Familiarality in King Lear

As I began my reading of the first act of King Lear, I began to notice something almost immediately. I quickly began to see themes and elements that have arose in other plays that we have read start to surface. I feel that some of these themes and elements are important to point out and discuss as a reflection of the lessons that Shakespeare might be trying to portray in these repeated motifs.

At the very beginning of this play, we see a scenario beginning to play out that we have seen before in Measure for Measure. We learn that Kent has impregnated a woman out of wedlock just as Claudio impregnated Juliet in Measure for Measure. Gloucester informs us of this in the following lines:
Sir, this young fellow's mother could; whereupon
she grew round-wombed, and had, indeed, sir a son for her
cradle ere she had a husband for her bed. Do you smell a
fault? (12-15)
In these lines, Gloucester has explained that Kent has conceived a child with a woman out of wedlock whether or not he wants to accept that fact. Furthermore, he asks Kent if he smells a fault which our footnote tells us may be a pun on female genitals, but I took it to mean that Gloucester is accusing of smelling a fault and this is why he hasn't "conceived" that he has an illegitimate child. In Measure for Measure we see the same type of scenario played out a different way. Claudio has impregnated Juliet and was punished harshly for it even though, unlike Kent, he intends to marry the mother of his child. This is very interesting to me and I wonder why Shakespeare chooses to portray this inconsistency. On another note, I have also considered the theme of illegitimacy that seems to arise a lot in Shakespeare's plays. Whether it be through illegitimate birth or illegitimately obtaining kingship, it seems to be another motif Shakespeare plays with.

Speaking of kingship, Shakespeare makes a very interesting decision in act I to include another element that we have seen arise in other plays. In a speech made by King Lear, he makes reference to something we have seen in most of the history plays we have read thus far, but seen mostly in Henry IV. King Lear says;
Tell me, my daughters--
Since now we will divest us, both of rule,
Interest of territory, cares of state-- (46-48)
We see again here the weight that the Crown bears on those that wear it. We have seen the weight that the crown bears in the struggles of the Kings in our history plays but mostly in King Henry IV when we are shown King Henry IV warning his son of the overwhelming weight and responsibility that is placed upon a king. I found it really interesting that we see it brought up again here by King Lear.

Another familiar element that has arose in the very beginning of this play is the concept of disowning a family member. King Lear has decided that he is going to disown his daughter, Cordelia, because she is unable to put her feelings for him into words. He says to her;
By all the operation of the orbs
From whom we do exist and cease to be;
Here I disclaim all my paternal care,
Propinquity and property of blood.. (111-114)
Here we find out that King Lear has, in fact, disowned his daughter just as Shylock does in The Merchant of Venice when Jessica runs off with Lorenzo to be married and become a Christian. I think that Shakespeare might be trying to tell us here that disobedient daughters will not be tolerated. Evidence from both of these plays can be proof of that.

Lastly, I have also found a parallel between Kent and another character we met in Measure for Measure. After King Lear vows to disown Cordelia, Kent takes it upon himself to make the King realize the flaw of his ways. Kent says to King Lear;
Kill thy physician, and the fee bestow
Upon thy foul disease. Revoke thy doom;
Or, whilst I can vent clamor from my throat,
I'll tell thee thou dost evil. (164-167)
We saw this same situation with Isabelle in Measure for Measure. She attempts to have the interim Duke Angelo realize the error of his ways for the punishment he had bestowed upon her brother, Claudio. Isabella, like Kent, have made it clear that they do not care how their actions effect their lives, they are going to do what they have to do to set the record straight and change the minds of those in power.

I was really happy when I began to read King Lear and began this process of total recall from past readings. It is so intriguing to me how Shakespeare portrays certain themes and elements in each play and how parallels can be drawn between them.