Category: King Lear

Through all the suffering, there is still hope in the world. Shakespeare introduces a society in his play King Lear in which no one can emerge victorious. The fact that tragedy makes no distinction between good and evil is evinced at the end of the play as although King Lear’s daughters are continuously contrasted, they are all lead to their deaths in the end. Suffering is a recurring concept in the play, symbolized by graphic violence to illustrate physical suffering and the declining mental condition of the protagonists. However, despite all these dramatic and cruel events, hope is still subtly present in the world of the play as it is portrayed through the development of characters.

The horrific suffering of the begins through King Lear’s unnatural division of the land in which Lear satisfies Goneril and Reagan’s greed when he asks “which of thee doth loves us most”. The fawning replies of Reagan and Goneril, “I love you more than word can wield the matter” and the honesty of Cordelia, ‘I love your Majesty according to my bond, no more, no less” which negatively aids the suffering that follows as Goneril and Reagan each receive half of the kingdom through their obsequious flattery while Cordelia is wrongly left to depart “farewell Cordelia, to thou unkind”. The event of Goneril and Regan beating down King Lear and his escort of knights expresses the suffering King Lear will face as this humiliation deprives Lear of his very last ounce of power. Their responsibility for Lear’s tragic downfall into madness and mental instability becomes evident when they urge him venture the wilderness despite the storm.

Nonetheless, while Goneril, Regan and Edmund perform grievous actions in order to fulfill their ambition and desires in certain situations, others may become better as a result of them.The protagonist of the play Lear is a clear example for this. Before his sufferings, he was a violent and narcissistic King that showed his misjudgement as he punished his most loyal people Cordelia and Kent. But after going through harsh pain, Lear declares to Cordelia that he will ‘kneel down, And ask thee forgiveness’ promoting his complex development in his character flaws to come to terms with his own faults. This series of events suggests that in order for Lear to improve himself, his tragic sufferings were a necessary step to push him to change. At the end of the play, it seems that Edmund too has changed his ways for the better when he says ‘some good I mean to do, despite of my own nature’ which suggests that no matter what, we still have basic morals to regain. Thus hope is still present in the world of King Lear as redemption reveals the good nature of people.

Hope can also presented in King Lear, in the way in which directors stage the characters on set. In one dramatic interpretation of the play, in act 1 scene 1, Lear is sat down solitary with Gonerill and Regan at his side. This not only portrays the Kings increasing age, but also the manipulative power Gonerill and Regan initially have over him. During this first scene we see the gap between Cordelia and Lear increase progressively, again portraying a physical representation for their relationship and love for one another growing further and further apart. After this distancing, Cordelia, positioned front stage right, has both Kent, The Fool, and towards the end of the scene, France. The dramatic effect of this is clear to the audience; it physically highlights the allegiances of the characters, and is used also to portray other various notions in a more physical manner, one of which is hope. Hope is presented in the way in which The Fool, Kent, and France side with Cordelia, implying to the audience she is not alone in her banishment, and that perhaps these characters may

Hope can also present the way the managers stage the characters on set in King Lear. In a dramatic interpretation of the play, Lear sits alone with Gonerill and Regan at his side in act 1 scene 1. This not only depicts the growing age of the Kings, but also originally has over him the manipulative authority of Gonerill and Regan. During this first scene we see a progressive rise in the divide between Cordelia and Lear, again depicting a physical depiction of their connection and love for each other. Following this distance, Cordelia, placed right at the front point, has both Kent, The Fool, and France at the end of the scene.

Do you ever read a book and question why the author is delivering the moral? I believe your answer is “NO”. As viewers, we tend to forget that the main role of a narrative is to draw its audience into exploring and questioning key aspects of its context. Today let’s consider if this statement, “a narrative’s main function is to question aspects of our world” is true by discussing, “in what what does Shakespeare question aspects of his context and how is this mirrored by Kurosawa’s Ran”. Throughout Shakespeare’s play King Lear and Kurosawa’s film Ran, the narratives draw their viewers into questioning and exploring the issue of a divided kingdom. In King Lear the breakdown of parent-child relationship results in a contested kingdom. Through the fathers’ realisation the importance of loyalty in creating a unified kingdom is affirmed. The same idea portrayed in King Lear is mirrored in Ran, hence demonstrating that same ideas can be portrayed in different context, culture and time period. King Lear was composed at the end of the Elizabethan Era when the monarch was King James I. Since King James I was the King of Scotland at the time, he united the unfriendly nations together. Similarly in Ran, Kurosawa explores the same ideas as the play.

King Lear questions the issue of a divided kingdom through the depiction of parent-child relationships. This is mirrored in Ran as both texts shows the fathers passing on the inheritance to their children by dividing their kingdom. In Act 1 Scene 1, Lear examines each of his daughter’s love towards him through the unreliability of their flattering speeches.

