What Is The Perception Of Reality In King Lear

Our perception of reality is directly affected by what we consume and internalize, and our distorted idiosyncrasies often obscure our sense of morality and the truth. In William Shakespeare’s play King Lear, Shakespeare plainly contrasts the complex and integral role of an unbiased perception of reality and a deliberate will to ignore one’s sense of morality and consciousness. In King Lear, the Earl of Gloucester, a powerful lord in King Lear’s court, is convoluted by his overwhelming paranoia and distrust, making him susceptible to his son Edmund’s lies and contrived threats of latent murder by his other son Edgar. Edmund concocts an elaborate story that forces Gloucester to believe that Edgar is going to make an attempt on his life as a
means to inherit Gloucester’s wealth. On a level of extremism akin to Gloucester’s paranoia, the Duke of Albany is blinded by his intense and unreciprocated love for his wife Goneril. Throughout the entirety of the play, Albany is unable to fully realize Goneril’s deceit and abuse. In a similarly convoluted state of misjudgement, King Lear pridefully banishes his daughter Cordelia when she unequivocally stated that she could not precisely articulate her love for her father with something, a feeling intangible and so tremendous it is above speech. Eventually, we come to see that these decisions lead to immense regret and devastation. The character’s moral blindness in the face of adversary inhibits their ability to see truths, which has a detrimental effect on the characters in Shakespeare’s King Lear.
Gloucester’s decision to escape what he views as an imminent death are the result of Edmund’s deliberate manipulation of Gloucester’s fragile mental state. Edmund’s calculated insidious plans lead to Gloucester’s distortion of reality and moral sight. Edmund betrays his brother Edgar by framing and impersonating Edgar in a meticulously calculated letter to their father outlines a conspiracy to kill Gloucestor for early inheritance of the Earl’s esteemed wealth. Gloucester is misled by Edmund’s perfidious letter and spirals into an extreme state of delusion. Gloucester displays his vehement and misplaced anger towards Edgar, clearly demonstrated when Gloucester boldly proclaims Edgar a “villain”. "O villain, villain! His very opinion in the letter! Abhorred villain! Unnatural, detested, brutish villain! Worse than brutish!” (1.2.75-76). In Gloucester’s frightening display of rage, he impetuously concludes that Edgar intends to murder. Gloucester’s emphatic anger evokes a moral blindness in his foolish desire to not seek out the truth by extensively questioning the credibility of the letter before coming to a miscalculated conclusion. Moreover, Edgar was not granted the opportunity to defend himself against the implications of Edmund’s letter before Gloucester apprehended him. Gloucester impulsively decided to take Edgar into custody, as noted in Act 1, Scene 2; “apprehend him: abominable villain! Where is he?” (1.2.77-78). Gloucester’s ability to rationalize and impartially make decisions is hindered by his emotional instability; his burst of anger precipitates and instills in him a sense of betrayal towards Edgar. Easily contrasted to love, anger is also a strong and inescapable human emotions that can both serve and hinder the person experiencing it.
Also fostering deep emotion, Albany is likewise as blinded by his love for Goneril as Gloucester is in his paranoia of Edgar.
Albany’s love towards Goneril is detrimental in its breadth and capability. Oblivious of Goneril’s intent to kill Albany, Edgar attempts to clearly outline Goneril’s insidious “plot upon her virtuous husband's life” (4.6.267). Until this acute moment in the play, Albany was ignorant to Goenril’s true intentions. After Edgar sheds light on Goneril’s the true intentions and her false pretense of love for him, Goneril professes her feigned affection toward Albany and her true love towards Edmund as she says “decline your head. This kiss, if it durst speak, Would stretch thy spirits up into the air” (4.2.22-23). Albany was willfully blind to Goneril’s illicit behavior towards another man. This is a clear demonstration of his lack of moral sight, as it is impeded by his overwhelming and blind love for his wife. Any emotions can produce moral blindness, positive or
negative.
King Lear’s banishment of his daughter Cordelia was because she told him that she loves him only as a daughter should love a father, as opposed to an exaggerated and unrealistic level of deep devotion exemplifies how one’s ego can induce moral blindness.
King Lear banishes Cordelia on the basis that she is unable to confess and love him to the extent that he desires. He banishes her as he disclaims “all … paternal care, Propinquity and property of blood” (1.1.117-118). Lear is overcome by his anger and disappointment and consequently blindly decides to banish Cordelia, the only daughter who truly loves him for who he is and not for the shares of his proprietary, wealth, and the kingdom available to her in inheritance. In addition to his nearsightedness in regards to Cordelia, Lear is also effectively consumed by his anger towards her. King Lear’s noble and trustworthy Earl of Kent attempts to oppose Lear’s decision by defending Cordelia, and in anger, Lear banishes Kent as well. Lear’s decision to banish Kent is also one of anger as he tells Kent, “come not between the dragon and his wrath” (1.1.129). Lear, in his morally blind state, could not differentiate truth from lie, even with Kent’s attempt to remind him Cordelia’s character. Lear’s emotional state of anger prevents him from engaging in the logical reasoning Kent attempts to provide regarding Cordelia’s true love for him. Due to his hubris, Lear fails to take Kent’s advice suffers deeply from the loss of his
banished Cordelia. Suffering is the ultimate result of moral blindness.
In the play King Lear, William Shakespeare shows that moral blindness inhibits the ability to see truths which has a detrimental and devastating effect on the characters. Shakespeare shows that both Gloucester and King Lear suffer as a result of moral blindness. They both failed to see their respective children’s evil intent. Gloucester banished Edgar and choose to trust Edmund, while King Lear banished Cordelia and fell for the exaggerated love professed by Goneril and Regan. Ultimately, their choices lead to their ultimate demise. Albany, once blinded by love for Goneril, was demystified of his delusions through Edgar’s help. Along with Gloucester and King Lear, Albany too suffered from his wanton blindness. Through these vastly distinctive and unique characters, but not uncommon characteristics and emotions of anger, pride, ego, and love, Shakespeare perfectly encapsulates the necessity of examination, clarity, and an unbiased to see the truth. Mankind needs more than eyes to see clearly.