We've begun reading King Lear in class on the heels of Hamlet. I've grown a bit weary of Shakespeare but this work might alter my thoughts. It's a much denser tragedy than I'm used to with more historical nuances present. The parental-children relationship theme discussed, however, is far from cliche rendering this one of Shakespeare's better works. Yes, I'm a strange fellow who ranks King Lear and Othello over the much more renowned Hamlet as well as Romeo and Juliet.