Shakespeare’s company was known as The King’s Men and many of the plays were produced with a Royal Command Performance in mind. She was succeeded by James VI of Scotland who later became James I of England, Scotland and Ireland – the first early version of the United Kingdom. Queen Elizabeth I had died in 1603 without a direct heir to the throne. We also need to be aware of the historical events taking place in England around 1605 when this play was written. This is very similar to the underlying theme in Shakespeare’s King Lear. The Children of Lir, for instance, is a tale from the early Christian period that mixes magical elements such as druidic wands and spells with a Christian message of faith bringing freedom from suffering. For us Irish, even the name Lear/Lir conjures up legendary tales from Irish mythology. It has been sometimes described as a Christian play with a pagan setting. King Lear is set in England – an England before history, a country of swirling mists and violent tempests where ancient gods hold sway.
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