Theme Of Suffering In King Lear

The great German philosopher Friedrich Nietzsche once said: "That which does not kill us makes us stronger". To this day, his statement holds true and is the basis for many common inspirational sayings. In William Shakespeare's King Lear, Lear's second daughter suggests a similar idea and implies that suffering is a good teacher: "O, sir, to wilful men, / The injuries that they themselves procure / Must be their schoolmasters" (2.4.328-330). Base on the events that occur in the play, it is safe to say that Regan's implication is correct. Constant torment and anguish can be an excellent teacher and a great source of knowledge if dealt with properly. Suffering is the foundation to the development of helpful characteristics and traits and can
So distribution should undo excess, And each man have enough. (4.1.75-82)
Through his physical suffering, Gloucester becomes more human. He feels sympathy for Poor Tom and offers him clothes and money. He even wishes that the rich would always share their wealth so that everyone can have enough to live happy. After losing his eyes, Gloucester sees the world clearer than he has ever before. His suffering makes him wiser and more reasonable. Overall, he becomes a much better human being. King Lear is an elderly man with many tragic flaws. His poor decisions to divide the kingdom and to conduct a love test for his daughters lead to the deaths of many people. Lear is mentally blind and is unable to see what is important. During the love test, Lear is not capable of understanding the love Cordelia has for him and instead disowns her out of rage. His overloaded amount of pride causes him to banish the loyal Kent, a man who could have help ease Lear's transition into retirement if he were to stay in a position of authority. While dividing the kingdom between his two eldest daughters, Lear says: Only we shall retain The name, and all the additions to a king. The sway, Revenue, execution of the
Suffering can be an excellent teacher as it aids in the development of new characteristics and skills. The timid Edgar evolves into a stronger character with the help of positive thoughts and hopes while his brother Edmund is able to choose his battles carefully and use his intelligence to accomplish his sinister goals. The harsh experiences can also be a grand source of new wisdom which open the gates to a new perspective on life. Once selfish and short-sighted men, Lear and Gloucester endures heavy punishment and returns as kind-hearted, sensible individuals. Life is tough and the feeling of despair makes up a large portion of it. However, every dose of pain and every teardrop is an opportunity to learn and become stronger. Suffering is never fun, but it will always be a lifelong teacher that never fails to improve the physical and psychological integrity of any