Killing form of the general linear Lie algebra ($\kappa (X,Y)=2n\mathrm{tr}(XY)-2\mathrm{tr}X\mathrm{tr}Y$)

For the general linear Lie algebra of all $n\times n$ matrices over a field of characteristic zero, write ${\mathrm{ad}}_X=L_X-R_X$ on the matrix space. The traces of $L_X{L}_Y$ and $R_X{R}_Y$ are $n\mathrm{tr}(XY)$, whereas both mixed traces are $\mathrm{tr}X\mathrm{tr}Y$. Expanding gives the displayed Killing form. Its radical is the scalar matrices because $\kappa (X,Y)=0$ for every $Y$ forces $nX-\mathrm{tr}(X)I=0$. Thus the full general linear algebra is not semisimple, even though its traceless summand is semisimple for $n\ge 2$.

// Target: lie-theory.bigb