Insanity In Shakespeare's King Lear

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The character of King Lear is perhaps Shakespeare's finest perspective creation. Once a wise and good man, steadfast in his reason, but every era has an end and so does king Lear . Certain predispositions of his insanity are manifest in his behaviour from the very first, as the result of a combination of nature and power.. We see in him something of rashness of temper,pride and ego. Lear wants to be treated as a king and to reap the benefits but he doesn’t want to actually fullfill his duty regarding his obligation to govern as a wise and just king. Similarly, his test of his daughters depicts that he values a flattering public declaration of love over real love. He doesn’t ask“which of you doth love us most,” but rather,“which of you shall we say doth …show more content…

Through adversity and his recent experiences, Lear gains a new perspective on life. He rejects power and politics and decides that what really matters is being with the people he loves. For the first time, Lear also feels sympathy for the hardship undergone by others. He struggles with his inner turmoil , the internal conflict that he has to face. Perhaps his aged spirit brings to light the truth he refused to see before. His tumultuous journey makes him a better person. He moves from pride, egotism and spiritual blindness to Empathy, compassion and love. We witness this in Act 3 Scene 2 when he shows sympathy for the Fool. Suffering himself, he also feels ashamed for his neglect of the poor and needy. His suffering invokes a positive experience as he is now free of conventional shackles and can see the world from a new perspective Thus in the delineation of Lear the most impressive thing is the progress and effect of his passion in rekindling his intellect and perhaps coming to terms with his mistakes. In the end he never rises up to become a better king but he gains a new set of values and learns to cherish the people that really matter to

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