Shroud Of Blindness Essay
analytical Essay
1558 words
The Shroud of Blindness Enter King Lear, a tale of an old king who must come to terms with his mortality after being pitifully abandoned by his own two daughters. Shakespeare skillfully crafts the values of the mortality of humanity straight into the play at the expense of the pain and suffering experienced by two of the characters: King Lear and the Earl of Gloucester. Both Lear and Gloucester struggle to see the true nature of the situation surrounding them, especially the malicious intentions of their own children. We feel the pain, confusion, and frustration of the two characters as struggle to face reality. Exacerbated by their blindness, Lear's and Gloucester's mistakes are powerfully exposed as Shakespeare strips these esteemed characters of their status, reducing them to what they truly are - human. Kent aims to convince Lear that he is making a grave mistake but ends up provoking Lear and making him even more furious. Lear threatens Kent's life, irately exclaiming "'Out of my sight!'" (1.1.168). Lear thinks that simply telling Kent to go away will make him disappear, like playing peek-a-boo with a young child. In a rather immature and unthreatening command for an eighty-year old man, Lear makes a futile attempt to try and make Kent vanish. Lear's effort reveals his bitter, unwise character, which is not typical for a regal, grandiose king. It also reveals that he is a frail old man, seeking reinforcing, yet artificial, declarations of unconditional love. "'See better, Lear, '" responds Kent in a witty, seemingly bitter fashion (1.1.169-170). Kent fervently urges Lear to see past the facade of loyalty and familial love created by Goneril and Regan. Resentfully hoping to rid Lear of his figurative blindness, Kent attempts ... ... middle of paper ... ...s are shrouded in hopelessness and grief, not only because he no longer can see, but also because of the disappointment he has in himself for not truly seeing Edgar's loyalty. The journey of both King Lear and the Earl of Gloucester through the course of the play help shapes the message that Shakespeare hopes to communicate to the audience. By showing the pitiful suffering of both of these well-regarded characters who are blind to the malevolent intentions of their own children, Shakespeare attempts to convey the following message: only through adversity and hardship are people able to comprehend the difficulties and truths of being human. Through King Lear's path of discovering that he is indeed mortal and Gloucester's painful removal of his eyes to discover that he made mistakes when he could see, Shakespeare reduces the characters to what they truly are - human.
In this essay, the author
- Analyzes how shakespeare crafts the values of the mortality of humanity into king lear and the earl of gloucester.
- Analyzes how kent aims to convince lear that he is making a grave mistake, but ends up provoking him and making him even more furious.
- Analyzes how lear's blindness causes him to lose to a sense of who he is.
- Analyzes how lear's figurative lack of sight demonstrates his foolishness and inability to see both of his daughters' true motives.
- Analyzes how lear is exposed to the horror of being abandoned by goneril and regan inside of gloucester's castle.
- Analyzes how lear, now in a mentally lost, deranged state, attempts to give gloucester advice and information about sight and blindness.
- Analyzes how lear wakes up to the sight of his one faithful daughter, temporarily returning him to a sane state of mind.
- Analyzes how gloucester, despite his wise, esteemed appearance, is foolishly blind to his bastard son's plot to defame his legitimate brother edgar.
- Analyzes how gloucester refuses the support of cornwall and regan and realizes his unforgivable mistakes, including his cruelty to his loyal son edgar. he admits he has no direction, no motivating force, nowhere to look forward to going.
- Analyzes how shakespeare's journey of king lear and the earl of gloucester helps shape the message that shakespeare hopes to communicate to the audience.
Related
- analytical
- King Lear Theme Analysisanalytical essayThroughout King Lear, the theme of appearance versus reality is present in the way Lear thinks about his daughters and how he thinks of himself. In the passage, the fool speaks about illusion and implies that people tend to base their actions on how reality appears. The fool points out that Lear should not have given up his land. Lear became old before he was wise. The fool gives others advice and tries to help Lear gain wisdom. The fool mentions that an ant worked all summer to provide for the winter, a lesson illustrating to prepare for the future. He refers to King Lear’s knights who can see where they are going unless they are blind. King Lear’s knights can see that Lear is losing power and realize they cannot gain anything if they stay loyal to him. The fool continues by stating to let go of a large wheel when it is rolling downhill, or it will “break thy neck,” suggesting Kent to avoid King Lear, whose life is going downhill, because Kent’s life will also be ruined. The fool advises Kent to become acquaint with a man with good fortunes, as Kent’s life will improve. The fool indirectly calls Kent a fool for continuing to serve Lear, but expresses that Kent is a good man for staying loyal. Kent is serving Lear because Kent loves him, revealing that love can be detrimental. It is ironic that the fool is the wisest character in the play, as he is advising the King. Shakespeare places the Fool into the play to emphasize that Lear is not wise. The real fool is King Lear,
In this essay, the author
- Analyzes how lear commands his daughters to profess their love for him, illustrating that he is selfish and foolish. cordelia's morals keep her from expressing insincere praise in order to receive a portion of his kingdom.
