King Lear

647 Words2 Pages
bulb-icon

Recommended: Character analysis of king Lear

In the play King Lear, Shakespeare used the main characters to portray the main theme. The main theme in this play is blindness. King Lear, Gloucester and Albany are three examples Shakespeare used to incorporate this theme. Each of these characters were “blinded” in different ways because of the wrong decisions they’ve made and later on regretted. The blindest of all was King Lear. Because of his high position as the king, people would think that he should be able to distinguish the good from the bad, but unfortunately, he was “blinded” by others. Lear’s first act of blindness came at the beginning of the play. He was fooled by his two eldest daughters’ sweet words, and then he was unable to see cordelia’s true love for him. There he gave away his kingdom to the two daughters who lied about loving him and banished cordelia-who really loved him from his kingdom. “…For we have no such daughter, nor shall ever see that face of her again. Therefore be gone without our grace, our love, our benison.” (Act I, Sc. I) Lear’s blindness also caused him to banish Kent. Kent was able to see Cordelia’s love for her father and tried to make Lear see the same thing. But instead he got punished for it. As the play progressed, Lear slowly came to clear vision. he realized that that his two eldest daughter did not truly love him after they locked him out of the castle during a tremendous storm. He also finally saw through that Cordelia’s love for him was so tremendous that she was not able to put it in words. Unfortunately, his blindness caused the dearth of Cordelia and his own. Gloucester was another example of character that suffered from blindness. His blindness prevented him from seeing the goodness of Edgar and the evil of Edmund. His blindness began when Edmund convinced him by the forged letter that Edgar was planning to kill him. His lack of “sight” caused him to believe that Edmund was the good son although all he wanted to do is to take over his power. Near the end of the play, Gloucester finally regained his sight and realized that Edgar saved his life and loved him all this time and Edmund was the evil of the two. His inability to see occurred when he had physical sight, but when he finally could see things clearly is when he had his eyes plucked out by the Duke of Cornwall.

Show More
Related

  • Frankenstein Annotated Bibliography

    587 Words  | 2 Pages

    In comparisons to the three other sources in my annotated bibliography, this source is the least useful as the details are not in much depth, but the details that are provided cover the whole premise of the gothic novel. As the author of this particular academic journal is Merriam Webster’s Encyclopedia of Literature, the journal is not biased towards any specific detail or character, giving a clear explanation of the novel. Merriam Webster’s Encyclopedia of Literature provides a great explanation of the novel as a whole, and through the hours of research that is visible through their journal on Frankenstein, their information is very reliable. The goal of this particular source is to give the reader the foundation for the gothic novel Frankenstein, and to begin to explore that Victor’s horrible decisions are a major cause of tragic events in the book, and Merriam Webster’s Encyclopedia of Literature does a great job of getting their goal across to the

    Read More

  • Mental And Mental Disorders In Witty Ticcy Ray, By Oliver Sacks

    1161 Words  | 3 Pages

    Differentiating one’s identity from one’s abnormalities is often difficult for individuals with mental and physical disorders. In “Witty Ticcy Ray” by Oliver Sacks, Ray struggles to create an identity separate from his Tourette’s. Affecting each individual differently, Tourette’s syndrome “is characterised by an excess of nervous energy, and a great production and extravagance of strange motions and notions” (Sacks, 1981, p. ????). In 1971, following the popularization of Tourette’s syndrome, Sacks met with an individual, Ray, who had suffered from this disorder since childhood. Oliver Sacks and Ray worked to control Ray’s Tourette’s through different treatment techniques like using psychoanalytic drugs and performing deep analysis. Throughout

    Read More

  • Ticcing Away: Tourette Syndrome

    3161 Words  | 7 Pages

    For decades after Tourette’s discovery, Tourette Syndrome was believed to b4e a psychological disorder. With the twentieth century and the age of Freud’s psychoanalysis, new ideas and theories about Tourette Syndrome came a dime a dozen. Hysteria, schizophrenia, mental instability, sexual dysfunction, narcissistic disorder, and poor family dynamics were just a few of the speculated causes of that era. (Shimberg, 1995, p.66) It wasn’t until the mid 1960’s that researchers work helped our present understanding of Tourette came to be. It was finally acknowledged that the disorder was biologically base...

