William Shakespeares King Lear Essay - 954 Words

Throughout King Lear, Shakespeare gives the reader small moments of human goodness to contrast the evil in the play. L.C. Knights describes it as affirmation in spite of everything, (Coyle). These affirmative actions are clearly seen in response to the immorality, twisted values and evil that are so common throughout this play. These moments are used to give the reader an underlying faith in the human spirit despite the clear role of immorality and a lack of values. The instances of genuine human goodness allow Shakespeare to bring out intense evil and tragedy in his characters and plot without taking away all hope in humanity. The first affirmation of human goodness is seen as early as Act I Scene I in the play in a moment of†¦show more content†¦By saving Cordelia from a life of destitution and rewarding her character, Shakespeare provides the reader with a small amount of hope amid the morally depraved and corrupt setting he has created. Another example of affirmation is honesty and loyalty of the Earl of Kent throughout the play. Shakespeare first show the reader Kent’s righteous values in Act 1 Scene 1 when he defends Cordelia and tells Lear he in making monumental mistake in disowning her. Although he makes his statement with a clear respect and dedication to the King, he to is banished. Kent goes unrewarded for his exhibition of morality, but his ability so sees through this disillusioned society gives to reader hope and another character to believe in. It is clear from the beginning of the play that being an noble character like Kent or Cordelia has lead only to banishment and estrangement from society. However bad it may be for the admirable characters, these affirming scenes and characters are necessary to the plays overall moral tone. They offer reassurance to the reader in regards to the morality of society. Thier small acts, though powerless in the face of the overwhelming presence of malice and evil in the play, give the reader some faith to hold on to. Shakespeare gives us these positive moments throughout the play, yetShow MoreRelatedWilliam Shakespeares King Lear Essay923 Words   |  4 PagesWilliam Shakespeares King Lear In William Shakespeare’s tragedy, King Lear,the issue of sight on many levels is a recurring theme. Throughout the play Shakespeare shows that sight does not just come from the eyes. It is shown through the characters of Lear, Gloucester and how they compare to each other. Lear’s character is one that never learns what it means to see without ones eyes. Lear’s sight is hazed because of his lack of ability to see inside ofRead More William Shakespeares King Lear Essay1571 Words   |  7 PagesWilliam Shakespeares King Lear The locations in Shakespeare’s King Lear fall into three categories: inside a court, out in nature, and in-between nature and civilization. Lear himself also wavers between three states: sanity, senility, and the fine line between the two. These states of consciousness relate directly to the scenes’ locations. However, Lear’s insanity is not the fault of his location in the world; for the most part, he has control over his situation. The series of events inRead MoreWilliam Shakespeares King Lear Essays1856 Words   |  8 PagesWilliam Shakespeares King Lear A man more sinned against than sinning King Lear is one of Shakespeares more complex plays and within it many different themes are addressed and explored. KingRead More foolear A Fool for a King in William Shakespeares King Lear1081 Words   |  5 PagesA Fool for a King in King Lear     Ã‚   In Shakespeares play King Lear, the main character, King Lear, is presented as a respected and powerful king. As the story progresses the king loses his power because of his own stupidity and blindness. The tragedy of this play is shown chiefly through the actions of Lear’s daughters, which lead to Lear’s bout with insanity, and through the words of the Fool. At the beginning of the play, King Lear appears as a powerful and well-loved ruler. He explainsRead MoreFool in William Shakespeares King Lear Essay1119 Words   |  5 PagesFool in William Shakespeares King Lear The Fool’s function in King Lear is to create emphasis on the tragedy in the play and give insight into the characters’ true nature. He shows other characters’ nature though blunt comments and earns himself the name of ‘all-licensed Fool’, as he clearly states peoples’ inner personality. He develops the tragedy though a theme of madness and instability, from his use of poems and rhymes intermingled with standard prose, Read More Justice in William Shakespeares King Lear Essay1038 Words   |  5 PagesJustice in William Shakespeares King Lear The question of the origin of true, virtuous, and impartial justice has plagued mankind over the millennia and continues to do so today. In Shakespeare’s King Lear two potential forms of justice predominate: human examination through trial and divine supernatural recourse. Both systems emerge fundamentally flawed in practice, however, and by the end of the play a world of unjust chaos reigns supreme. Over the course of three â€Å"trials,† Lear’s daughtersRead More Folly in William Shakespeares King Lear Essay2875 Words   |  12 PagesFolly in William Shakespeares King Lear      Ã‚  Ã‚   In East Coker, T. S. Eliot pleads Do not let me hear / Of the wisdom of old men, but rather of their folly†¦. (Eliot 185) The folly of old men must surely be a central trope in any discussion of Shakespeares imposing tragic accomplishment, King Lear. Traditional interpretations of the play, drawing on the classical Aristotelian theory of tragedy, have tended to view Lears act of blind folly as hamartia, precipitating the disintegration ofRead MoreEssay on Disobedience in William Shakespeares King Lear1682 Words   |  7 PagesDisobedience in William Shakespeares King Lear How sharper than a serpents tooth it is to have a thankless child. Filial disobedience is a key theme in the play King Lear and in both the times it was set and written, children were not expected to disobey their fathers. Jacobean England was an extremely hierarchical society meaning that respect should not only be shown to the powerful and rich but also to parents and the elderly. Seventeenth century England wouldRead More foolear Role of the Fool in William Shakespeares King Lear803 Words   |  4 PagesThe Role of the Fool in William Shakespeares King Lear In the play King Lear, by William Shakespeare, there are many intriguing characters. Perhaps the most intriguing of them all is the fool. The fool seems to exist outside the play appearing and disappearing without warning. The fool is, however, a necessary character to the evolution of Lears character, since he is the personification of truth and reason. The fool serves to show Lear how he is going insane, as well as to attempt to delayRead More Tragedy Through Misreading in William Shakespeares King Lear975 Words   |  4 PagesTragedy Through Misreading in William Shakespeares King Lear Shakespeare’s tragedy, King Lear, portrays many important misconceptions which result in a long sequence of tragic events. The foundation of the story revolves around two characters, King Lear and Gloucester, and concentrates on their common flaw, the inability to read truth in other characters. For example, the king condemns his own daughter after he clearly misreads the truth behind her â€Å"dower,†(1.1.107) or honesty. Later, Gloucester