--- product_id: 19052134 title: "King Lear (Ignatius Critical Editions)" brand: "william shakespearejoseph pearce" price: "€ 25.81" currency: EUR in_stock: true reviews_count: 4 url: https://www.desertcart.at/products/19052134-king-lear-ignatius-critical-editions store_origin: AT region: Austria --- # King Lear (Ignatius Critical Editions) **Brand:** william shakespearejoseph pearce **Price:** € 25.81 **Availability:** ✅ In Stock ## Quick Answers - **What is this?** King Lear (Ignatius Critical Editions) by william shakespearejoseph pearce - **How much does it cost?** € 25.81 with free shipping - **Is it available?** Yes, in stock and ready to ship - **Where can I buy it?** [www.desertcart.at](https://www.desertcart.at/products/19052134-king-lear-ignatius-critical-editions) ## Best For - william shakespearejoseph pearce enthusiasts ## Why This Product - Trusted william shakespearejoseph pearce brand quality - Free international shipping included - Worldwide delivery with tracking - 15-day hassle-free returns ## Description King Lear: Ignatius Critical Editions ## Images ![King Lear (Ignatius Critical Editions) - Image 1](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/61waNU7z6rL.jpg) ## Customer Reviews ### ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ 5.0 out of 5 stars Five Stars *by B***D on Reviewed in the United States on April 9, 2015* Very happy with book and with seller. ### ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ 5.0 out of 5 stars King Lear is only a masterpiece if we undertand Shakespeare's intention *by M***N on Reviewed in the United States on October 21, 2010* Yes, this book does not discuss the difference between Folio and Quatro, as Scanlon complains, but why is that necessary if the other critical editions have already dealt with it? This book wants to deal with Shakespeare's message rather than the medium of the message.Ever since the 1960's, post-modernistic nihilistic commentators have viewed King Lear as a post-modernistic nihilistic play. It is a tragedy where good people die with no hope and no meaning.But Shakespeare did not write in the 1960's. He wrote in Elisabethean England, when Catholics and Puritans were routinely executed for their faith. This was right after the Reformation. Christendom was divided between Catholics and Protestants. The British government came up with a middle way - Anglicanism, which was definitely not Catholic and not quite Protestant. This was not acceptable to many Catholics and Protestants (Puritans). There is evidence that Shakespeare personally knew people who met their deaths because they would not compromise their religion for the government's middle way. So the issue back then was not whether there was meaning in the world. The issue was whether that the government had the right to impose on the people what that meaning should be.King Lear wanted to retire from the throne. Normally, the heir to the throne would be the oldest child, Regan. But Lear had a special love toward his youngest child, Cordelia, and wanted to leave his throne to her. So Lear came up with a third way, just as the Elizabethean government chose a middle way. The middle way was to divide England equally for his three daughters. But he demanded from his daughters an expression of their total love and loyalty to him. The first two daughters complied. Cordelia would only love his father has much as a daughter should love his father - no more and no less. To a Christian audience at that time, this must have reminded them of Christ's admonishment that we should render unto Caesar that which is Caesar's, and to God that which is God's. The government at the time of Shakespeare was demanding from its people that they render unto the Caesar that which belonged to God - their faith. They were called the people to abandon their Catholic or Puritan faiths and submit to the Church of England with the Queen as the supreme head of the church. Those who refused were executed, just as Cordelia was banished for not giving all to King Lear.The consequences of Lear demanding from his daughters all their love was tragic. The daughters who complied turned against Lear when Lear was no longer the king. The one who stayed loyal to Lear was the one who would not compromise. Was this a soft message to the Queen that her most loyal subjects were the ones who would not compromise their principles to her?This was just one example of how this book opened my eyes to the message of Shakespeare in the play King Lear. There are many others. I appreciate this series' commitment to find the intention of the author, and how his contemporary audience would have understood that message. I am tired of authors being molded into the minds of their critics, instead of the authors speaking for themselves. Only by letting Shakespeare speak for himself can we understand why Shakespeare was the greatest English writer ever. ### ⭐⭐⭐⭐ 4.0 out of 5 stars Four Stars *by G***R on Reviewed in the United States on October 20, 2014* Very good! --- ## Why Shop on Desertcart? - 🛒 **Trusted by 1.3+ Million Shoppers** — Serving international shoppers since 2016 - 🌍 **Shop Globally** — Access 737+ million products across 21 categories - 💰 **No Hidden Fees** — All customs, duties, and taxes included in the price - 🔄 **15-Day Free Returns** — Hassle-free returns (30 days for PRO members) - 🔒 **Secure Payments** — Trusted payment options with buyer protection - ⭐ **TrustPilot Rated 4.5/5** — Based on 8,000+ happy customer reviews **Shop now:** [https://www.desertcart.at/products/19052134-king-lear-ignatius-critical-editions](https://www.desertcart.at/products/19052134-king-lear-ignatius-critical-editions) --- *Product available on Desertcart Austria* *Store origin: AT* *Last updated: 2026-05-05*