The Theme of Restoration and Nahum Tate's Adaptation

This chapter discusses the theme of Restoration in the play King Lear and how Nahum Tate's rewriting of the play is a response to its disturbing and uncomfortable nature. It explores the question of why tragedy gives pleasure and suggests that Tate's answer is that tragedy does not actually give pleasure, but rather a kind of tragedy comedy does. It also compares Tate's adaptation to literary criticism, as both involve rewriting the original material.