Year 12 IB Extended Essays 2017

choleric years bring” (Appendix 2), as his unsympathetic daughter Goneril puts it; referring to

the realisation of imminent senility (Mabillard, 2011). In a moment of true vulnerability, Lear

admits that he has become “a very foolish, fond old man,” and he fears he is “not in … perfect

mind.” (Appendix 6) This appears to be a turning point for Lear’s mentality, as he regains his

recognition of Cordelia, suggesting the return of his sanity.

Lear and Cordelia , by Ford Madox Brown (1848)

Extended Essay

ENGLISH A1

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