King Lear, By William Shakespeare - 938 Words

William Shakespeare’s tragic play King Lear is a play that occupies a critical place in the great playwright’s cannon. Harold Bloom noted that it, along with Hamlet, can be thought of as a kind of â€Å"secular scripture or mythology†. If we accept Bloom’s reading, then it becomes possible to read the play as a kind of a parable and to read it’s symbolism in terms of the way that those symbols have been teased out in scripture and in mythology. In particular, this essay will consider how blindness functions as a symbol that puts the play in conversation with scripture and myth. Blindness in King Lear elicits the kind of sympathy that biblical references to blindness engender. Alternatively, references to blindness in mythology are not meant to speak about care and generosity but rather as punishment. Shakespeare blends both the scriptural significance of blindness and the mythological symbolism to create two characters, Lear and Gloucester whose ign orance Shakespeare figures through metaphors of sight, vision and blindness. As such, Shakespeare both incites Christian pity for these men who lack the ability to see what is before them, while invoking the quid pro quo moralism of myth that figures blindness as a punishment for bad behaviour. Foakes notes that â€Å"[King Lear] is not located in time† (p. 82). He points out that it refers through to the primitive world of gods while at the same time evidences scriptural quotes in the mouths of the characters. As such the play sees bothShow MoreRelatedKing Lear by William Shakespeare803 Words   |  3 PagesBlindness is a theme that we see throughout King Lear in many characters including King Lear, Gloucester and Albany. Although blindness is a theme it is also a psychological metaphor and can be defined as not having sight.2 Shakespeare forces us to see that being blind is a mental flaw just as much as it is a physical flaw. Lear is not only metaphorically blind but is also blind toward nastiness and loyalty . We see Gloucester’s blindness in more literal terms as he is literally blind but he canRead MoreKing Lear By William Shakespeare1612 Words   |  7 Pagesoverarching theme that surrounds King Lear by William Shakespeare is justice to nearly all. The play opens in a royal â€Å"court,† but this court is unjust with wicked people such as King Lear, Goneril, Regan, Duke of Gloucester, Edmund, and numerous others. The justice does not come in this literal court, but the figurative court of nature. Stunningly reprimanded by two of his three daughters, along with the natural tempest that causes him to be enveloped by insanity King Lear is punished. Goneril and ReganRead MoreWilliam Shakespeare s King Lear3086 Words   |  13 PagesJerion Young Ms. Woods English IV 4 March 2015 King Lear William Shakespeare uses several literary elements in his writing, elements which are especially apparent in his play, King Lear. Shakespeare uses excellent creativity and description when writing this tragedy. â€Å"Neither has Shakespeare placed in the mouth of any other character in this play such fatalistic expressions as may be found in King Lear and occasionally elsewhere†(A.C. 2003). The way King Lear talks in this play is very evil compared toRead MoreWilliam Shakespeare s King Lear1564 Words   |  7 PagesWilliam Shakespeare is universally known for his literary output both in poetry and drama. Whether through his laugh-invoking comedies or his heart-wrenching tragedies, Shakespeare’s plays have changed the course of literature. Many of his plays about love are widely praised by all, but Shakespeare s King Lear differs from the rest due to its definition of love. King Lear serves as an battleground between deception and compassion, between flattery and honest y. Rather than focusing on romantic loveRead MoreWilliam Shakespeare s King Lear1480 Words   |  6 PagesIntroduction William Shakespeare wrote the play of â€Å"King Lear† in 1986. This is a typical play of human coarseness and vengeance. The play challenges the audience through the contradiction of the goodness and primordial evil of a man. Many characters in this play demonstrate the tendencies of virtuous or vicious throughout the play. There are many themes in the play, but the most prevailing relates to the subject of justice. Shakespeare demonstrates this thematic deception of themes through instancesRead MoreThe Tragedy Of King Lear By William Shakespeare1671 Words   |  7 Pagesdramatic enlightenment. The tragedy of King Lear, written by William Shakespeare, illustrates the story of a proud and self-centered king, whose obtuse judgement shapes his demise. Lear’s impulsive actions catalyze a chain of events, inspiring emotion from the characters and the audience alike. On the surface, King Lear fits the description of Aristotle’s tragic hero. Discrepancies in Learâ₠¬â„¢s tale, however, contradict the idea of an idyllic relationship between Lear and the philosophies of Aristotle.Read MoreBlindness Of King Lear By William Shakespeare1077 Words   |  5 PagesMona Rupani ENG4U March-9- 2015 How is the theme of blindness explored in King Lear? The play King Lear, written by William Shakespeare, the theme of blindness is clearly illustrated in the characters of King Lear and Gloucester. Both characters are blind to the truth because of their unwariness and poor judgment of character. These two characters refused to see the truth about the ones that are loyal to them. This type of blindness in this play is mental. Mental blindness can also beRead MoreWilliam Shakespeare s King Lear1550 Words   |  7 PagesINTRODUCTION: By facilitating the growth of evil within William Shakespeare’s King Lear, it is evident that the tragedy’s protagonist, King Lear can be held accountable for his own victimization and ultimate downfall. The most notable aspects of this self-induced victimization include Lear’s own lack of practical wisdom and divergence from the natural order, combined with the neglect of kingship, that enables Lear as a tragic hero to create the conceptual framework in which the ulterior motives ofRead MoreWilliam Shakespeare s King Lear1611 Words   |  7 Pagesexperience life-changing events that jeopardize our sense of identity and make us question how we value ourselves. Our perception of our worth can change with what we learn through our existence, much like the characters in the play King Lear by William Shakespeare. Adversity and hardship are inevitable when characters are unable to connect themselves within their own identity or find a loss of self at some point in their role. The self-awareness, an essential aspect of their role, of many ofRead MoreWilliam Shakespeare s King Lear1320 Words   |  6 Pagesothers. Having strong communication skills allows one to better understand the situation at hand. Proper communication is essential to working out problems because of this reason. In the play King Lear by William Shakespeare, Lear communicating with his daughters, Gloucester communicating with his sons, and Lear communicating with Kent are all examples of failure of communication, which later lead to consequences and hardships that the characters must face. Without proper communication, people will