King Lear and the Bible

In my readings of “Shakespeare: The Invention of the Human”, I found myself particularly interested in Harold Bloom’s comparison of King Lear to King Solomon. Bloom mentions that he has read many critical analysis that set a relationship up between King Lear and Job, but Bloom doesn’t by it anymore. He instead think Shakespeare thought more about the story of King Solomon toward the end of his days and his reign. Bloom gives this passage as textual evidence Shakespeare may have associated Lear with Solomon:

“I myself am also mortal and a man like all other, and am come of him that was first made of the earth.

And in my mothers womb was I facioned to be flesh in ten moneths: I was broght together into blood of the sede of man, and by the pleasure that cometh with slepe.

And when I was borne, I received the commune aire, and fel upon the earth, which is of like nature, crying & weeping at the first as all other do.

I was nourished in swaddling clothes, and with cares. For there is no King that had anie other beginning of birth. All men then have one entrance unto life, and a like going out.”

– Geneva Bible, Wisdom of Solomon 7:1-6

This passage of the Geneva Bible, Bloom says is alluded to by Lear in his speech to Gloucester in act IV scene 6:

“Lear: If thou wilt weep my fortunes, take my eyes;

I know thee well enough; thy name is Gloucester;

Thou must be patient; we came crying hither:

Thou know’st the first time that we smell the air

We wawl and cry. I will preach to thee: mark.

Gloucester: Alack, alack the day!

Lear: When we are born, we cry that we are come

To this great stage of fools.”

Similar to Solomon, Bloom makes the point that after Lear his kingdom was divided. Bloom states that James himself may have seen “in the aged Lear the aged Solomon, each in their eighties, each needing and wanting love, and each worthy of love.”

“Shakespeare: The Invention of the Human” by Harold Bloom pg. 477-478