Despite the speeches her older sisters make, Cordelia truthfully expresses her feelings towards Lear, “I cannot heave / My heart into my mouth. I love your Majesty / According to my bond; no more nor less.” The use of metaphor demonstrates that love comes with honesty. However, Lear is blinded by flattering and ignores the moral obligation of a parent, ultimately banishing Cordelia and disowning her as his daughter: “Here I disclaim all my paternal care / Propinquity and property of blood…” The use of accumulation and alliteration illustrates Lear’s anger, and therefore his blindness to Cordelia’s sincerity and showing the detached bonds between Lear and Cordelia. This key event of banishing the youngest but the most loyal child is mirrored in Ran where Hidetora banishes Saburo because he disagrees to Hidetora’s decision on the division of the kingdom. Saburo’s disobedience and insolent manner triggers Hidetora to banish him, in the scene Hidetora proclaims “I cut the bonds between us!”. In this full shot the positioning of Hidetora standing up and Saburo sitting down shows that Hidetora has the power as he is lowering down at Saburo. In Saburo’s line “I’ll tell you. What kind of world do we live in? One barren of loyalty and feeling”, the use of a rhetorical question delivers Saburo’s opinion on how foolish Hidetora is to pass on all the authority of his land to his oldest son, Taro. Thus, in King Lear parent-child relationships relate to the contextual issue of a contested kingdom, and this idea that a child’s honesty and respect can in fact cause broken bonds is mirrored in Ran.

Lear and Hidetora’s realisation of their faults highlights the importance of loyalty in creating a unified kingdom and family. In this way, Shakespeare encourages loyalty to the monarch. In King Lear, Act 1 Scene 4, “How sharper than a serpent’s tooth it is / To have a thankless child! Away, away!”, the use of animal imagery and the repetitive use of exclamation marks and “away” delivers the huge shock Lear has received after discovering Goneril’s true nature. In Act 4 Scene 7, Lear’s tone of desperation and despair in “You must bear with me. / Pray you now, forget and forgive. I am old and foolish.” emphasises his late realisation of his flaws after being betrayed by his disloyal children. He comes to value Cordelia’s loyalty and his error in dividing his kingdom. Similarly, this idea of a father realising their faults after being betrayed by their own disloyal children is mirrored in Ran. Hidetora’s sons, Taro and Jiro, attack the third castle in order to kill their father and his soldiers. The long shot of the burning castle allows the viewers to clearly see the process of the loss of Hidetora’s power and the use of primary colours red and yellow symbolises the violent acts of the sons. In the long shot where Hidetora reunites with Saburo, “I have so much to say. When we’re alone and quiet, we will talk, father to son. That’s all I want.”, the repetition of “we” and the relationship that Hidetora describes as “father to son” expresses how much he has reflected on his actions as well as emphasising his love towards his son. Conclusively, the two father figures’ realisation of their flaws causes them and therefore the audiences to question the division of the kingdom as their realisation restores bonds with their loyal children.

In summary, Shakespeare demonstrates the importance of a united kingdom in his context of political uncertainty and Kurosawa mirrors this idea in Ran. In both texts the exploration of parent-child relationships and the two fathers’ realisation of their faults in banishing their loyal children ultimately shows the negative effects of disunity and disloyalty. Therefore, both texts demonstrates the same idea through the differing context, culture and time period and we can agree to this statement “a narrative’s main function is to question aspects of our world.”

The desire to gather power and to control what one wants to encourage their greed can be a dangerous quality. King Lear, written in 1608, by William Shakespeare, is a tragedy that represents the horrible impacts of abusing power and leads to his death. The abuse of power plays an immense role all throughout the character’s lives in this play which in turn leads to their demise. They utlilize their position to exile anybody with no clear reason, abusing the gatekeeper’s trust, utilizing their control and power to torture others, and mishandling the power they become intrusted with. The greed and abuse of control have negative impacts and will end up leading to a dangerous circumstances.

The misuse of power is shown in the beginning periods of the play. King Lear has enough measure of power first and foremost. He is always addressed to with appropriate terms, it’s anything but difficult to realize that he has a lot of power and is regarded since all of the notorious acts he has committed, nonetheless, he misuses it. King Lear is so up to speed with his very own power and authority, he figures he shouldn’t be addressed and studied for dividing up parts of his power and legacy based on the affection he receives alone as he is blinded from the truth and reality. Lear recognizes that he is a ruler and thinks he has the option to be dominant. After Kent cautions him about the potential challenges he will have to move his power, he fiercely outcasts him and even threatened him with execution. Lear abuses his power on Kent, ”Kent, on thy life, no more’ (1.1, 165). When Lear asks Cordelia to speak and she refuses, he states, “nothing will come from nothing. Speak again” (1,1, 95). Lear acts like a child in this scene, he has trouble understanding something as abstract as love. Even when others show him the reality, his pride in being a king blinds him from the truth. Kent calls himself, “the true blank of thine eye” (1.1, 170). As Kent, later on, states that Cordelia is a genuine little girl and Lear is committing an error, despite everything he won’t listen in as he chooses blindness instead. Kent and Cordelia are helping him, not frustrating him. King Lear’s confidence is letting go from the power he has and in the long run turns into the victim of his pride. King Lear uses his power, mishandling it, and afterward loses control. Lear using his power on Cordelia and Kent has set up a dangerous and corrupted future for himself.

Edmund’s dangerous effects are shown after he begins to gain power and trust from Gloucester. Edmund’s corruption comes after controlling his dad. Edmund wants to gain his dad’s riches and land. His greediness for power and control transforms him into deceitful man creating brutal outcomes. After framing Edgar, he at long last persuades Gloucester to give him all his inheritance. In the wake of being granted the Earl of Gloucester and picking up the legacy, he requests that they murder Cordelia. Since he has gained so much power and inheritance, he believes that he can become dominant and request to submit such corrupt acts without any consequences. In addition to the fact that this ends up resorting him toward the end, yet he additionally repents the unimaginable acts he has committed. Edmund has a change of heart as he states, “This speech of yours hath moved me, And shall perchance do good. (5.3, 235).” He tries to save Lear and Cordelia, but it’s too late. Edmund had a heart however his increase of power transformed him. The abuse of his power culviates regret, that regret executes him at last. He mishandled his power by requesting to get Cordelia executed yet it would wound up crushing him toward the end as he is thinking twice about it. Edmund’s abuse of power is demonstrated when he requests the execution of Cordelia, this makes a destructive and undermined death for Edmund as he apologizes for what he did minutes before he died.

