Character Analysis in 'King Lear' and 'The Book of Negroes'

In both the tragic play, King Lear, by William Shakespeare, and the novel, The Book of Negroes, by Lawrence Hill, character is used to show how a “man is by nature competitive, combative, ambitious, jealous, envious, and vengeful”. William Shakespeare and Lawrence Hill demonstrate this theme through the character of Edmund in King Lear and Chekura in The Book of Negroes.

To begin, in the tragic play, King Lear, by William Shakespeare, the character of Edmund was used to show how a man is by nature ambitious, jealous, envious, and vengeful. Firstly, Edmund is the most ambitious character, eager to seize any opportunity and willing to do anything to achieve his goal even if it means hurting his own family. This is clear when Edmund plots against his own father; Gloucester and half-brother; Edgar to get hold of his father’s property. All of the efforts he put to destroy the relationship between Gloucester and his legitimate son, Edgar reveals his jealous envious, vengeful, and ambitious character. He could not handle the injustice in the society and he wanted to change his position in...