    Read More

  • The Effects Of Blindness: A Painful, But Beneficial Flaw

    1971 Words  | 4 Pages

    This is the case when it comes to Gloucester. Gloucester suffered from a terrible case of blindness. His blindness consisted of being unable to see Edgar as his good son and Edmund as his evil son. Although Edgar was always loyal to Gloucester, Gloucester resented Edgar after being deceived from Edmund saying that Edgar wanted to kill him. Gloucester’s lack of sight made him believe that Edmund was a good son even though all Edmund cared about was taking away Gloucester’s title of Earl. Gloucester’s blindness up to this point in the play is metaphoric. As the play moves on Gloucester was betrayed by Edmund and left at the merciless hands Regan and the Duke of Cornwall. Gloucester felt bad that King Lear was locked out of his castle thus he went to help him. Edmund snitched on his father and then ditched him when he’s punishment was carried out. Gloucester was punished for his loyalty to King Lear by having his eyes gouged out. It wasn’t until that point where Gloucester saw his mistake. Gloucester’s revelation is shown when he says, “O my follies! Then Edgar was abused. King gods, forgive me that, and prosper him.” (3.7.111-112) Gloucester understood now that Edgar was always a loyal son to him and Edmund was a treacherous snake. Gloucester’s famous line, “I stumbled when I saw” (4.1.20-21), was ironic for him to say. His inability to see the true nature of both sons occurred when he

    Read More

  • Sight and Blindness in Shakespeare's King Lear - Lack of Vision

    1470 Words  | 3 Pages

    These classic tropes are inverted in King Lear, producing a situation in which those with healthy eyes are ignorant of what is going on around them, and those without vision appear to "see" the clearest. While Lear's "blindness" is one which is metaphorical, the blindness of Gloucester, who carries the parallel plot of the play, is literal. Nevertheless, both characters suffer from an inability to see the true nature of their children, an ability only gained once the two patriarchs have plummeted to the utter depths of depravity. Through a close reading of the text, I will argue that Shakespeare employs the plot of Gloucester to explicate Lear's plot, and, in effect, contextualizes Lear's metaphorical blindness with Gloucester's physical loss of vision.

    Read More

  • Examples Of Figurative Blindness In King Lear

    997 Words  | 2 Pages

    In King Lear, Gloucester’s loss of figurative blindness parallels his lose of physical eyesight. Since Gloucester had previously helped Lear escape to Dover, Goneril, Regan, and Cornwall forcefully captured Gloucester. Cornwall then proceeds to claw out Gloucester’s eyes, yelling “out, vile jelly” (3.7.101). Gloucester calls to Edmund for help, but Regan triumphantly reveals that it was Edgar that betrayed Gloucester from the beginning. At this moment, Gloucester’s blindness towards Edmund finally dissipates. Through his eradication of physical sight, Gloucester learns the truth about Edmund’s intentions. Shakespeare cleverly shows that physical sight is not tied to insight at this moment. Gloucester lost his figurative blindness and gained insight when he lost his physical eyesight. Afterwards, Gloucester starts to gain some insight, and says: "I have no way, and therefore want no eyes. I stumbled when I saw” (4.1.19-20). Here, he is claiming that even though he saw, he was never able to see clearly. He was not able to see the truth behind Edgar’s well conceived lies. Additionally, Gloucester says “Full oft ’tis seen our means secure us, and our mere defects Prove our commodities” (4.1.20-23). Gloucester is explaining that he was spoiled by his eyes, and now that he is without them, it could be advantageous. Without his physical ability to see, the truth about Edmund is revealed to

    Read More

  • Tourette Syndrome Research Paper

    447 Words  | 1 Pages

    Tourette syndrome is a neurological disorder which becomes evident in early childhood or adolescence. The first symptoms usually are involuntary movements (tics) of the face, arms, limbs or trunk.  These tics are frequent, repetitive and rapid.  The most common first symptom is a facial tic (eye blink, nose twitch, grimace), and is replaced or added to by other tics of the neck, trunk, and limbs. the author dwells much more on how his colleague, and those around him, has adjusted to the tics caused by Tourette's syndrome. Tourette’s affect perhaps one person in a thousand. The author of the book studies Dr. Carl Bennett, and explains in his book that this syndrome is like an obsessive. Bennett’s tics happens suddenly, and he touches his mustache to check for symmetry, his glasses to check for balance, and as Bennett said, “The touching has to be symmetrical.” As he explains, when they got into Bennett’s house, he patted his dogs, and his sons ran out, and then he patted their heads, too, in

    Read More

  • Representations of Nature in King Lear

    856 Words  | 2 Pages

    ...e mock trial for his unfaithful daughters. He only regains a modicum of sanity when he is rescued by Cordelia, who treats him as he deserves, giving him fresh garments and restorative medicine. When Lear wakes in her presence, he is not entirely lucid, not knowing his whereabouts and surroundings, but the doctor declares that “The great rage you see is killed in him” (IV. vii. 90-91). Once Lear is restored to his former majesty, his madness is quelled. The imbalance of nature is rectified, and consequently, the mind of nature’s king is healed.

