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The play of King Lear is about a person in search of their own personal
identity. In the historical period in which this play is set, the social
structure was set in order of things closest to Heaven. Therefore, on Earth, the
king was at the top, followed by his noblemen and going all the way down to the
basest of objects such as rocks and dirt. This structure was set up by the
people, and by going by the premise that anything that is man made is imperfect,
this system cannot exist for long without conflict. Through tattered clothes
small vices do appear; Robes and furred gowns hide all. Plate sin with gold, And
the strong lance of justice hurtles breaks; (IV, vi). The chaos that occurs in
King Lear is due the reshaping of bonds within the society. Thus naturally,
bonds must be broken, kept and most importantly, formed. This rearrangement of
bonds is necessary to Lear understanding his personal identity.
Bonds that are
broken include those relations between King Lear and his two eldest daughters
(Regan and Goneril), between Glouster and Edmund and also between Edmund and
Edgar. Lear and Cordelia; Lear and Kent; Glouster and Edgar include those bonds
that are existent at both the beginning and conclusion of the play. By the
ending of the play, Lear is able to come to terms with himself and with nature.
For the rearrangement of the bonds, it is necessary that those based on money,
power, land, and deception be to abandoned. In the case of Lear and Goneril and
Regan, his two daughters have deceived their father for their personal gain.
Furthermore, they had not intended to keep the bond with their father once they
had what they wanted. Goneril states We must do something, and i' th' heat. (I,
i, 355), meaning that they wish to take more power upon themselves while they
can. By his two of his daughters betraying him, Lear was able to gain insight
that he is not as respected as he perceives himself to be. The relationship
broken between Edmund his half- bother, Edgar and father, Glouster is similarly
deteriorated in the interest of material items. By the end of the play, Edgar
has recognized who is brother really is and when he has confronted him says the
more th' hast wronged me...
The dark and vicious place where thee he got/ Cost
him his eyes. (V, iii, 203- 207). Since these bonds were all based on material
items, they were not genuine therefore could not hold in the rearrangement of
bonds. Throughout the play some bonds remain true. Lear at first disowns Cordelia because he does not get the flattery from her that he wishes to hear.
However, through much torment after he is reduced to nothing, Lear realizes that
he cannot always get what he wants just because he is king. Upon such
sacrifices, my Cordelia, The gods themselves throw incense. Have I caught thee?
He that parts us shall bring a brand from heaven And fire us hence like foxes.
Wipe thine eyes. (V, iii, 22- 26) Tough the two were not in communication
through the majority of the play, they still had love for each other and by the
end of the play, their bond is reformed. The breaking and reforming of Lear and
Cordelia's bond is similar to that of Lear and Kent's bond.
Throughout the play
their bond remains true, only Lear is not aware of it. Even after Lear has
passed away, Kent states, I have a journey, sir, shortly to go/ My master calls
me; I must not say no. (V, iii, 390- 391), thus proving that even in Lear's
death he remains loyal. The bonds that are present at both the beginning and
ending of the play have the consistent elements of loyalty and love. Through the
reforming of relationships Lear gains insight which allows him to come to terms
with himself and nature. Throughout the play Lear experiences much torment and
punishment from nature, for unnaturally giving up his power: Blow, winds, and
crack your cheeks! Rage, blow! You cataracts and hurricanoes, spout Till you
have drenched our steeples, (drowned) the cocks.
Your sulph' rous and thought-
executing fires, Vaunt- couriers of oak- cleaving thunderbolts, Singe my white
head. And thou, all- shaking Thunder (III, ii, 1-8). Lear has difficulties
accepting his fate he believes he is More sinned against than sinning (III, ii,
62-63). It is not until he accepts his fate and comes to terms will himself that
he is at peace. By the end of the play Lear is humbled and just happy that he
has the love of Cordelia. The reshaping of bonds within Lear's Kingdom was
necessary for Lear coming to terms with himself. Throughout the play those
relationships that were based on deception and material goods were broken while
those bonds based on loyalty and love were present at the beginning and at the
end of the play. Most importantly Lear is able to build a bond with nature which
allows him to come to terms with himself. At the conclusion of the play the
lesson has been learned, Speak what we feel, not what we ought to say (V, iii,
392)
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