Cornwall abuses his power by enjoying seeing other characters suffer. Cornwall is a very brutal character in this book, an example of this is shown when Kent is put into the stocks, “Kent in the stocks for disrespect Fetch forth the stocks! As I have life and honor, There shall he sit till noon” (2.2, 135). By placing Kent into the stocks, he is expressing that he is better than the king. Cornwall’s capacity has given him the privilege to mishandle it and use it to humiliate Kent. He gains joy seeing him suffer. Him picking up control through his wife gives him over the top pride. Another case of this was the point at which he tore out Gloucester’s eyes for offering shelter to King Lear. This was pointless and was excessively extreme. He has a desire to slaughter Gloucester for submitting minor treason, be that as it may, he knows there could be consequences for murder, he essentially tortures him and feels unrivaled doing so. After gaining all this power, he misused it by torturing characters without reason which shows the dangerous impacts of gaining lots of power. Cornwall’s inheritance of power makes him a very abusive person, thinking that he could do whatever to anybody and have the right to enjoy it.

In conclusion, the abuse of power can corrupt and have dangerous impacts. Lear, Edmund, Cornwall, Goneril, and Regan all create a destructive environment because of their misuse of power and greed for control. They’re all ready to execute such horrible acts just to feed their greedy attitudes. Once that desperation for power is achieved and is later on mishandled, dangerous and destroying results will happen.

In ‘King Lear’, Shakespeare’s playwright offers a vivid yet negative portrayal of Lear himself. The audience confronts a hero king whose hamartia brings about not only his downfall but also the destruction of his surroundings and more devastatingly upon innocent people. Lear is portrayed as an arrogant king with an innate sense of superiority, great wrath, and error of judgment. When Shakespeare introduces to his audience a king who is susceptible to the servile of his daughters and other acquaintances, his whole kingdom goes to ruins as it reduces him to abject misery. He distributes his kingdom based on his own daughter’s flattery and anyone who can also flatter him like Goneril and Regan. It shows that Lear is weak in the sense that he is supposed to be a king who rules over a country. However, they portrayed Lear as someone evil and selfish for giving his kingdom to his evil daughters who only hold an evil motive for it. The knowledge that Lear gains is self-knowledge, it is only possible to gain that by reaching such madness of a betrayal he gets from his own flesh and blood. The significance of being blind due to his eyes being gouged out by Edmund is that it doesn’t blind him to the truth any longer, for it shows the reality of things. Gloucester believes that Edmund loves him but he’s wrong, as for Lear, he believes that Regan and Goneril love him way more than Cordelia does to the scheming they do, which is also wrong. This play is similar to ‘Macbeth’ in a way, for both plays tell of a story of someone whose love gets in the way of the reality of things. Although both plays contain different plots they still have that similarity.

In these various plays that have been read and compared/contrasted, one can assume that old age in a world containing evil is seen as tragic, it is also seen as a flaw in a tragedy. For example, King Lear’s story takes place around the 1650’s, it contains both tragedy and flaw, the characters show their greed throughout the story, and the father is seen trying to please someone based on his blindness to love and flattery. As for the Fool’s role in this play, he is someone who serves King Lear, as someone who Lear can express his burgeoning feelings since he has no one to confide in. The Fool is seen as someone loyal, as he is the king’s protector. The Fool was able to get away with many things like insults and practical jokes. He is also someone who could be wiser than the king himself, yet it is only due to his experience that one has nothing to gain or fear from. Edgar’s role, on the other hand, is someone who is an outcast and a madman, he is someone who has been deceived by his family, just as King Lear was for Edgar was deceived by his half-brother. Edgar’s role in the play is someone who is a spirit, he pretends to be mad, but at the end of the play, he is someone who has wisdom and insight. As a madman, his role is to foreshadow King Lear’s fate, as for the Fool, he is someone who can predict Edmund’s moral condition.

If the apocalypse is the day of final judgment, what certainly be judged in ‘King Lear’ is that blindness to something as flattery can get one nowhere in life. It can destroy one as well as those around them. For being blinded by love, one’s end can approach sooner rather than later.

In his works, the famous William Shakespeare made it a habit to raise numerous important topics. And his play ‘King Lear’ was no exception. In it, next to such themes as suffering, appearance versus reality, family relationships, the value of nothingness, and how much ‘nothing’ can represent is of great importance.

In the first scene, Lear banishes Cordelia, which as a result reduces her to nothing. While Cordelia is deemed worthless, the King of France still takes her as his wife, because “she is her own dowry”. The idea that she does not need wealth to be worthy creates the fact that there is inherent worth in a person. Cordelia’s marriage with France allows her to assist Lear in regaining his kingdom. It is not until their reunion that Lear is able to understand his wrongdoings. Like Cordelia, Edgar is despised by his own father. To save his own life, he has to leave everything behind, including the people he knew, his wealth, and his riches. He truly becomes an image of nothing because he has to pretend to be an insane beggar named Tom. When Gloucester, Edgar’s father, loses both of his eyes, Tom (Edgar) can safely lead him to Dover, saving him from taking his own life and even restoring hope within him, giving him the will to live. Cordelia and Edgar are both portrayed as Christ figures because of their own ‘nothingness’, they were both able to rescue their fathers. Thus proving that something can be derived from nothing, as well as portraying the image that nothingness does have inherent worth.