- Analyzes how shakespeare utilizes an apostrophe, as lear is speaking to a divine power, begging not to lose his mind.
- Analyzes how shakespeare places the fool into the play to emphasize that lear is not wise, because he is blinded by the illusion of what reality is.
- Analyzes how shakespeare's use of a storm creates symbolism and imagery, which enables the audience to visualize the extent of lear’s anger.
1278 wordsRead More - Blindness and Sight - Lack of Insight in King Learanalytical essayThroughout most of King Lear, Lear's vision is clouded by his lack of insight. Since he cannot see into other people's characters, he can never identify them for who they truly are. When Cordelia angers Lear, Kent tries to reason with Lear, who is too stubborn to remain open-minded. Lear responds to Kent's opposition with, "Out of my sight," to which Kent responds, "See better, Lear, and let me still remain" (I.i.160). Here, Lear is saying he never wants to see Kent again, but he could never truly see him for who he is. Kent was only trying to do what was best for Lear, but Lear could not see that. Kent's vision is not clouded, as is Lear's, and he knows that he can remain near Lear as long as he is in disguise. Later, Lear's vision is so superficial that the physical garments and simple disguise that Kent wears easily dupe him. Lear cannot see who Kent really is. He only learns of Kent's noble and honest character just prior to his death, when his vision is cleared. By this time, however, it is too late for an honest relationship to be salvaged.
In this essay, the author
- Analyzes the theme of sight and its relevance to clear vision in shakespeare's classic tragedy, king lear.
- Analyzes how lear's vision is clouded by his lack of insight, since he cannot see into others' characters, and cannot identify them for who they truly are.
- Analyzes how lear's vision is marred by his lack of direction in life, and his inability to predict the consequences of his actions.
- Analyzes how lear depicts shakespeare's theme of clear vision by demonstrating that physical sight does not guarantee clear sight, while gloucester shows this theme despite the total lack of sight.
- Analyzes how gloucester's vision clears when he loses his physical sight. when cornwall captures gloucester, gloucester provokes him to pluck out his eyes.
- Analyzes how gloucester lacks clear vision and would never have seen vengeance taken upon cornwall. cornwall's death is a direct result of his blinding of gloucester.
- Analyzes how gloucester learns to see clearly by using his heart instead of his eyes.
- Compares gloucester's vision with that of lear, who has the physical sight that gloucester lost, but gloucester has a clearer vision that he will never gain.
- Analyzes how lear cannot relate to gloucester because his vision is not clear. gloucester tells him that sight comes from within.
- Analyzes how lear's downfall was a result of his failure to understand that appearance does not always represent reality.
1420 wordsRead More - Shakespeare was regarded as one of the greatest writer in the English language and a brilliant playwright. He was one of the writers caught in the struggle between reason and emotion. This can be seen through one of his most brilliant plays: King Lear. King Lear is a tragedy by William Shakespeare. It is a play that portrayed a world too cruel and unmerciful to be true to life. It is a play filled with endless horror and unrelieved suffering. However, in this environment, Shakespeare expresses human existence in its profound depth. He examines the motivation of the characters’ actions and the future consequences of their irrational tho...
In this essay, the author
- Analyzes how literature illustrates the struggle between emotion and reason in society. shakespeare, hobbes, swift, and herrick explored the motives of human emotion, influenced by the enlightenment movement.
- Analyzes how shakespeare expresses human existence in its profound depth in king lear, which portrayed a world too cruel and unrelieved suffering.
- Analyzes how cordelia, king lear's daughter, is the voice of reason. she understands the love she has for her father. shakespeare illustrated emotion and reason as the sides of a coin.
- Explains that thomas hobbes was an english philosopher who established the foundation for most western political philosophy from the perspective of social contract theory.
- Analyzes how hobbes seeks to find a common power where people will fear and admire.
- Analyzes how jonathan swift, in "a modest proposal," advocated for raising poor children as food for the wealthy citizens. swift mocked extreme scientific proposals for social engineering.
