King Lear Close Reading Worksheets Bundle

Support the development of close reading skills with this bundle of worksheets composed of challenging questions designed to help high school students analyze Shakespeare's classic tragedy King Lear. With a resource for each individual scene, this resource saves teachers valuable time without sacrificing academic rigor. Answer keys are provided, and all materials are delivered in both Word Document and PDF formats. Information on each activity follows.

Act 1, Scene 1, Close Reading Exercise. Questions pertain to the following:

• Examining Cordelia's comments to discern meaning: "I cannot heave / My heart into my mouth."

• Examining the author's word choices to logically articulate the tone of an excerpt.

• Defining archaic vocabulary in context to support reading comprehension.

• Determining the significance of given details using reasoned thinking and context clues as guides.

• Drawing logical inferences about character intentions and motivations.

• Conducting research on a historical concept relevant to the passage.

• Applying knowledge of literary devices including alliteration and situational irony.

• Analyzing author's craft to better understand characterization

Act 1, Scene 2, Close Reading Exercise. By completing this exercise, students will:

• Articulate and analyze what the text states explicitly and implicitly

• Discern the meaning of complex words and phrases in context

• Discern the primary function of a particular excerpt

• Explore cause-and-effect relationships

• Explore Gloucester's mode of thinking

• Analyze how complex characters interact

• Explore character motivations

• Cite textual evidence in support of ideas and claims

• Write with clarity and precision

Act 1, Scene 3, Close Reading Exercise. By completing this exercise, students will:

• Articulate and analyze what the text states explicitly and implicitly

• Discern the meaning of complex words and phrases in context

• Analyze how complex characters interact

• Explore character motivations

• Apply knowledge of literary devices

• Explore cause-and-effect relationships

• Cite textual evidence in support of ideas and claims

• Write with clarity and precision

Act 1, Scene 4, Close Reading Exercise. By completing this exercise, students will:

• Articulate and analyze what the text states explicitly and implicitly

• Discern the meaning of complex words and figurative language in context

• Analyze how complex characters interact

• Explore character motivations

• Apply knowledge of literary devices including synecdoche, antithesis, aphorism, and allusion

• Explore cause-and-effect relationships

Act 1, Scene 5, Close Reading Exercise. By engaging in this exercise, students will:

• Discern and articulate what the text states explicitly and implicitly

• Analyze character actions and dialogue to discern their motivations

• Analyze Shakespeare's craft with special attention paid to the implementation of literary devices including diacope and double denotation, or dual interpretations of a character's words and phrases

• Articulate how a snail is more fortunate than Lear is in context

• Discern the primary functions of the scene

• Write with clarity, logic, and precision

Act 2, Scene 1, Close Reading Exercise. By completing this exercise, students will:

• Articulate and analyze what the text states explicitly and implicitly

• Discern the meaning of complex words and figurative language in context

• Analyze how complex characters interact

• Explore character motivations

• Apply knowledge of literary devices including situational irony, metaphor, assonance, and personification

• Compare Gloucester and Lear

• Determine the function of a given passage

• Cite textual evidence in support of claims and ideas

• Explore cause-and-effect relationships

• Write with clarity and precision

Act 2, Scene 2, Close Reading Exercise. By completing this exercise, students will:

• Articulate and analyze what the text states explicitly and implicitly

• Discern the meaning of complex words and figurative language in context

• Analyze how complex characters interact

• Explore character motivations

• Apply knowledge of literary devices including personification and metaphor

• Determine the function of a given passage

• Cite textual evidence in support of claims and ideas

• Write ideas with clarity and precision

Act 2, Scene 3, Close Reading Exercise. By completing this exercise, students will:

• Articulate and analyze what the text states explicitly and implicitly

• Discern the meaning of complex words and figurative language in context

• Determine which part of speech is represented in a given word

• Analyze how complex characters interact

• Explore character motivations

• Apply knowledge of literary devices including personification, hyperbole, metaphor, onomatopoeia, inversion, and more

• Determine the function of the scene

• Demonstrate general awareness of the characteristics of an Elizabethan audience

• Compare and contrast two characters (Edgar and Lear)

• Cite textual evidence in support of claims and ideas

• Write ideas with clarity and precision

Act 2, Scene 4, Close Reading Exercise. More specifically, questions pertain to the following:

• Drawing logical inferences about Regan's self-image

• Applying knowledge of situational irony to the interaction between Regan and Lear

• Using context clues to discern a logical tone in an excerpt

• Drawing logical inferences about Lear's mental and emotional state

• Applying knowledge of metaphor, analyzing and articulating its purpose in an excerpt.

