Light vs Dark in King Lear
Good versus evil. Light versus dark. A constant struggle in a Shakespearean world and “King Lear” is no different. “King Lear” is a tragedy where much wrong happens to good people. It’s a play where the good characters suffer and the bad thrive. Through the use of contrast and dramatic irony, Shakespeare’s “King Lear” portrays the struggle between good and evil.
The contrast between Goneril/Regan and Cordelia gives the story an unexpected depth. In the play “King Lear”, the main plot is based around the fall of Lear. The common theme of good and bad can be seen in the contrast between the sisters, Cordelia’s pureness and truth as opposed to Goneril and Regan nefarious motives. It instantly evident that Lear is not very wise when his foundation on dividing his land is “…Which of you shall we say doth love us most.” Such a basis for the separation of land seems foolish and as proven later in the text to be. Both eldest daughters expressed the deepest love for Lear while his youngest, Cordelia said “nothing, my lord … I love your majesty according to my bond.” Shakespeare uses the dramatic irony in that scene to enforce the contrast between the sisters. Cordelia, the daughter who loves him the most is given “Nothing,” while the eldest sisters who love him least receive his land. This difference between Goneril and Regan set against Cordelia is when makes the play a tragedy. We are conditioned to expect the good to prosper and the bad to fail, but in “King Lear” Cordelia and Lear both suffer the consequences for Lear’s actions.
The relationship amid Edgar and Edmund is a vital part to the play. Edmund, Gloucester’s illegitimate son, feels as though he’s had enough. He is constantly considered a joke by his father for example when Gloucester says “...his mother fair, there was good sport at his making, and the whoreson must be acknowledged.” This has led him to become angry and frustrated with his life. During his soliloquy, Edmund says “Lag of a brother? Why
The contrast between Goneril/Regan and Cordelia gives the story an unexpected depth. In the play “King Lear”, the main plot is based around the fall of Lear. The common theme of good and bad can be seen in the contrast between the sisters, Cordelia’s pureness and truth as opposed to Goneril and Regan nefarious motives. It instantly evident that Lear is not very wise when his foundation on dividing his land is “…Which of you shall we say doth love us most.” Such a basis for the separation of land seems foolish and as proven later in the text to be. Both eldest daughters expressed the deepest love for Lear while his youngest, Cordelia said “nothing, my lord … I love your majesty according to my bond.” Shakespeare uses the dramatic irony in that scene to enforce the contrast between the sisters. Cordelia, the daughter who loves him the most is given “Nothing,” while the eldest sisters who love him least receive his land. This difference between Goneril and Regan set against Cordelia is when makes the play a tragedy. We are conditioned to expect the good to prosper and the bad to fail, but in “King Lear” Cordelia and Lear both suffer the consequences for Lear’s actions.
The relationship amid Edgar and Edmund is a vital part to the play. Edmund, Gloucester’s illegitimate son, feels as though he’s had enough. He is constantly considered a joke by his father for example when Gloucester says “...his mother fair, there was good sport at his making, and the whoreson must be acknowledged.” This has led him to become angry and frustrated with his life. During his soliloquy, Edmund says “Lag of a brother? Why