–Mainly from 3:05 to 4:25–
The video commentary that I find most interesting is an interview of an actor named Ian McKellen who is playing the role of King Lear in the television show with the same title. In the video, McKellen talks about what he thinks about King Lear and how he decides to portray this character in the film. Throughout his speech, I realize that he never really says anything that ruins King Lear’s reputation. Instead, he just feels sympathy with King Lear’s journey throughout the play. He explains that he feels sympathy for King Lear because King Lear is an old man with declining mental and physical abilities, and he makes some wrong decisions in the play not because he is a foolish man but because his age makes him unable to make clear decisions sometimes. McKellen’s point of view really catches my attention and makes me decide to write about it because his point of view is so unique and different from the other video commentaries that I have watched, which only talks about how foolish and silly King Lear is, and some even point the cause of all madness in this play to King Lear’s wrongful decisions, not considering the reason behind his decisions. This video commentary makes me reconsider King Lear this character. It reminds me that we all have family members who are old and decrepit, and it is understandable and forgivable for them to make wrong decisions sometimes. Therefore, I think that the same should apply to King Lear; we should all consider King Lear’s age before judging him and calling him a fool. Besides, wanting to retire from the responsibility of being a king at the age of eighty is surely reasonable. At the age of eighty, it is uncertain that when may King Lear leave this world, so why can’t we forgive him for wanting to retire from being a king, for wanting to hear the loving words from his beloved daughters, and for wanting other people to still respect him after he gives up his crown. In my opinion, King Lear is showing the way some teenagers and even adults treat their grandparents/parents today. It reflects how some people today treat their elders with disrespect and rude behaviors.