Cordelia and Edgar’s inherent nothingness allowed them to do things that would normally not be performed. Thus, the nothingness of both the setting of the play and Lear’s universe allowed both Lear and Gloucester to gain personal wisdom and sight, respectively. When Lear is driven out of his old kingdom, Lear’s universe entices a storm that causes Lear’s insanity. Through his insanity, Lear gains a wisdom that has not ever entered him. Like Lear, Gloucester was unwise and metaphorically blind before his encounter with Lear’s universe. Gloucester did not truly see his sons for who they were, all he saw was who his legitimate son was and the one who was not. Gloucester believed that Edmund was a loyal son and Edgar was a traitor, while it was in fact the complete opposite. It was not until his absence of true eyesight did he became aware of the situation around him. The loss of his physical eyesight allowed him to see metaphorically. When both Lear and Gloucester went ‘nowhere’, they were anointed with wisdom, thus proving that something can come from nothing, and it can also be positive as well.

In conclusion, the theme of nothing is one of the leading themes in William Shakespeare’s ‘King Lear’ along with others. As described in this essay, the value of nothingness and how much ‘nothing’ can represent has been depicted primarily through the stories of Cordelia and Edgar, as well as through Lear and Gloucester’s paths to wisdom and sight.

The Values of Tragedy

At the climax of every storyline, a hero emerges to settle the conflict and bring issues to light. This hero will oftentimes endure pain and suffering for the greater good. In the case of characters within “King Lear” the term “Tragic Hero” is portrayed through the king himself. Through analyzing the uprise of a character, certain conflicts that may arise, and the choices one makes through selfish remarks, it is evident that one’s downfall is a direct result of one’s personal flaws. Aristotle believed that every good tragedy must make the audience hold feelings of pity and fear, as he saw these two emotions to be impactful to the theme of catharsis. In Aristotle’s words, “catharsis is the purgation or purification of emotions displayed in their fullness with no filter”. He uses this as a metaphor to demonstrate how tragedy can affect us and how it brings out a character’s true colors when faced with different scenarios.

In William Shakespeare’s novel The Tragedy of King Lear, the emotions of pain, loss, and suffering are intense but quite merciless. Through this, Shakespeare importance of how blind one can become when faced with a dilemma, how these scenarios impact oneself, and how one portrays themselves when put into certain scenarios. When tragic heroes are to face a downfall, Aristotle says ‘pity is aroused by unmerited misfortune, fear by the misfortune of a man like ourselves.’. At the beginning of the novel, King Lear decided to divide his kingdom among his three daughters, Goneril, Regan, and Cordelia (1.1.40-55). It was decided that the daughter that loves him the most will obtain the majority of the kingdom. During the division of shares, Goneril and Regan profess their love for their father but Cordelia refuses to as she says “You have begot me, bred me, loved me. I return those duties back… To love my father all”(1.1.98-106), this results in Cordelia to become disowned and unworthy of her family’s name. That Cordelia is not entitled to any of the shares and is banished from his life, meaning the kingdom is divided between Goneril and Regan. The two sisters, Goneril and Regan, are desperate and will say anything to obtain his land and power, unfortunately, Lear does not see that. However, King Lear creates an ultimatum, “That troop with majesty. Ourself, by monthly course, / with reservations by a hundred knights… The name, and all the addition to a king.” (1.1.134-139).

After the division of the kingdom has been given to Goneril and Regan, King Lear begins his retirement by moving into Goneril’s castle for the month accompanied by his one hundred knights partying and drinking. Goneril complains to her steward, Oswald, that Lear’s knights “are growing riotous” and that her father is an obnoxious guest (1.3.7). Instead of confronting her father about his behavior, she orders her servants to “put on what weary negligence they please” (1.3.13) and behave rudely toward Lear and his knights. When Lear experiences Oswald’s rudeness he becomes very offended that his own daughter is allowing this. He fails to see what his daughters are really up to thus allowing his love for them, to cloud his judgment. Lear chooses to turn a blind eye when it comes to his daughter’s obsession with materialism. With Goneril’s wishes for Lear to move in with his daughter Regan, he soon after realizes he made an irrational decision by giving away his land, believing that he would still remain the powerful authoritative figure that he was once. Lear did not thoroughly think this through and suffered the consequences of giving away more than he once thought. Lear exhibits feelings of fear as he is no longer the powerful, almighty king he once was, allowing the feeling of regret to sink in. Fear gets the best of us which may sometimes result in a lack of reasonable judgment as well as worsen the pre-existing situation due to the intense feelings it creates within. Lear’s tragedy begins to take place when Goneril informs her sister, Regan, about the behavior of her father and his knights. This news results in Lear being conflicted with an ultimatum.