- Analyzes how robert herrick, shakespeare, and hobbes argued that a balance between emotion and reason is the key to peace in society and life.
1431 wordsRead More - An Overview of Shakespeare's King Learanalytical essayI chose King Lear as the classic tragedy to analyze. Famous for its difficult plot and its intriguing themes of family, loyalty, madness, and community, it is rich with ideas to pursue. Arrogant, powerful, and sure of himself, Lear decides to retire and pits his three daughters against one another for the choicest pieces of his realm: they must outdo one another in professing their love for him. Two sneaky daughters (Regan and Goneril) compete as directed, and the third, Cordelia, states simply that she loves him according to her bond, no more nor less (I.1.97-99). Outraged, he cuts her out of the will and divides the land between the other two, prompting them to scheme with one another to reduce his meager luxuries, and then against one another to be more powerful and have the love of Edmund, the bastard (and bastardly) son of the Earl of Gloucester. Gloucester and his legitimate son Edgar are betrayed by his illegitimate son Edmund in a story that parallels the mistreatment of Lear by Goneril and Regan. Other characters include Kent, who counsels Lear against his rage at Cordelia and is exiled because of it, and yet disguises himself to help Lear fight against the humiliations heaped upon him by his ungrateful daughters. Edgar, the legitimate son of Gloucester, is misused and also tries to work against the greed of Regan and Goneril. Cordelia's refusal to pander to her father's ego wins her the love of the King of France, who takes her away after Lear shames her and sends her back with his armies as he begins his successful war against England under the power of Regan and Goneril. Morally, King Lear is a tale full of violence, greed, betrayal, and malice. The violence of Lear is gut-wrenching, with a particularly horrible scene (III.7) where Regan and her husband, the Duke of Cornwall, pluck out Gloucester's eyes for his support of the king and his supposed treason. There are few characters of good and honorable nature, and those that are, like Edgar, for example, are rather slow about identifying the treachery all around them, and are unable to prevent evil from taking its toll. Lear's eldest daughters are unquestionably evil, as is Gloucester's illegitimate son Edmund. Lear, self-absorbed and secure in his reign, apparently never bothered to ensure his daughters were raised to be good and moral women, thinking perhaps that his greatness alone deserved their awe and love.
In this essay, the author
- Analyzes king lear's difficult plot and intriguing themes of family, loyalty, madness, and community.
- Analyzes how king lear is a tale full of violence, greed, betrayal, and malice. the eldest daughters are unquestionably evil, as is gloucester's illegitimate son edmund.
- Opines that the modern tragic genre is rife with characters of moral problems that are reflective, and perhaps simplistic, of modern social ills.
- Compares things fall apart by chinua achebe and jane smiley's a thousand acres.
894 wordsRead More - King Lear Hero Quotesanalytical essayUndoubtedly, King Lear is one of Shakespeare’s most revered tragic plays. The complex plot, with its unexpected twists and turns, keeps the audience on the edge of their seats as some of Shakespeare’s most interesting characters, namely Edmund, the illegitimate son of Gloucester and brother of Edgar, are revealed. However, Edmund is truly the unsung hero of the iconic play. Although he is perceived as a Machiavellian vigilante, he is indeed a man whose true intent is simply to correct the injustices and inequalities within society. The fact that he has been brought up in a tormenting environment gives him a justifiable reason to stand up against the immoral society in order to correct the iniquitous
In this essay, the author
- Analyzes how king lear is one of shakespeare's most revered tragic plays. edmund, the illegitimate son of gloucester and brother of edgar, is the unsung hero of the iconic play.
- Analyzes how edmund is a deceptive, cunning, and unscrupulous personality, yet the reasons for his evil disposition have been overlooked.
- Analyzes how edmund is a despicable person because he betrays not only his brother, but also his father, who placed trust in him.
- Analyzes how edmund's laudable personality is depicted in his final moments where he attempts to redeem himself by rescuing lear and cordelia.
- Opines that edmund is an unrecognized hero in his own right, despite the enlightened society's moral flaws.
