manipulated or under the control of others, whether they know it or not. King Lear knows that his current situation is no longer controlled by his own personal desires, but instead his life is being run on the agenda of others. These characters are at the complete mercy of others and this situation has resulted in tremendous loss and pain. It is ironic however that Lear once ordered the lives of those around him, where now he is the one with no control. The relationship between Lear and his daughters also highlights a period of growth for the girls. They were exposed to the manipulative way of their leader all their lives and have now taken it upon themselves to act in this way. These actions have caused Lear to question his own life and identity as well as doubt the ties he previously had. The motif of identity and control appear in the novel over and over again in the novel and as fates become entwined and relationships broken, the future of the characters seem to be in greater danger. Many of the characters experiment with identity by using disguises in order to gain control of a situation without the risk of exposing their true motives. I believe the twisted transfer of control in the play is the driving force between most of the rifts in relationships, along with the constant uncertainty of identity.
"Have more than thou showest,
ReplyDeleteSpeak less than thou knowest,
Lend less than thou owest." (1.4.132)
"Ingratitude, thou marble-hearted fiend,
More hideous, when thou show'st thee in a child,
Than the sea-monster." (1.4.283)
In the first quote, the Fool “teaches a speech” to Lear. He warns Lear about his daughters during this part of the play. Like most of what the Fool says, Lear doesn’t seem to notice the real meaning. Later in this scene, Lear encounters the “ingratitude” of Goneril. Lear is appalled by her treasonous behavior—not long before she was saying how much she loved her father. The betrayal is even more painful to Lear because it is by his own child. The “marble-hearted fiend,” Ingratitude, looms over the entire play from this point. He not only visits Lear, but also Gloucester. Gloucester too was betrayed by his own child. Regan and Cornwall blinded Gloucester, yet in a way gave him sight. He had been blind to Edmund’s betrayal until they revealed the truth to him.
The quote by the Fool speaks of being cautious and suspicious. Parents put their trust in children who would later betray them. Behind each of the children’s treasonous acts is a desire to have their parent’s wealth. Thus the Fool advises that they don’t show all that they have, reveal all that they know, or lend more than they owe.
Together these quotes show the Fool's role in the play. In some ways he is wise, he sees what's happening to Lear and tells him what he should do, but his advice isn't taken seriously (I pity the fool)
Who is it that can tell me who I am?
ReplyDeleteKing Lear, 1.4.57
They told me I was every thing; 'tis a lie, I am not ague-proof. (4.6.107)
These quotations are connected because they show King Lear in two different states. The first quote is taken from Scene 1 Act 4 and Lear asks “Who is it that can tell me who I am?” Here, in the beginning, Lear was selfish and very full of himself, since he was the King he thought of himself as a God. Yet, after making the decision in splitting his land to two of his oldest daughters and realizes that he has made a mistake he questions himself. In the second quotation he finally realizes that Goneril and Regan do not truly love him, and that they lied to him in order to take control and power over the lands. Lear resents himself for having believed them and being so cocky that he was blinded. The two quotations I have chosen are important to the book as a whole because they represent the before and after results of a certain situation that occurred which changed his perspective on his life and himself. In the beginning he saw himself as the greatest person to have ever lived, then at the end he realizes that everything that was said to him that he thought he was was not, in fact, true.
4.6.175-184
ReplyDeleteThou rascal beadle, hold thy bloody hand!/ Why dost thou lash that whore? strip thy own back./ Thou hotly lusts to use her in that kind/ for which thou wipp’st her. the userer hangs the/ cozener./ Through tattered clothes small vices do appear./ Robes & furred gowns hide all.
3.6.12-23
Fool: No, he’s a yoeman that ha a gentleman to his/ son, for he’s a man yoeman that sees his son a/ gentleman before him./
Lear: to have a thousand with red burning spits/ come hissing in upon ‘em!/
Edgar: the foul fiend bites my back./
Fool: He’s mad that trusts in the tameness of a wolf, a horse’s health, a boy’s love, or a whore’s oath.
Lear: It shall be done. I will arraign them straight. [to Edgar] come, sit thou here, most learned justice. [to Fool] Thou sapient sir sit here.
A clown scene ijs an odd place to find such density of material but Shakespeare’s clowns are endowed with wisdom and insight. The king turns out to be the only fool amidst the clowns Edgar and the Fool, in act three, scene six. in this scene, Lear is just getting started fooling. By act four, scene six, he’s incapable (in the face of woe and the blind Gloucester) of being anything but churlish. Lear’s sentiment is the same in both scenes, but his topic is broadened--the distress that marked his initial tragic fall dismembered first his love for his treacherous daughters, and then his worldview and his mind itself. in act four, he is seen dissassembling society’s axioms--its value and its hierarchy. He accuses a proverbial member of the clergy of being cruel and of lechery; he defends whores; he exposes the fraud of style of dress. Lear’s foolish companions from act three try to protect him and guide him to sanity, mouthing proverbs, cautionary tales, warnings, alike--but they do so in a manner that seems to join Lear in his foolery. All the while, LEar is condemning his daughters and his fatherhood while becoming more and more loopy. his latter insights, though, have more quick. Lear’s insanity is his source of wisdom even in his downfall. he acts less as a sympathetic protagonist and mor as a narrator of the play’s assertions. Shakespeare’s audience must have been familiar with his clowns that too often spouted pithy insights, but that does not harm the mechanism whereby Shakespeare could criticize all society without making an afront on the audience; the fools, unlike monologues made by more serious characters, do not address the audience--I find myself racing to keep up with their witty banter, insulted before I know it. these two passages expose that. Taken too seriously, too stubbornly, any philosophy can be harmful. The act three passage, for example, implies that parents shouldn’t take any pride in their children,nor should we trust unlikely semblances to be true. taken with a grain of salt and read in context, and given perspective, these statements are profound.