Lear and his daughters argue about the circumstances Lear created. Regan demands that her father must limit his number of knights “to bring five but twenty. To no more. Will I give place but notice” in order to live with herself or Goneril(2.4.246-247). Lear regrets giving his power to Goneril and without hesitation calls on nature to make her childless wife. Even in a state of betrayal, Lear retaliates against his daughters, which does not benefit him in the slightest. When Lear runs out and into the storm, Lear finally realizes that banishing Cordelia and Kent was a big mistake, as they did well by his side. As Lear’s fool jokingly criticizes Lear and his previously made mistakes, it is as if the Fool acts as his conscience and gets into Lear’s head. Lear spends most of his life letting his emotions get the best of him, even when he comes back to his senses, he continues to suffer and finds it insurmountable to recover from his daughters belittling him. This causes Lear slowly starts to “lose his wits” and feels as if. Social hierarchies are often based on an individual’s sovereignty and wealth. These individuals are always trying to tweak their appearance based on the opinions of others and how they perceive themselves. King Lear having endured his highs and lows, it seems as if whatever he does places him in conflicting situations. However, these situations do give him a better insight as although Lear was once totally obsessed with power, wealth, and his social position, he now obsesses over social equality, moral righteousness, and a selfless attitude. Even though being deceived by his own blood and has his manpower taken away from him, the stubborn Lear finally comes to the realization that power and wealth aren’t everything. For some, criticism is hard to handle and King Lear is no exception. Lear is often seen throughout act three trying to fix his mistakes with loved ones like Cordelia and Kent.

The main problem with Lear is that he cared too much about his social standing in society, and at the end of the novel, he knows that his family is more important than anything. In (4.6.) when Lear is portrayed as a madman, he also acknowledges that reality doesn’t always live up to what it seems to be. He continues to relive the idea that he is in a conscientious state to avoid criticism from others, failing to uphold any form of power he once had. While Lear is in his delusional state, he explains in (4.6.184-185)“When we are born we cry that we are come / To this great stage of fools” his views on the human. He believes that whatever an individual has dealt with, that is their fate. Aforementioned Aristotle says that catharsis is the “purgation or purification of emotions displayed in their fullness with no filter”. Shakespeare portrays catharsis to those who experience tragedy with the consequences of said emotions. Catharsis allows someone to feel relief after feeling such strong and powerful emotions they have been holding onto. Catharsis is beneficial only to King Lear, as the play does not relieve everyone’s stress except for his. Aristotle’s metaphor in “King Lear” written by William Shakespeare is easy to catch, as, by the end of the novel, feelings of pity and fear are explained in Aristotle’s metaphor. “Have more than thou showest, speak less than thou knowest, lend less than thou owest”(1.4.121-123) explains the importance of how blind one can become when faced with a dilemma, as King Lear was too blind to see how his daughters wanted wealth and power, how these scenarios impact oneself which results in King Lear to gradually lose his mind, and how one behaves when put into certain scenarios.

Blindness is a physical state or condition of being unable to see, however, it can also be described mentally as a lack of perception, lack of awareness, or ignorance in judgment. In Shakespearean terms regarding this play, blindness is deemed as a mental flaw rather than a physical impairment. The most prominent theme in this play is the theme of blindness as it is the main cause of the downfall of prominent characters. King Lear, Albany, and Gloucester are the three prime examples of characters whose blindness was the primary cause of their poor judgment, leading to the decisions they would later regret.

To begin with, Lear was the king of Britain, and as a king, he was supposed to be a better judge of character and possess the ability to discern between right and wrong, however, his ignorance and lack of insight are seen in the first scene as he decides to divide his kingdom while still alive, saying: “Give me the map. Know that we have divided in three our kingdom and ‘tis our fast intent to shake all cares and business from our age conferring them on younger strengths” (1.1.37-42). He decides to relinquish control of his kingdom while still alive, which was his first mistake, however, deciding to split it three ways was his biggest mistake, as he did not even know his children well enough to understand the consequences of that action. Furthermore, he disowned Cordelia because she did not show him love in the way Regan and Gonreil did, but she told him the truth and indeed really loved him, Regan and Gonreil, on the other hand, lied because they knew what they wanted. This portrays his poor judgment skills and overall blindness to what is going on around him.

In addition, Gloucester was another character who suffered from the case of blindness in this play, his blindness caused him not to see the goodness of his biological son Edgar and the evil of Edmund his illegitimate son. Edmund set up Edgar by pretending to read a false letter in Gloucester’s presence. Gloucester then asked to read the letter, the contents of which spoke about a conspiracy of Edgar to kill Gloucester and take over from his father. After reading the contents of the letter Gloucester exclaimed: “O villain, villain! His very opinion in the letter! Abhorred villain! Unnatural villain! Brutish villain! Worse than brutish. Go sirrah, seek him. I’ll apprehend him. Abominable villain! Where is he?” (1.2.75-80). Gloucester becomes enraged upon reading this falsified letter, and due to his lack of better judgment, he did not know what his own son Edgar was capable of and had no interest in investigating it, thereby believing Edmund and sorted out to punish Edgar for a crime he had no knowledge of. This plays a huge role in his downfall, as Edmund was left to continue his plot, now taking over the kingdom that Edgar is entitled to leaving him on the run eventually, leading to Gloucester having his eyes plucked out by the Duke of Cornwall and his demise.

Lastly, Albany was another character who was also blind, his blindness was purely due to the love he had for his wife Gonreil. When Gonreil forced Lear to give up his knights and move from the castle, Albany disagreed with that decision, but he did not want to fight with his wife over it, because he loved her: “I cannot be so partial, Gonreil to the great love I bear you” (1.4.312-313). His love for Gonreil made him oblivious to her power-hungry, evil, and greedy nature, even though she just lied to her father, King Lear, right before Albany just because she wanted to kick him out of the castle and render him powerless, Albany ignores all the signs. He was also oblivious to Gonreils’ infidelity with Edmund, as well as her plot to kill him and take over from him. Eventually, he saw her for who she really was before it was too late, unlike Lear and Gloucester.

