Exactly as high proof of incest can be seen inside Queen Lear, very also can several lines of your own Cinderella folktale. In fact, the fresh appear to talked about like-take to at the beginning of the brand new enjoy has been recognized as tale method of 923, “Like Such as for instance Salt.” In 1886 Age. S. Hartland branded the original out-of just what he consider have been four distinguishable form of “The brand new Outcast Child” once the “Queen Lear sort of” (310), and also in 1893 Marian Cox regarded the initial elements of Cover o’ Rushes (a version of one’s Cinderella facts) since the “Queen Lear Judgment — Enjoying Such as Salt” (xxv, 80). This new folktale always concludes towards the marriage with the child so you can an effective prince — exactly as Christabel sooner or later marries their unique prince, according to Coleridge’s apparent agreements to possess concluding his unfinished ballad.(7)
Which folktale includes a fundamental patch associated with an initial love-test where a master desires one to their around three daughters state its fascination with him
While Cox categorized “Queen Lear Wisdom — Loving Such as for example Salt” into the Cover o’ Rushes facts types of, Anna Rooth categorized the storyline into Catskin story sorts of (14-15, 19-20) — as well as beneath the same plot outline listed above. During the Rooth’s examination of the fresh Cinderella legend that it collection of Limit o’ Rushes and Catskin tales represents brand new Aarne-Thompson classification “The dress from Silver, from Gold, and of Stars” (Aarne and you may Thompson 82). Amongst the Catskin and brud kГ¶per Limit o’ Rushes reports the only recognize factors cover the look of new “King Lear Wisdom” plus the “Outcast Woman” when you look at the Cover o’ Rushes. ” Considering Alan Dundes, “This will be from astounding significance during the trying know King Lear” (234). To the area article on “The dress out-of Silver, from Silver, as well as Superstars,” with one another Catskin and you may Cover o’ Rushes aspects, begins as follows: “Expose of dad who wants to marry his or her own daughter.” And the principal motifs throughout the tale were such: (1) a beneficial deathbed guarantee towards second partner; (2) good lecherous father; (3) a dad exactly who casts their child onward when she will not get married your; and (4) the trip of one’s maiden to flee marriage. “The gist of the many which,” states Dundes, “is that the ‘love for example salt, spot seems to be a weaker style of the newest folktale area in which good `mad’ father attempts to wed his own child” (234).
Because of the has an effect on on the King Lear from these some elements of brand new Cinderella tale, Dundes asserts the play need discover on daughter’s angle — not the dad’s, indicating ergo so it works together with “`daughter-father’ incest in place of ‘father-daughter’ incest!” (235). But as the Shakespeare entitled the fresh new play the Disaster regarding King Lear and since they centers mainly with the Lear’s attention and you will issues, on the other hand is — and ought to — end up being advised. And not simply enjoys Freud, Bransom, and a host of other Shakespeare experts recommended therefore, however, thus has also that great progenitor off Shakespeare grievance — Samuel Taylor Coleridge, who emphasized in his notes to own a great lecture with the Lear (dated January twenty eight, 1819) your king try “the main topic-case of the newest enjoy.(8)
The next, their favorite, replies one to their own love is like salt in order to fresh animal meat and you may she actually is forthwith declined and banished by the furious king
You to definitely Coleridge identified when you look at the Queen Lear areas of the newest cinderella legend and of incest look somewhat obvious from their crucial comments on the this new gamble. Which he incorporated similar issue from inside the Christabel seems equally beloved. Offered, his really sustained opinions with the Lear did not emerge until his lecture inside the January 1819. But he previously said the fresh problem regarding next lecture regarding his 1811-a dozen collection, and then he said toward play on deeper duration on fourteenth lecture. While doing so, since Roentgen. Good. Foakes points out, Coleridge got studied King Lear along with created a few annotations inside in two editions out-of Shakespeare — one longer annotation being old January step one, 1813 (5.dos.323). Even when his statements and you will annotations took place adopting the composition off Christabel (1797-1800), he was discovering and you may considering Shakespeare frequently as well as forever — ” every day . since i is 10 years old,” as he shown in the cards to own a great lecture on 19, 1812(5.step one.429).