• Applying knowledge of hyperbole, articulating how it is portrayed in an excerpt

• Analyzing character motivations

• Applying knowledge of dramatic irony in the passage and explaining its effect on the reader

Act 3, Scene 1, Close Reading Exercise. By completing this exercise, students will:

• Articulate and analyze what the text states explicitly and implicitly

• Discern the meaning of complex words and figurative language in context

• Analyze how complex characters interact

• Explore character motivations

• Apply knowledge of literary devices including assonance, hyperbole, and apheresis

• Explore cause-and-effect relationships

• Cite textual evidence in support of claims and ideas

• Write ideas with clarity and precision

Act 3, Scene 2, Close Reading Exercise. By completing this exercise, students will:

• Articulate and analyze what the text states explicitly and implicitly

• Analyze how complex characters interact and develop over the course of the scene

• Articulate the purpose of the storm from Lear's perspective

• Identify several examples of personification

• Make logical inferences about the author's intent, articulating why Shakespeare would have had Lear speak about Nature in a personified manner

• Apply knowledge of literary devices such as metaphor

• Discern the meaning of complex words and figurative language in context

• Explain the verbal irony present in a given passage

• Explore character motivations

• Cite textual evidence in support of claims and ideas

• Write ideas with clarity and precision

Act 3, Scene 3, Close Reading Exercise. By completing this exercise, students will:

• Articulate and analyze what the text states explicitly and implicitly, with emphasis on Gloucester's characterization as benevolent, Gloucester's jeopardizing of his personal safety, and Edmund's rationalization of his sinister behavior

• Apply knowledge of literary devices such as consonance and dramatic irony

• Discern the meaning of complex words and figurative language in context

• Explain the irony present in a given remark

• Explore character motivations

• Cite textual evidence in support of claims and ideas

• Write ideas with clarity and precision

Act 3, Scene 4, Close Reading Exercise. By engaging in this exercise, students will:

• Discern and articulate what the text states explicitly and implicitly

• Analyze a portion of text to discern tone in context

• Conduct brief research on the symbolism of pelicans and use knowledge gained to inform analysis as to why Lear refers to his children as "pelican daughters"

• Analyze the symbolism of clothing in the context of the scene

• Analyze character actions and dialogue to discern their motivations

• Define complex words and phrases in context, taking into consideration denotative definitions and connotative associations

• Identify textual details that contribute to Edgar's characterization as a maniac

• Analyze how a complex character develops, including how behaviors and statements within a single scene may prove both contradictory and character-defining

• Analyze Shakespeare's craft to discern and articulate how language contributes to the development of a chaotic and tense atmosphere

• Write with clarity, logic, and precision

Act 3, Scene 5, Close Reading Exercise. By engaging in this exercise, students will:

• Articulate and analyze what the text states explicitly and implicitly, with emphasis on Edmund's characterization as blasphemous, Cornwall's characterization as sympathetic toward Edmund, and Cornwall's changing perspective on Edgar's alleged plot to murder his father

• Apply knowledge of literary devices

• Discern the meaning of complex words in context

• Explain the irony of a given remark

• Explore character motivations

• Cite textual evidence in support of claims and ideas

• Write ideas with clarity and precision

Act 3, Scene 6, Close Reading Exercise. By engaging in this exercise, students will:

• Discern and articulate what the text states explicitly and implicitly

• Analyze character dialogue to discern and articulate how it represents the literary device of paradox

• Examine cause-and-effect relationships

• Analyze character dialogue to discern what it implies about Lear's mindset

• Analyze Shakespeare's use of language and how it meaning is shaped by dual interpretations

• Analyze the significance of a given detail

• Discern and articulate a primary function of the scene

• Discern the mood of the scene and articulate how Shakespeare's use of language influences mood

• Write with clarity, logic, and precision

Act 3, Scene 7, Close Reading Exercise. By engaging in this exercise, students will:

• Articulate and analyze what the text states explicitly and implicitly, with emphasis on Cornwall's relationship with Albany, Gloucester's conduct after being blinded, Shakespeare's use of figurative language, and Gloucester's allusion to bear baiting

• Apply knowledge of literary devices including simile, hyperbole, imagery, and situational irony

• Explore character motivations

• Explore cause-and-effect relationships

• Cite textual evidence in support of claims and ideas

• Write ideas with clarity and precision

Act 4, Scene 1, Close Reading Exercise. By engaging in this exercise, students will:

• Discern and articulate what the text states explicitly and implicitly

• Examine cause-and-effect relationships

• Write with clarity, logic, and precision

• Analyze character interactions to discern what they reveal about a character's emotional state

