Suffering And Redemption In Shakespeare's 'King Lear'

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Throughout the play ‘King Lear” both King Lear and the Earl of Gloucester experience suffering and redemption due to their actions and attitudes. Whilst both Lear and Gloucester experience great suffering, it is Lear that loses the most and suffers more greatly. Lear 's arrogance and need for flattery causes him to exile two of the people who were most loyal to him. Gloucester’s naive and foolish ways result in impulsive decision making and him exiling his loyal son. Lear’s suffrage is evident as he loses his kingdom, his sanity and his youngest daughter. Gloucester suffering is similar to that of Lear 's as he thinks he has lost his son, as well as losing his eyes. Both characters suffering in the play is self-inflicted and results in their …show more content…

Throughout the play, Gloucester is blind to the events transpiring around him and the deceit that Edmund is planning. Gloucester rejects his son Edgar as he is told by Edmund that Edgar is planning to kill him (Shmoop, 2014). Gloucester assumes that Edmund is telling the truth and soon classifies Edgar as a criminal and he is hunted. By ordering his own son to be killed, the audience can see how impulsive Gloucester is and how naïve he is. Gloucester’s lack of attempt to determine the true story shows how easily influenced he is and how his foolishness overtakes his rational thoughts. Much like Lear, Gloucester cannot determine the true intentions of his children and is blinded by impulsive decisions and deception (King Lear, 2012). Gloucester rejects the child who had true love for him and cannot see past the lies he is being told.
Edgar’s realization that Edgar was his loyal son and that Edmund was using him to get what he wanted became clear to him once he could no longer see and without his son or his eyes, Gloucester felt useless. Edgar saves Gloucester from his attempted suicide and later reveals to him his true identity giving Gloucester a sense of peace. It is later revealed that Gloucester kills himself and Edgar defends his honor and fights Edmund. Although Gloucester suffers throughout the play, before his death, he is able to make peace with his son and die with a sense of dignity and

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