In conclusion, throughout ‘King Lear’, blindness is a significant and recurring theme. The inability of King Lear, Gloucester, and Albany to see the truth, even when it is staring them in the face, hinders them from making the right decisions. Lear and Gloucester shared similar fates as Lear could not see his two daughters, Regan and Gonreil were greedy, power-hungry, and truly did not love him, but rather disowned Cordelia who was honest, kind, and truly loved him. Gloucester also could not see that Edmund, his bastard son, was conniving and plotted against him and his legitimate son Edgar, but instead banishes Edgar without confirming the truth of the letter. This bad judgment of character leads to their downfall, as well as their demise. For Albany, although he was initially blind to Gonreils’ unfaithfulness, greed, and diabolical nature due to his love for her, with Edgar’s help he was able to see her for who she truly was and avoided the shared fate of Gloucester and kind Lear, making him the only one that survived his blindness before it was too late.

William Shakespeare’s ‘King Lear’ is one of his four great tragedies and one of his most acclaimed plays. His greatest tragedies come from his second and third periods. Julius Caesar and Romeo and Juliet come under the second period whereas the third period includes Hamlet, Othello, King Lear, Macbeth, Antony, and Cleopatra. Self-delusion is the tragic flaw of the tragic protagonist in this play. Recent criticisms of King Lear were alert to how Lear’s status as a king and as a father is implied in various planes of actions. The third kind of relationship that is, the relationship between the master and the servant has rarely been isolated for a critical approach. It is not because of that the theme or motif is not popular, on the other hand, it is because of our false assumption that it is obvious.

‘We are aware that our ‘significant theme’ is by no means confined to King Lear. Lear merely seems to dramatize it more fully and complexly than usual, and so to offer the best occasion for extended comment. A mere enumeration, however, of names like Buckingham, Hubert, Adam, Iago and Cassio, Menas and Enobarbus, the Steward in Timon of Athens, Pisanio, Camillo and Paulina, Gonzalo, and Wolsey, and a reminder of how often such characters are forced into generalizing statements concerning their relations with their respective masters, will perhaps in itself suffice to indicate the persistence of Shakespeare’s preoccupation with the subject. In a few suggestive pages (pp. 277-282) in Shakespeare and the Rival Traditions (New York, 1952), Alfred Harbage has sketched the main outlines of the master-servant relationship between Shakespeare and the Elizabethan popular theatre general. ‘ I quote from George Lyman Kittredge, ed. The Complete Works of Shakespeare (Boston, 1936), pp. 1197-1239.

Nevertheless, the theme of service in this is obvious, we feel, only in its presence and not its meaning. Its presence is not only felt through the scenes between master and servant but even more pervasively through verbal repetition. Service and loyalty can be considered as a big part of the plot of King Lear. Among the characters who show service and loyalty to the king, one such is Kent. He is been portrayed as a completely loyal one to the king, even after he was banished from the kingdom by Lear. He realizes the false identities of the king’s daughters and perceives that Cordelia is the only one who is loyal to his king. This must be the most important reason Kent is loyal to his king. There are kinsmen behind every king who support them out of patriotism or extra individualistic intention. Kent is one of these few men. King Lear is a tragic character but despite losing everything and everyone else, he has always possessed one constant: Kent. It is conjectured that Kent commits suicide to follow suit. Kent finds his life so meaningless without his service to King Lear that he would take his own life to further serve his master.

Kent has proven unwavering fealty to the unstable King Lear, going so way to take on a completely new identity, and finds his life to be without purpose if he is now not serving Lear, even in death. King Lear can also be the tragic protagonist of the play, but Kent had misplaced the whole thing as well: his title, his master, and his identity. The persona of Kent is additionally tragic because, despite working relentlessly, his entire vocation is misplaced when Lear dies. Therefore, he should take his personal life, due to the fact there is no longer a purpose to live. Kent, though shown alive at the end of the play, is no longer spared the tragedy that is King Lear. He demonstrates that loyalty is honorable; a trait revered by way of everybody. But at the fee of his very own identity, the loyal Kent is turned into an ever-loyal Caius. Service can require sacrifice, but the bond between grasp and servant must now not ask for the sacrifice of the servant’s essence.

The final words of Kent that have sparked the speculation of his suicide are also the most telling: ‘I have a journey, sir, shortly to go. My master calls me; I must not say no’ (Shakespeare V.iii.394-395). The Duke of Albany had offered Kent back his earldom, yet Kent refused. Kent has dedicated his entire life to service for his master. The identity of his master is easily discernible. As a slave to the elements, Lear finds himself a member of the confraternity of degraded servants: Kent, Edgar, the Fool, and, finally, Gloucester. Lear’s imaginative and prescient of typical suffering evoked via the tempest expresses his new perception of the variety of bonds that underlie all human relationships, that of a common humanity. Service, for our purposes, may additionally be the notion of the formalization of relationships between folks of exclusive social or political rank. So a lot is implicit in the doctrine of hierarchy. A person obeys or ministers to his superior on the social scale, and that most fulfilling ministers to his superior. But an integral thing about this relationship in Lear is its feudal character: ice works two ways; it implies rights as nicely as duties, on every side. The reciprocity counseled by the period ‘bond’, where privileges are granted at the same time that obligations are imposed, is the circumstance that justifies service in principle, in practice, it is exactly the denial of reciprocity that is the first of Lear’s tragic violations. By refusing to honor the reciprocal force of the bond tying him to his inferiors, Lear cuts the bond, ‘cracks’ it, and so lets unfastened the forces of disorder, division, and disservice that are to overwhelm the kingdom.