• Discern the meaning of metaphorical language

• Discern the tone of a given excerpt

• Analyze Edgar's dynamic character

Act 4, Scene 2, Close Reading Exercise. By engaging in this exercise, students will:

• Articulate and analyze what the text states explicitly and implicitly, with emphasis on the relationship between Goneril and Edmund, the relationship between Goneril and Regan, the significance of Albany's word choices, and dynamic character

• Apply knowledge of literary devices including onomatopoeia, hyperbole, metaphor, and more

• Analyze how complex characters think, develop, and interact

• Explore character motivations

• Evaluate whether Lear is better off or worse off as a result of plot developments in this scene

• Cite textual evidence in support of claims and ideas

• Write ideas with clarity and precision

Act 4, Scene 3, Close Reading Exercise. By engaging in this exercise, students will:

• Articulate and analyze what the text states explicitly and implicitly, with emphasis on Lear's emotional state and Cordelia's merciful demeanor

• Apply knowledge of literary devices including simile and metaphor

• Analyze how complex characters think, develop, and interact

• Define complex words and phrases in context

• Isolate an example of figurative language from among several possibilities

• Cite textual evidence in support of claims and ideas

• Write ideas with clarity and precision

Act 4, Scene 4, Close Reading Exercise. By engaging in this exercise, students will:

• Discern and articulate what the text states explicitly and implicitly

• Write with clarity, logic, and precision

• Explore cause-and-effect relationships

• Analyze figurative language to discern author's intent

• Explore the symbolism of weeds in context

• Identify motivations

• Cite textual evidence to support the claim that Cordelia is selfless

• Articulate the function of the scene

Act 4, Scene 5, Close Reading Exercise. By engaging in this exercise, students will:

• Demonstrate comprehension of general plot

• Discern what the text states explicitly and implicitly

• Apply knowledge of literary devices with emphasis on assonance, alliteration, and sibilance

• Analyze how complex characters think, develop, and interact

• Explore character motivations

• Identify the main function of the scene

Act 4, Scene 6, Close Reading Exercise. By engaging in this exercise, students will:

• Discern and articulate what the text states explicitly and implicitly

• Write with clarity, logic, and precision

• Explore cause-and-effect relationships

• Analyze imagery to discern author's intent

• Explore character motivations

• Apply knowledge of literary devices including paradox and metaphor

• Analyze the author's diction

Act 4, Scene 7, Close Reading Exercise. By engaging in this exercise, students will:

• Articulate and analyze what the text states explicitly and implicitly, with emphasis on how dramatic irony is applied and what Lear has gained despite the abuse he has suffered

• Apply knowledge of literary devices

• Analyze how complex characters think, develop, and interact

• Isolate factual statements about plot from falsehoods

• Explore the author's intent

• Analyze figurative language

• Cite textual evidence in support of claims and ideas

• Write ideas with clarity and precision

Act 5, Scene 1, Close Reading Exercise. By engaging in this exercise, students will:

• Discern and articulate what the text states explicitly and implicitly

• Write with clarity, logic, and precision

• Explore cause-and-effect relationships

• Analyze character actions to discern emotional states

• Define complex words and phrases in context

• Analyze how a character contributes to another character's development

• Apply knowledge of internal conflict

• Analyze character motivations

Act 5, Scene 2, Close Reading Exercise. By engaging in this exercise, students will:

• Articulate and analyze what the text states explicitly and implicitly, with emphasis on how Edgar demonstrates genuine concern for Gloucester

• Analyze the author's craft, inferring why Shakespeare may have chosen to underemphasize the war battle in this scene

• Apply knowledge of literary devices including personification

• Analyze how complex characters think, develop, and interact

• Discern the tone of a given excerpt

• Use reference materials to confirm an understanding of complex words and phrases

• Isolate factual statements about plot from falsehoods

• Cite textual evidence in support of claims and ideas

• Write ideas with clarity and precision

Act 5, Scene 3, Close Reading Exercise. By engaging in this exercise, students will:

• Articulate and analyze what the text states explicitly and implicitly, with emphasis on Lear's emotional and psychological state and Kent's unwavering loyalty

• Analyze the author's craft, inferring why Shakespeare may have applied specific figurative language

• Apply knowledge of literary devices including metaphor, simile, oxymoron, and onomatopoeia

• Analyze how complex characters think, develop, and interact

• Use reference materials to confirm an understanding of complex words and phrases

• Isolate a falsehood from a set of factual statements about plot

• Cite textual evidence in support of claims and ideas

• Write ideas with clarity and precision