Shakespeare's Tragic Vision in "King Lear": A Religious Perspectivewith Rev. David RobbWilliam Shakespeare, widely regarded as the greatest English dramatist of all time, is especially noted for his originality and experimental genius in several known genres of dramatic literature: history, comedy, tragedy, and near the end of his career, by creating a new genre unprecedented before him later dubbed “romances.” Among all of his plays, "King Lear" stands out as a monumental work, and is now acknowledged by most modern scholars as his greatest achievement. It is frequently compared to Bach’s achievement in the B Minor Mass, Rembrandt’s paintings, Tolstoy’s "War and Peace," or Beethoven’s Ninth Symphony.Perhaps "King Lear" appears to rise above many of his other great works, especially in our contemporary situation, because, of all his plays, it appears most able to reflect the spiritual dilemmas of our time. In many ways, "King Lear" is a religious drama—not because Shakespeare presents us with clear dogmatic religious options. He does not. But the play forces us to confront profoundly our own spiritual dilemmas—life and death,power and sacrifice, madness and truth, violence and compassion—in compelling ways. This spring, Glenda Jackson, the great English actress, will bring her interpretation of this role—a first for a female actress—to New York after her highly acclaimed performances this past year in London. It seems then a particularly pertinent time to revisit this very powerful work of one of the most imaginative and insightful dramatists of all time. It will also mark the final series of presentations by David Robb in his role as Director of the Adult Education program at All Souls.March 24: King Lear, Acts 2 and 3Rev. David Robb is Assistant Minister for Adult Education and Scholar-In-Residence at All Souls. In addition to his ministry with All Souls, he is also a licensed psychotherapist and pastoral counselor with a practice in New York City, and an Associate of Kenwood Psychological Services. He formerly taught as a part-time member of the Theology Department at Georgetown University, and as an Assistant Professor of Religious Studies at Connecticut College.