Just as extreme proof of incest might be detected in Queen Lear, very also can numerous lines of Cinderella folktale. Indeed, new apparently talked about like-sample early in the newest gamble could have been recognized as tale type 923, “Love Like Sodium.” In 1886 Age. S. Hartland branded the initial regarding just what the guy imagine was basically five distinguishable sorts of “The brand new Outcast Youngster” as the “King Lear method of” (310), and in 1893 Marian Cox described the original areas of Cap o’ Rushes (a variant of one’s Cinderella story) since “Queen Lear Wisdom — Enjoying Such as for instance Salt” (xxv, 80). Brand new folktale constantly closes into relationships on the child in order to a good prince — just as Christabel eventually marries their particular prince, according to Coleridge’s obvious preparations to have finishing his unfinished ballad.(7)
It folktale consists of a standard spot associated with an initial love-sample in which a master needs you to his around three daughters state its love for your
While Cox classified “Queen Lear Judgment — Enjoying Including Sodium” on the Cover o’ Rushes tale particular, Anna Rooth classified the story into the Catskin story kind of (14-fifteen, 19-20) — and under the exact same patch schema in the above list. Inside Rooth’s study of new Cinderella legend so it group regarding Cover o’ Rushes and Catskin stories represents the brand new Aarne-Thompson group “The dress away from Gold, away from Silver, as well as A-listers” (Aarne and Thompson 82). Involving the Catskin and you may Limit o’ Rushes tales the only real identifying elements encompass the appearance of the newest “King Lear Wisdom” additionally the “Outcast Woman” in Limit o’ Rushes. ” Considering Alan Dundes, “This might be out of enormous benefit in the seeking see Queen Lear” (234). Into the patch breakdown of “Clothes from Silver, regarding Gold, and of Celebrities,” which Tomsk brides marriage includes each other Catskin and you can Cap o’ Rushes points, begins below: “Introduce of father who wants to marry his or her own child.” Additionally the principal motifs on facts include these: (1) a beneficial deathbed vow in regards to the next wife; (2) a lecherous father; (3) a father which casts their child onward whenever she does not want to marry him; and you may (4) the fresh journey of one’s maiden to escape relationship. “Brand new gist of all the that it,” states Dundes, “is that the ‘love such as for instance salt, area seems to be a weakened variety of this new folktale area in which a beneficial `mad’ dad attempts to marry their own daughter” (234).
Because of the affects into the King Lear because of these individuals elements of the fresh new Cinderella tale, Dundes asserts that gamble must be understand on daughter’s position — perhaps not the newest dad’s, indicating therefore which works closely with “`daughter-father’ incest as opposed to ‘father-daughter’ incest!” (235). However, once the Shakespeare named the latest play the Catastrophe of King Lear and because they concentrates generally into Lear’s head and you may points, on the contrary is also — and should — getting recommended. And not only features Freud, Bransom, and a number of other Shakespeare experts ideal ergo, but so has that great progenitor away from Shakespeare issue — Samuel Taylor Coleridge, exactly who showcased in his notes to own an effective lecture towards the Lear (old January twenty-eight, 1819) that king are “the main topic-matter of the latest play.(8)
The next, his favourite, reactions one to their like is like salt so you’re able to new meats and you will she is forthwith refused and you will banished from the frustrated king
You to Coleridge sensed for the Queen Lear parts of the brand new cinderella legend as well as incest search quite clear off his crucial statements to the new gamble. That he provided comparable points during the Christabel looks equally precious. Offered, his really sustained commentary on the Lear failed to appear up to their lecture in the January 1819. However, he had mentioned the brand new problem about 2nd lecture regarding their 1811-several show, and then he said to your play at the greater duration about fourteenth lecture. On the other hand, as the R. A great. Foakes highlights, Coleridge got read King Lear together with authored a few annotations inside in two editions out-of Shakespeare — one to lengthened annotation having been dated January step 1, 1813 (5.2.323). In the event his commentary and annotations occurred pursuing the composition from Christabel (1797-1800), he was learning and you may thinking about Shakespeare apparently and also for a lifetime — ” each and every day . since i have is ten years old,” when he expressed in his notes to possess a lecture on may 19, 1812(5.step 1.429).