Service and loyalty, both of these things are very important to make a person successful because they prove him to be trustworthy to his peers. It’s great with the way Kent was loyal to his king even though Lear made some mistakes. We could believe this is what made him one of the few survivors in the end. It is said that only the strong survive, and service and loyalty are what make Kent strong.

Thomas Edison, an American inventor, and businessman, once said, “Our greatest weakness lies in giving up. The most certain way to succeed is always to try just one more time” (brainyquote.com). In Shakespeare’s King Lear, Lear is guilty of being quick to give up on others, one of them being his daughter, Cordelia. In a similar fashion, Gloucester acts upon pride through his feelings of embarrassment toward his son, Edmund. Like all heroes in tragic stories, these characters have one fatal weakness — their pride. It seems that those who remain arrogant and cruel are the ones who end up stumbling into misfortune, pain, and ultimately death. Lear’s transition into madness illustrates the consequences of his ignorance and blindness; these character flaws ultimately led to his downfall and loss of the ones he loved most.

In the play, King Lear’s crisis is driven by a family quarrel, and Lear’s most traitorous subjects are his own beloved daughters. King Lear’s fall from grace is due to his impulsive decision making and his inability to consider the consequences of his actions. The opening act introduces Lear while he is deciding how he should split his land. He questions his three daughters, “Which of you shall we say doth love us most? / That we our largest bounty may extend” (1.1.52-53). When it is Cordelia’s turn, rather than expressing her love for Lear, she is honest. Ironically, Goneril and Regan are rewarded for their flattery, and Cordelia, who could not express her love for him was punished. The situational irony at this moment highlights the ignorance of King Lear and is amplified when Cordelia ends up being the only one to stay loyal to him. The two eldest daughters whom he had praised for their flattery actually ended up betraying him, as a result of his blindness towards their false motives. Lear’s inability to see the wrong in his decisions and the ulterior intents of others makes him vulnerable and easy to take advantage of. Gloucester falls into a similar conflict as Lear with his son Edmund, who is a constant reminder of Gloucester’s infidelity. He expresses his humiliation in response to Kent’s question, “Is not this your son, my lord?” (1.1.8). He admits in embarrassment, “His breeding, sir, hath been at my charge. I have so often blush’d to acknowledge him that now I am braz’d to’t” (1.1.9-10). The reputation of being socially inferior along with his father’s disapproval of him sends Edmund to seek revenge. Like the two eldest daughters, Edmund manages to fool Gloucester into thinking that Edgar was planning on killing him. Gloucester’s blindness lies in his lack of awareness to the duplicity of his own sons and his inability to see the falseness of Edmund’s accusations. In an instance of situational irony, Gloucester only manages to see the truth when his eyes are gouged out by Cornwall. In the end, Gloucester lets his weakness overcome him and he gives up by trying to kill himself by jumping off of a cliff. However, dramatic irony plays out in this scene when Gloucester does not actually kill himself because he was tricked into thinking that he was on the edge of a cliff when he actually was not. Both characters are flawed in their way of thinking and they allowed their blindness to consume them, resulting in their tragic fates.

In Shakespeare’s King Lear, both Gloucester and Lear seem to learn their lesson only when they realize what they have lost. In order for these characters to change, their eyes needed to be opened to the truths that had been masked before them. Blindness is a recurring motif throughout the story that stems as a consequence of the characters’ mistakes. Shakespeare uses this literary device by constantly reminding the characters to see. This can be demonstrated when Lear tells Kent to “get out of [his] sight” (1.1.165) and when Kent tells him to “see better” (1.1.166). The constant use of sight throughout the play is like indirectly implying that the characters need to take a second look, but King Lear and Gloucester cannot understand these warnings. When Gloucester states that “[he has] no way, and therefore [wants] no eyes” (4,1,2268), it foreshadows the moment when he would lose his eyes which would then ironically allow for him to see better. The turning point that drives Lear to madness is when he comes to the realization that he is at fault for entrusting his kingdom to the people that did not care about his existence. His fault lies in the fact that he did not see how naive he was because he chose not to see it. The pride from being king is what led him to believe that he is great and he is always right, which is why he also banished Kent, who took Cordelia’s side in the beginning of the play. Once Lear was willing to see how wrong and gullible he was, he came to the revelation that one’s blindness is not only the inability to see the circumstances but that blindness is also induced by the denial of reality.

The characters reach a closing when they each come to terms with their mistakes and continue on from them. The play ends in tragedy, with the loss of many characters, including that of Cordelia. Lear expresses his grief by questioning, “Why should a dog, a horse, a rat, have life, / And thou no breath at all?” (5.3.3495-3496). The loss of the only person who truly loved him takes a toll on his happiness. Lear was not long ago reunited with Cordelia, but the tragedy of her death was necessary because it exposed the reality that pride not only affects oneself, but it also harms others. Suffering necessary for the characters because it is what prompted the desire to change. In contrast to Lear and Gloucester, Kent, Albany, and Edgar were characters that did not let pride consume them, and they all emerged as honorable men. Edgar showed his unconditional love for his brother even after all the evil he had done by offering a sign of peace: “Let’s exchange charity / I am no less in blood than thou art Edmund” (5.3.3323-3324). Albany showed selflessness by helping Lear and Cordelia when they had been captured. After the death of Lear and his three daughters, Albany gave his power to Edgar rather than claiming it for himself. Finally, Kent stays loyal to Lear even after being banished by disguising himself as Caius.

