Critical Analysis of King Lear by Shakespeare
Uploaded by spootyhead on Mar 06, 2007
Critical Analysis of King Lear by Shakespeare
One of 20ths century’s questionably greatest poets and writers Maya Angelou has said, “Blindness is a disease that does not affect the eyes alone.” As some truths of human nature defy time and technology, the reality of this existed even in the Elizabethan era. Whether one agrees or disagrees with Shakespeare’s current status, one thing that cannot be denied was his devotion to targeting the basic flaw in all “good people” that inevitably causes their downfall. Similar to all Shakespearian plays, King Lear is essentially a tale about the human flaw of faulty perception. It is this imperfection that ultimately jeopardizes the lives and sanity of each character.
Lear is fundamentally portrayed as a noble man. This assessment is alluded to through various means. His kingdom exists in tranquility. He is surrounded by advisors that prove themselves to be righteous. Yet, as the play opens the audience is exposed to a new light on Lear. By splitting his kingdom, he is sure to create a civil war. By asking his daughters to profess their love for him, he is asking more of them than obvious. It seems as though the responses he receives are measurements of greed not love. He is quick to believe Regan’s and Goneril’s claims of all consuming love for their father, though he has raised these children. Clearly his desire to hear kind words overrides the truth. In Cordelias case, the one daughter that refuses to make a mockery out of herself and her scared bond to her father says “nothing.” Lear mentions, “Nothing can come out of nothing.” Unfortunately he seems to only see this in convinet cases, such as money; he ignores its literal meaning. He hastily exiles Cordelia from his kingdom. Kent tries to knock some sense into Lear and is meet with the same misfortune as Cordelia; “out of my sight!” It seems as though Lear is able to keep anything out of his sight. His blindness is his need to be reassured of his stature as a man through others petty words and mannerisms.
Lear went to great lengths in order to maintain a pleasant little fantasy; Cordelia is his polar opposite in this sense. Cordelia revels in the truth, hiding nothing and risking everything. She refuses "to speak and purpose not;" meaning that she will never...