King Lear: The Parallel Journeys Of Families
Sarah Phillips
Ms. Moriconi
AP English Language and Composition
June 10, 2014
The Parallel Journeys of Families The infamous playwright, William Shakespeare’s, King Lear relays the story of a tragic hero and his family while paralleling it to the sub-plot within the tragedy. The story of these two reflecting groups of characters displays the obliteration of once potent characters’ power, and the inversion of social order. King Lear, the father of Goneril, Regan and Cordelia experiences a digressing journey comparable to that of Gloucester, the father of Edmund, his illegitimate son, and Edgar. Both Lear and Gloucester make a reprehensible decision in confiding in their children that they thought were the most honorable, but were faced with …show more content…
Both characters suffered from a psychological blindness. Lear were unable to see his two daughters deceiving him, along with being unable to see Cordelia’s true love. He also portrayed this inability to see when he banished his loyal follower, Kent. When he was unable to realize that it was Kent in disguise as his servant, it only reinforces the theme. The consequences of his condition were that “tragedy id inevitable”, his blindness did not allow for him “to recognize the errors of his decisions” this is the direct cause for the kingdom being “torn apart” (Pappril 3). Gloucester also was seriously affected by this blindness. This caused him to not be able to see the true and honorable man that Edgar was, and not see the truly evil person that Edmund was. A part of these two heroes’ journeys was Lear and Gloucester’s ability to overcome this blindness, and regain a true sense for the moral flaws of themselves. Luckily, they began to see the true qualities of the people that they once trusted, or the people that they once rejected. Lear’s “eyesight” began to recover as the play progressed. He began to see the true colors of Goneril and Regan after they refused to let him live with them and locked them out of his castle during the perilous storm. He was faced with the fact that their eulogies that were given at the beginning of the play were nothing but lies to benefit their own selfish causes. Most importantly, Lear was gaining the aptitude to get passed Cordelia’s inability to adulate her father and see that her love truly was so vast that it was indefinable. Lear is able to overcome his haughtiness and results in him begging for forgiveness from Cordelia. Gloucester’s sight begins to make a reappearance in Act IV when he realizes that Edgar was Poor Tom and it was his son who saved his life. He then comprehends that Edmund was completely dishonest and that it
Ms. Moriconi
AP English Language and Composition
June 10, 2014
The Parallel Journeys of Families The infamous playwright, William Shakespeare’s, King Lear relays the story of a tragic hero and his family while paralleling it to the sub-plot within the tragedy. The story of these two reflecting groups of characters displays the obliteration of once potent characters’ power, and the inversion of social order. King Lear, the father of Goneril, Regan and Cordelia experiences a digressing journey comparable to that of Gloucester, the father of Edmund, his illegitimate son, and Edgar. Both Lear and Gloucester make a reprehensible decision in confiding in their children that they thought were the most honorable, but were faced with …show more content…
Both characters suffered from a psychological blindness. Lear were unable to see his two daughters deceiving him, along with being unable to see Cordelia’s true love. He also portrayed this inability to see when he banished his loyal follower, Kent. When he was unable to realize that it was Kent in disguise as his servant, it only reinforces the theme. The consequences of his condition were that “tragedy id inevitable”, his blindness did not allow for him “to recognize the errors of his decisions” this is the direct cause for the kingdom being “torn apart” (Pappril 3). Gloucester also was seriously affected by this blindness. This caused him to not be able to see the true and honorable man that Edgar was, and not see the truly evil person that Edmund was. A part of these two heroes’ journeys was Lear and Gloucester’s ability to overcome this blindness, and regain a true sense for the moral flaws of themselves. Luckily, they began to see the true qualities of the people that they once trusted, or the people that they once rejected. Lear’s “eyesight” began to recover as the play progressed. He began to see the true colors of Goneril and Regan after they refused to let him live with them and locked them out of his castle during the perilous storm. He was faced with the fact that their eulogies that were given at the beginning of the play were nothing but lies to benefit their own selfish causes. Most importantly, Lear was gaining the aptitude to get passed Cordelia’s inability to adulate her father and see that her love truly was so vast that it was indefinable. Lear is able to overcome his haughtiness and results in him begging for forgiveness from Cordelia. Gloucester’s sight begins to make a reappearance in Act IV when he realizes that Edgar was Poor Tom and it was his son who saved his life. He then comprehends that Edmund was completely dishonest and that it