A Comparison of the Outcomes of Othello and King Lear

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The Tragic Outcome of Othello and King Lear

Two Sources In Othello and Lear, Shakespeare contrasts two endings that tragedy can bring. As Lear is thrown from kingship, he begins to see through his previous misconceptions about love, justice, and the nature of authority. Othello, on the other hand, held no real misconceptions about the world. He begins the tragedy nearly perfect, already a realist, knowing, for instance, that he is safe from scandal because of his ability as a general. The tragedy that befalls Othello cannot lead to any radically different awareness, and while Othello sees a few things more clearly is his death, such as his role in society, he is principally simply in despair. Those who are furthest from the truth have the most to gain from the tragic cycle.

Lear opens the play with the standard Shakespearean equation of appearance equals reality. In order to determine how his power and land is to be ...

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