1247 wordsRead More - Theme Of Journey In Mccarthy's King Learanalytical essayIn other words, he commits suicide. During King Lear, Kent’s purpose is to serve and follow Lear. At first Kent may seem like a generic servant, but as the plot progresses it is evident that Kent truly cares for the well-being of Lear and is emotionally invested in his care. After Lear banishes Kent, Kent “raze[s] [his] likeness” in order to serve Lear once again. Kent’s extreme devotion drives him to sacrifice his personal identity . Kent’s journey is exceedingly purposeful in that he devotes his life to another human being without any obligations to do so. By the same token, Kent follows his journey to the final hour, as his purpose in caring for Lear ends in
In this essay, the author
- Analyzes how kent and edgar embark on altruistic journeys that lend purpose to their lives, while the man and the son's journey is to care for each other in an apocalyptic world.
- Analyzes how kent lends his life to lear in order to achieve a sense of altruistic purpose and commits suicide.
- Analyzes how kent exhibits altruism in its finest form. he follows lear to the grave and commits suicide in a final act of devotion.
- Analyzes how edgar adopts a sense of altruism in king lear, which emanates from his devotion to his father.
- Analyzes how shakespeare implies that gloucester dies off stage due to a heart attack. edgar serves his father until death by dueling with and killing edmund.
- Compares the journeys of kent and edgar in king lear to those of the man and his son in mccarthy's the road.
- Analyzes how the boy's journey is to play a role similar to that of prometheus in the road.
- Analyzes how the father's purposeful journey is to keep the boy alive, and he dies in following his journey. the care that they provide for one another lends their life an altruistic purpose.
- Analyzes how kent, edgar, the boy, and the father have similar journeys in that they contain altruistic purpose. because they are not self-serving, their investment provides for a meaningful life.
1530 wordsRead More - Tragedy Through Misreading in William Shakespeare's King Learanalytical essayWhen Lear tells Gloucester “A man may see how this world /goes with no eyes” (4.6.146-47) he displays both of their misfortunes, but it is too late to prevent ultimate tragedy. Shakespeare proposes that their tragic saga is a mere game to the heavens. “As flies to wanton boys, are we to th’ gods,/They kill us for their sport” (4.1.37-38). This line generalizes the overall simplicity behind the tragedy of King Lear. Even though Gloucester and Lear made terrible, fatal errors the reader feels at the end as if it is intended to be their destiny.
In this essay, the author
- Analyzes how shakespeare's tragedy, king lear, portrays many important misconceptions which result in a long sequence of tragic events.
- Analyzes how gloucester and lear create their eventual downfalls due to their inability to read deceit. gloucester remains a poor reader because he is quick to believe his sense of sight.
- Analyzes how gloucester, a fundamentally good man, tends to be pessimistic about his situation, as well as the rest of the world.
- Analyzes how gloucester's tragic flaw is his inability to perceive honesty and truth with his eyes. he condemns cordelia because she will not provide him with the immediate gratification he anticipates.
- Analyzes how lear portrays the classic shakespearian theme that some power corrupts but absolute power ultimately. his tragic flaw is his inability to read truth but his actions are spawned from different emotions
- Analyzes how shakespeare creates the notion that these tragic characters will listen to someone else and correct their reading errors. the fool represents a strong irony in king lear because he is labeled the fool.
- Analyzes how the fool speaks truth to lear when he says "learn more than thou trowest,/ set less than thou throwest." the second line refers to gloucester's character in a subtle way.
- Analyzes how the two tragic characters come to realize their mistakes. gloucester, having his eyes gouged out, dwells in his own hopelessness and misery.
- Compares how gloucester and lear die in the same manner, though they are different in their abilities to see.
- Analyzes how shakespeare proposes that their tragic saga is a mere game to the heavens. although gloucester and lear made terrible, fatal errors, the reader feels at the end as if it is intended to be their destiny
976 wordsRead More - Shakespeare's King Lear - A World too Cruel?analytical essayDespite its undeniable greatness, throughout the last four centuries King Lear has left audiences, readers and critics alike emotionally exhausted and mentally unsatisfied by its conclusion. Shakespeare seems to have created a world too cruel and unmerciful to be true to life and too filled with horror and unrelieved suffering to be true to the art of tragedy. These divergent impressions arise from the fact that of all Shakespeare's works, King Lear expresses human existence in its most universal aspect and in its profoundest depths. A psychological analysis of the characters such as Bradley undertook cannot by itself resolve or place in proper perspective all the elements which contribute to these impressions because there is much here beyond the normal scope of psychology and the conscious or unconscious motivations in men.
In this essay, the author
- Analyzes how king lear is the most highly praised and intensely criticized of all shakespeare's works. johnson supports the changes made in the text by tate in which cordelia is allowed to retire with victory and felicity.
- Argues that critics have sworn that the story is too fantastic and cruel to be true and that it should be viewed only as an allegory or fantasy. johnson called it a "just representation of the common events of human life."
