Preview

Examples Of Evidence In King Lear

Satisfactory Essays
Open Document
Open Document
210 Words
Grammar
Grammar
Plagiarism
Plagiarism
Writing
Writing
Score
Score
Examples Of Evidence In King Lear
King Lear is a play with power as one of its main themes. “Power may be used for good or evil” is one of the generalizations found in Lear. Today, I will show three examples to support this claim. The first piece of evidence comes in act one, scene one. In this scene, King Lear banishes Kent. Lear was using his powers for evil. Kent was banished just because Lear was mad at him after a disagreement. That is an unfair, and thus, evil, reason for banishment. The second piece of evidence is found in act one, ur scene two. Here, Edmund tricks his father, the earl of Gloucester, into thinking his other son is plotting against him. Edmund does this in hopes he can steal his brother’s land. This shows the potential of power being used for evil. …show more content…
In this scene, Cordelia helps King Leer regain his health. Even though she was mistreated by Leer, Cordelia used her power for good by helping him. These pieces of evidence help support the generalization “Power may be used for good or evil.” King Lear is full of other themes about power, but this theme is one of the strongest
Continue Reading
View Writing Issues

You May Also Find These Documents Helpful

  • Good Essays

    Corruption Of Power In The Odyssey
    • 530 Words
    • 3 Pages

    Corruption Of Power In The Odyssey

    In The Odyssey, "Greenpeace Gets a New Leader", and Great Expectations, those in positions of power use their authority and status in both positive and negative ways. Across all three texts, power is used to inspire, corrupt and oppress.…

    • 530 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
    Read More
  • Good Essays

    Examples Of Power In Hamlet
    • 439 Words
    • 2 Pages

    Examples Of Power In Hamlet

    The play, Hamlet, has many different themes, which makes it appealing to people of all generations and across many different countries. The single theme that I found to be intriguing is power. There is a great need for power all throughout the play. Even so much that murder and marriage seem a fitting way for the characters of this play to achieve this power. Through this paper I will give examples of the scenes in which there is a great desire for power and explain how this is still relevant in our world today.…

    • 439 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Good Essays
    Read More
  • Satisfactory Essays

    William Shakespeare and Lear
    • 349 Words
    • 2 Pages

    William Shakespeare and Lear

    3. How does Kent’s reaction to Lear’s banishment of Cordelia introduce the theme of sight and insight?…

    • 349 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Satisfactory Essays
    Read More
  • Powerful Essays

    King Lear Rhetorical Analysis
    • 5068 Words
    • 21 Pages

    King Lear Rhetorical Analysis

    In contrast to her sisters, whose professions are banal and insincere, Cordelia does not seem to know how to flatter her father—an immediate reflection of her honesty and true devotion to him. “Love, and be silent,” she says to herself (1.1.60). When her father asks her the crucial…

    • 5068 Words
    • 21 Pages
    Powerful Essays
    Read More
  • Better Essays

    Progress In Shakespeare's King Lear
    • 1499 Words
    • 6 Pages

    Progress In Shakespeare's King Lear

    In the end, however, being disowned is the least of Cordelia’s problems. When the French are defeated by the English forces led by Edmund, Lear and Cordelia are captured. When they are confronted by Edmund, they are sentenced to prison. Edmund then orders a guard to execute them, before Edgar can intervene. Cordelia is killed before she can be freed, and Lear dies of a broken heart. This shows that, had Cordelia done what her father had asked rather than saying nothing, she would have led a better…

    • 1499 Words
    • 6 Pages
    Better Essays
    Read More
  • Good Essays

    Lord of the Flies & Macbeth
    • 889 Words
    • 4 Pages

    Lord of the Flies & Macbeth

    Power can change people in a way that is incomprehensible either for good or for evil. Power can make one so greedy that someone will do anything for it and won’t let anyone, or thing stand in their way. Macbeth by William Shakespeare portrays both the positive and negative uses on Power through the main characters. Macbeth’s greed of power allowed him to exercise abuse and ultimately he was corrupted and destroyed by power. Lady Macbeth used power in a positive way but her ultimate goal was domination of the Crown. Shakespeare uses dialogue and symbolism to allow his readers to engage with his mood and therefore the concepts of power.…

    • 889 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Good Essays
    Read More
  • Good Essays

    Abuse Of Power In Sophocles Antigone
    • 458 Words
    • 2 Pages

    Abuse Of Power In Sophocles Antigone

    An example of power being used in a negative way is King Creon using fear in Antigone by Sophocles. Many times in Antigone King Creon abused his power in a negative aspect. For example, when the Sentry spoke to him that someone had disobeyed his edict, the Sentry showed fear because he was afraid of how the king was going to react and King Creon fed on that fear which then filled him with rage. This shows that King Creon used that fear to gain more power over the people. This also shows that King Creon has a great amount of power in the kingdom because his people feared how he was going to…

    • 458 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Good Essays
    Read More
  • Good Essays

    King Lear Research Paper
    • 867 Words
    • 4 Pages

    King Lear Research Paper

    Although some critics may debate and argue against this statement, I strongly stand by my belief that there is no justice in the play King Lear. Whether it be Cordelia's banishment, Gloucester's torture, or Lear's insanity, no character in this play is shown mercy. Then again, perhaps this is why William Shakespeare's works are called tragedies. Throughout his entire writing career, Shakespeare has been known to end all of his tragedies with death, injustice, and dramatic irony, and this story is no exception.…

    • 867 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Good Essays
    Read More
  • Better Essays