The tragedy known as King Lear demonstrates humans’ weakness is not by failing but by giving up. In relation to society, many are guilty of letting their pride and selfishness make them lose sight of who they really are. Once they see the truth, they feel defeated. And instead of emerging as a better person, some choose to give up on themselves as Gloucester had. Characters like Lear and Gloucester are pertinent, as they allow the audience to see the consequences of allowing pride and suffering to overtake one’s life. The support from Edgar, who was a Christ figure that ultimately saved Gloucester from his suicidal thoughts, represents the support of family. Edgar is a symbol that no one has to suffer alone and that the bond of a family can never be broken. The play ends in a depressed, sorrowful mood with many deaths including those who were guilty and innocent. Life does not always end happily ever after and the only thing one can do is to learn from those past mistakes.

Would you ever want to get revenge on society, because of how it treated you? In the play King Lear, there were many social injustices going on. Characters were treated unfairly, and it drove them to get revenge. The shadow, Edmund, was Gloucester’s illegitimate son. He wanted to get back at society for labeling him a bastard. Goneril and Regan however, behaved that way because of how they were treated, and they wanted to get back at their father. They live in a patriarchal society, meaning men hold the power and the women are excluded from it. Regan and Goneril wanted the power, and to not have men ruling their lives. Because of customs of a society in Shakespeare’s King Lear, Goneril, Regan, and Edmund had the desire to improve their social status which led them to get revenge against social customs.

First of all, Edmund is one of the worst characters in King Lear, but what motivated him to do the things that he did? He wanted revenge against society. Edmund was tired of people calling him a bastard because he was illegitimate. “Thou nature, art my goddess. To thy law my services are bound. Wherefore should I stand in the plague of custom, and permit the curiosity of nations to deprive me. For that I am some twelve or fourteen moonshines lag of a brother? Why bastard. Wherefore base?” (Lear 1.2.1-6). Why should Edmund be labeled a bastard simply because he was born 12 or 14 months after Edgar, or be deprived of his natural rights. He shouldn’t be tortured by social customs. It shouldn’t matter if you are legitimate or illegitimate. It doesn’t make you less of a person for being illegitimate. Edmund being treated like that, motivates him to destroy his father and brother; to go against social customs, and to try get his brother’s wealth.

In addition to, Goneril and Regan were also wronged by society. Women weren’t treated as equals. They were treated like objects given away to husbands. They didn’t have their own freedom, and they were considered possessions owned by their fathers or husbands. They have to marry whom their fathers deem suitable for them. “When she was dear to us, he did hold her so, but now her price is fallen. Sir, there she stands. If aught within that little seeming substance, or all of it, with our displeasure piece. And nothing more, may fitly like you grace, she’s there and she is yours” (Lear 1.1.225-230). Burgundy and King Lear are talking about Cordelia like she is an object for sale. He tells Burgundy that her price has fallen because she isn’t his daughter anymore, and that she’s worthless. What kind of father would say that about his daughter. Women also didn’t have any power for their own. Goneril and Regan had to wield their power through their husbands. When Cornwall died, Regan wasn’t really affected by it. It might have been because she didn’t want a man ruling her life anymore. She wanted the power for herself. Society, misogynistic and sexist, towards women was the reason why Goneril and Regan went against social customs. They craved for equality, power, and the ability to make their own decisions.

Furthermore, we know that Goneril, Regan and Edmund were wronged by society, but does that justify their actions? It doesn’t. They were willing to do anything for power, but in the end they got nothing. Their desire for power brought their downfall. Regan just stood there when her husband plucked out Gloucester’s eyes showing no empathy. Goneril and Regan kicked their own father out into a destructive storm at his old age. He gave them all his money and land and they just threw him out like piece of trash. He went mad and lost his mind. He had no idea what he was saying, or what to do. Edmund was the reason his own brother was banished when he didn’t even do anything to him. He also ordered his soldier to kill Cordelia and King Lear. She was strangled on his order. King Lear was saved just in time, but died minutes later agonizing over her death. Edmund caused so much pain and suffering. They all caused so much destruction that no one should feel sorry for what happened to them, or if that they did. “For characters such as Edmund, Goneril and Regan it can be acceptable that justice has been served because their punishments completely coincide with their crime” (“Justice in King Lear”). They deserve what they got. Their punishment was just as bad as their crimes. They don’t deserve forgiveness just because they were wronged by society. Their actions weren’t justified, and no one should ever do the crimes that they did.

In conclusion to, social customs was the driving force behind the bad characters. If Edmund wasn’t treated that way he wouldn’t have wanted to destroy his brother and father, and to go against social customs to get what he wanted. Goneril and Regan wouldn’t have done what they did if they were given equal power. Everyone should be entitled to equal rights, but it still doesn’t justify their actions. A lot of people are wronged by society and social customs, but that doesn’t give them the right to destroy their family, or to kill anyone. We’ve all wanted to get revenge against someone who has wronged us. Like trying to fight someone after they’ve called you horrible names. We’ve all had those moments. Getting vengeance won’t solve our conflicts. Gandhi said, “an eye for an eye only ends up making the world blind”. You have to fight to get equal rights. Violence is never the answer and it won’t solve anyone’s problems.