- Analyzes how king lear has left audiences, readers, and critics emotionally exhausted and mentally unsatisfied by its conclusion.
- Analyzes how shakespeare's work parallels the historical development of dramatic literature. in his early comedies, plot is the sole or major element and character remains a minor or insignificant determinant.
- Explains that king lear is shakespeare's most all-encompassing portrayal of human life. he has created a world which is in its essence and major outlines, human personality and social interrelations, expressions of simultaneity and sequence.
- Analyzes how shakespeare's tragedies portrayed human nature in its purest, noblest, if not happiest terms. he chose the medium of tragedy because man had not yet emerged sufficiently from the lower and darker portion of nature.
- Analyzes how shakespeare transcends the natural boundaries of drama to express life beyond the limits of his artistic medium. bradley calls it his greatest work but not his best play.
- Analyzes how late eclipses in the sun and moon portend no good to us. nature finds itself scourg'd by the sequent effects: love cools, friendship falls off, brothers divide; in cities, mutinies, discord;
- Analyzes how bradley reflects the universality of the forces at work and their evil nature. "these terrible forces bursting into monstrous life and flinging themselves upon those human beings who are
- Analyzes how the pessimistic portrayal of evil, suffering, and destruction contains within it a process of growing human consciousness and evolving social life.
- Analyzes how the universal character of king lear is indicated by the intensity and extensity of the forces at play. both good and evil find their purest and most powerful expressions but the impression of evil is most predominant and enduring.
1688 wordsRead More - inability to seeanalytical essayThroughout Shakespeare's tragedy, King Lear , the ability to see does not guarantee that you can see and be blind not guarantee that you can not see anything . King Lear and Gloucester are the two main characters, who show a lack of understanding of each other, both physically and mentally. Two men have little understanding of their own children and deceived simple words and set costumes. When they are presented with lies and dishonesty, as Lear and Gloucester suffer without convictions. They are all ready to see what is on the surface, and not understanding what lies hidden in shame things inside. For Shakespeare, the view is not a physical quality, moral understanding of what boils down to what the eye sees. In fact, blindness becomes the key to true insight and perspective.
In this essay, the author
- Analyzes how the two main characters, king lear and gloucester, show a lack of understanding of each other, both physically and mentally, when presented with lies and dishonesty.
- Analyzes how lear's inability to see people, both physically and mentally, makes one think irrationally and make erroneous judgments.
- Analyzes how gloucester lear's conclusion about the result, ironically clear life, led to severe physical point of view of mental understanding, but also simple costumes haunted weight.
- Analyzes how gloucester sees the truth behind the evil son of edmund and edgar virtues.
- Analyzes how shakespeare is the true vision and perception through dialogue with others. lear turns into gloucester blinded her eyes without saying: "i see with excitement"
- Analyzes how lear and gloucester show a lack of understanding of each other, both physically and mentally, when presented with lies and dishonesty.
635 wordsRead More - Free King Lear Essays: King Learanalytical essayIn King Lear, the unnatural elements seem to always dominate the natural elements throughout the play. There exists a reversal of order in the play where the evil prosper in the downfall of the good, and where man's life is meaningless and arbitrary. King Lear, the tragic hero, dies in the end despite the torment and agony he had to endure to regenerate and repent. But it is the worthless destruction of countless other lives because of Lear's own personal tragedy that supports the view of the brutality and the meaningless of man's life in the play.
In this essay, the author
- Analyzes how the unnatural elements dominate the natural elements throughout king lear. the tragic hero dies in the end despite his torment and agony to regenerate and repent.
- Analyzes how life in lear's universe is brutal and merciless, brought about by the reign of evil in the play.
- Analyzes how lear and gloucester die in a state of joy, but they die resulf. both had immeasurable sufferings for their follies, and gained wisdom from their experiences.
- Opines that the deaths of soldiers from both sides are too numberous and insignificant to take note of in this indifferent universe of king lear.
- Analyzes how cordelia's brutal death in king lear is a devastating shock. she embodies the virtues of selflessness and honesty, and had enough love to help her father despite his total mistreatment.
- Argues that the destruction of good by evil is a tragic fact of life, but there were too many deaths to be accounted for in the play.
- Analyzes how shakespeare in king lear does not present an indifferent universe, but shows that there is justice in suffering, that evil proves futile, and that only through goodness is a sense of religious hope and spiritual bond possible.
737 wordsRead More