    Read More

  • Breast Cancer Stereotypes

    211 Words  | 1 Pages

    Breast cancer is one of the most common diseases and primary cause of the huge number of deaths among women worldwide. Early detection methods and exact diagnostics are essential to the success of breast cancer treatment. However, breast cancer is a heterogeneous disease that is caused by a variety of genes. Therefore an understanding of the differences between breast cancer subtypes has become the primary avenue for treatment. In order to get a deep understanding of the various subtypes, classifying cancer patients by molecular features and phenotypic of cancer subtype will be needed. To fulfill this need, Computer Scientists and Medical Researchers in the bioinformatics field have partnered together to use a high performance data science

    Read More

  • A Consideration of the Way Shakespeare Presents and Develops the Theme of Blindness in King Lear

    1551 Words  | 4 Pages

    A Consideration of the Way Shakespeare Presents and Develops the Theme of Blindness in King Lear

    Read More

  • Transformation of Lear in Shakespeare's King Lear

    1682 Words  | 4 Pages

    King Lear is a Shakespearian tragedy revolving largely around one central theme, personal transformation. Shakespeare shows in King Lear that the main characters of the play experience a transformative phase, where they are greatly changed through their suffering. Through the course of the play Lear is the most transformed of all the characters. He goes through seven major stages of transformation on his way to becoming an omniscient character: resentment, regret, recognition, acceptance and admittance, guilt, redemption, and optimism. Shakespeare identifies King Lear as a contemptuous human being who is purified through his suffering into some sort of god.

    Read More

  • Analyzing King Lear's Tragic Flaws

    862 Words  | 2 Pages

    The first flaw in King Lear is his arrogance, which results in the loss of Cordelia and Kent. It is his arrogance in the first scene of the play that causes him to make bad decisions. He expects his favorite, youngest daughter to be the most worthy of his love. His pride makes him expect that Cordelia’s speech to be the one filled with the most love. Unfortunately for King Lear’s pride, Cordelia replies to his inquisition by saying, “I love your majesty/According to my bond and nothing less';(1.1.100-101). Out of pride and anger, Lear banishes Cordelia and splits the kingdom in half to the two evil sisters, Goneril and Regan. This tragic flaw prevents King Lear from seeing the truth because his arrogance overrides his judgement. Lear’s arrogance also causes him to lose his most faithful servan...

    Read More

  • Blindness and Sight - Lack of Insight in King Lear

    1420 Words  | 3 Pages

    In Shakespeare's classic tragedy, King Lear, the issue of sight and its relevance to clear vision is a recurring theme.  Shakespeare's principal means of portraying this theme is through the characters of Lear and Gloucester. Although Lear can physically see, he is blind in the sense that he lacks insight, understanding, and direction. In contrast, Gloucester becomes physically blind but gains the type of vision that Lear lacks. It is evident from these two characters that clear vision is not derived solely from physical sight. Lear's failure to understand this is the principal cause of his demise, while Gloucester learns to achieve clear vision, and consequently avoids a fate similar to Lear's.

    Read More

  • Comparing Lear and Gloucester in Shakespeare's King Lear

    1980 Words  | 4 Pages

    In Shakespeare's classic tragedy, King Lear, there are several characters who do not see the reality of their situation. Two such characters are Lear and Gloucester. Both characters exhibit a blindness to the world around them. Lear does not see clearly the truth of his daughters mentions, while Gloucester is also blinded by Edmond's treachery. This failure to see reality leads to Lear's intellectual blindness, which is his insanity, and Gloucester's physical blindness that leads to his trusting tendencies. Each character achieves inner awareness at the end as their surreal blindness is lifted and they realize the truth. Both Lear and Gloucester are characters used by Shakespeare to show the relevance of having a clear vision in life.

    Read More

  • Essay On Sustainable Environment

    1748 Words  | 4 Pages

    As more and more people are being educated about the environmental issues that have progressively arisen in recent years, more people are looking for ways to live a sustainable lifestyle. With human population growth continually to increase, carbon emissions will continue to have a larger impact in a limited carrying capacity that the Earth holds. Conscious efforts to save natural resources need to be made, luckily there are numerous ways people can reduce their carbon footprint. This essay will demonstrate how the developed world can reduce the pressure being placed on the state of the environment and how simple contributions individuals can partake in can lead to a sustainable development. If we produce awareness about environmental issues then people will realize how important it is to give back to the earth, not only for ourselves during this present moment, but also for future generations (our children). Many people do not realize how big of an impact they actually have on a daily basis, we individually have a greater contribution of carbon dioxide emissions to the atmosphere than we think. The more energy that is produced through human activity the more likely it is to develop sicknesses, destroy precious environments, endanger species, and deplete the atmosphere which will create insufficient living for every living creature in the future. The paper will entail four ways in which we can create a significantly more sustainable lifestyle. The first section is about alternative energies, such as wind turbines and solar energy, and how individuals can support the transformation from fossil fuels to these green energies. Following that, the second section explains the importance of unplugging wasteful powe...

    Read More

More about King Lear

Open Document