William Shakespeare’s King Lear as a tragedy of anthropological crisis

Гальчук, Оксана Василівна (2026) William Shakespeare’s King Lear as a tragedy of anthropological crisis Modern Philology (6). pp. 41-49. ISSN 3041-1564, 3041-1556

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Abstract

The aim of the article is to examine William Shakespeare’s tragedy King Lear as a literary embodiment of an anthropological crisis, understood as a profound rupture of the fundamental coordinates of human existence under conditions of power collapse, family breakdown, and civilizational disintegration. Within the broader motif of «the testing of humanity», the tragedy is interpreted not merely as a personal or political drama, but as an existential ordeal that calls into question the foundations of human identity, ethics, and the very meaning of existence. To reveal the anthropological crisis as the dominant motif of King Lear, the study combines close textual analysis with anthropological and literary-theoretical approaches. The tragedy is viewed as a philosophical laboratory in which humanity is tested, judged, and ultimately mourned. Such a perspective restores the play’s ethical and existential sharpness and encourages the contemporary reader to reflect on what remains of humanistic foundations once all social and moral institutions have disintegrated. The article conceptually outlines the anthropological crisis as a breakdown of the basic coordinates of human being: power, family, trust, and natural order. It traces the crisis of authority through the motif of Lear’s abdication, which acts as a detonator of chaos and deprives royal power of its sacral and symbolic legitimacy. The theme of fatherhood is examined as a central axis of the tragedy: Lear’s collapse as a father exposes the disintegration of love, justice, and mutual recognition within familial relations. Ultimately, the tragedy emerges as an artistic vision of civilizational catastrophe, embodied in the topos of the desolate heath, extreme manifestations of cruelty, and the inversion of the natural order. The conclusions regarding King Lear as an expression of an anthropological crisis open up avenues for further research in contemporary literary studies, particularly in trauma studies, ecocriticism, and political theology.

Item Type:	Article
Uncontrolled Keywords:	William Shakespeare; anthropological crisis; motif of the examination of humanity; problem of power; crisis of fatherhood; civilizational breakdown; interpretation
Subjects:	Статті у базах даних > Index Copernicus Статті у періодичних виданнях > Фахові (входять до переліку фахових, затверджений МОН)
Divisions:	Факультет української філології, культури і мистецтва > Кафедра світової літератури
Depositing User:	професор Оксана Гальчук
Date Deposited:	16 Apr 2026 12:02
Last Modified:	16 Apr 2026 12:02
URI:	https://elibrary.kubg.edu.ua/id/eprint/56984

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