    King Lear Research Paper
    • 1477 Words
    • 6 Pages

    King Lear Research Paper

    King Lear reaches a point where he turned into a mad king and easily enraged by anybody that disagrees with his decisions, except his fool. King Lear is an old man who has enjoyed his authority of kingship for a long time and he is giving up everything to his. Lear is ready to hand all of his authority, and income that comes with kingship, but Lear keeps few things in return, first being one hundred knights and the second is to keep the title as “King” by saying “With reservation of an hundred knights By you to be sustain’d, shall our abode make with you by due turn, Only shall we retain The name and all th’addition to a king.” (1.1.132-135). This is an example of Lear’s pride and arrogance because Lear still wants to be known as a king although he owns nothing, no kingdom, and no authority over anything. Lear kept one hundred knights to prove that he is still known as a king and still powerful. As time passes Lear becomes less known in society which makes him furious because he is used to be a powerful king soon afterward becomes unrecognized. Lear is upset to the fact that he is unknown and an example when he shows his frustration would be “Does anyone here know me …/ Who is that can tell me Who I am?” (1.4.215-219). This proves that Lear himself notices that he is a nobody now, and he cannot define himself since he has lost everything, including his daughter and his loyal servant Kent. Lear’s daughters Goneril and Regan got everything they wanted from their father, and now they want to take his one hundred knights to make Lear completely powerless. Lear begins his retirement with him keeping one hundred knights and his title and wants to live with one of his daughters for one month. Lear’s knights are the only thing he has left and that is his only pride other than his title. His daughters demand Lear to get rid of his knights in order to stay. Lear lost his knights and losing his knights represents taking…

    • 1477 Words
    • 6 Pages
    Better Essays
    Read More
  • Satisfactory Essays

    Examples Of Power In Antigone
    • 276 Words
    • 2 Pages

    Examples Of Power In Antigone

    Power also has the strength to manipulate people and their actions. A good example of this in Antigone is when King Creon made a new rule that if anyone were to bury his brother Polynices, they shall be sentenced to death. He used his power in a negative way to make sure the people in his kingdom don't bury his brother. He used his power to create fear in his people by adding a punishment to the people that disobeyed him. This shows that power can be abused in many ways and manipulate people. Even though after…

    • 276 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Satisfactory Essays
    Read More
  • Good Essays

    Macbeth Is a Study of the Emergence of Evil Within a Man Overwhelmed by Ambition and a Thirst for Power to the Point Where the Hero Degenerates Spiritually and Morally Into Some Evil and Hideous Monster
    • 698 Words
    • 3 Pages

    Macbeth Is a Study of the Emergence of Evil Within a Man Overwhelmed by Ambition and a Thirst for Power to the Point Where the Hero Degenerates Spiritually and Morally Into Some Evil and Hideous Monster

    Love of power is the fuel behind all great causes. Many wars have been fought and murders committed in the pursuit of power. In this play, we see how wanting such power, can turn you into the opposite of who you are.…

    • 698 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
    Read More
  • Good Essays

    Motif Of Power In Macbeth
    • 564 Words
    • 3 Pages

    Motif Of Power In Macbeth

    Many people want to obtain power to satisfy their needs. Once the individual gains the power, they continue to strive to gain more without acknowledging the consequences until later. In William Shakespeare's Elizabethan tragedy Macbeth, the corruptive quality of power influences the individual to go against their nature in order to obtain power by any means necessary. Shakespeare utilizes the motif of blood to show that the steps taken to obtain power will not always yield favorable results and the consequences will stay with the individual.…

    • 564 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
    Read More
  • Satisfactory Essays

    Drive Of Macbeth To Gain Power
    • 568 Words
    • 3 Pages

    Drive Of Macbeth To Gain Power

    Often times in history Leaders will do the most devious actions to acquire power for their personal gain. The drive of Macbeth to gain power will ultimately be his down fall. William Shakespeare presents how leaders will do anything to gain power. Macbeth has to alleviate powers of others to maintain power over the kingdom. The desire for Macbeth to gain power involves the type of conflict, characterization, and the plot.…

    • 568 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Satisfactory Essays
    Read More
  • Powerful Essays

    Notions of Power in Othello and 1984 Referring to Martin Luther King
    • 1960 Words
    • 8 Pages

    Notions of Power in Othello and 1984 Referring to Martin Luther King

    Never was there ever a more ambiguous term than Power. To single out any one definition of power would limit the words potential, however, the ability to do or act; capability of doing or accomplishing something, is succinct in entertaining its polysemic nature. Power is subjective to its holder, wether it be the individual, the people or the position. Through the quote, “I am not interested in Power for Powers sake. I am interested in power that is moral, that is right, that is good”, Martin Luther King Jr presents an ethical, just view of power, contrary to those explored in the texts Othello and 1984. Shakespeare and Orwell use specific literary devices to successfully portray the Power of the Individual, Power of Position and Power of the People. In Othello we see Iago’s abuse and ambitions for power and throughout 1984, Winston's subjective view of the authoritarian government is singled out and vanquished, which shows the power of manipulation and totalitarian control, as well as the power of fear and hate.…

    • 1960 Words
    • 8 Pages
    Powerful Essays
    Read More
  • Good Essays

    Corruption and Power in Macbeth
    • 769 Words
    • 4 Pages

    Corruption and Power in Macbeth

    Personal power has the ability to be essential to greatness, and at the same time is able to destroy a person's nature. In the drama Macbeth by William Shakespeare, the main character, Macbeth, becomes corrupt through power that he gains. The play shows that even someone who starts out like Macbeth and does not crave power, will do terrible things to gain authority and power.…

    • 769 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Good Essays
    Read More

Related Topics