It is surprising that Shakespeare's King Lear is not treated as a comedy. His depiction of a power-hungry nobility only serves to mock the monarchical system. Both of Lear's eldest daughters deceive their father to gain his rich lands, and Edmund the bastard cannot stop killing and lying to climb the royal succession. This backstabbing nature of the monarchy is exactly what makes it so ridiculous. More importantly, Shakespeare depicts the tragic life of King Lear, an abdicated ruler. The play centers on Lear's struggle to maintain the respect of his subjects and the love of his daughters, both of which he loses. With these examples, Shakespeare makes a keen comment on the superfluity of the ruling class, and Lear's fate becomes a stand-in for Shakespeare's attitude towards the "nobility". Shakespeare wrote King Lear around 1606, which coincides with the reign of King James I, who came to the throne in 1603, succeeding Elizabeth I. Although a supporter of the arts, James “articulated his belief in an absolutist theory of monarchy and in the divine right of kings, wishing to command not only complete obedience but also complete devotion” (Bengtsson). Since Elizabeth had previously established an equal relationship with parliament, the British government felt uneasy. Furthermore, many Protestants, including Shakespeare himself, feared that religious persecution would begin again as before Elizabeth. In fact, James passed the Popish Recusants Act, “an act to cause the people [existing Protestants] to be naturalized or restored in blood to conform [to Catholicism] and take an oath of allegiance and supremacy [to the Pope]” (Burton). . From his actions, one can see how Eng... at the center of the card... has neglected the true purpose of government: to lead the people. In this way, The Tragedy of King Lear becomes a critique, illustrating Shakespeare's attitude towards the flawed ruling class of his time. Works Cited Bengtsson, Frederick. "Historical Context for William Shakespeare's King Lear." Columbia College. Np, nd Web. 19 January 2014. "Mary, Queen of Scots." BBC News. BBC and Web. 20 January 2014. .Shakespeare, William, Barbara A. Mowat and Paul Werstine. The tragedy of King Lear. New York: Washington Square, 1993. Print.Burton, Edwin, Edward D'Alton, and Jarvis Kelley. “Penal laws”. The Catholic Encyclopedia. vol. 11. New York: Robert Appleton Company, 1911. January 21. 2014. .