Loss Of Vision In King Lear Essay

William Shakespeare 's King Lear incorporates many themes, some which are even a recurring pattern throughout the play. The matter of vision is an important theme in this play. This theme is elegantly rendered through the characters of Lear and Gloucester. The lack of insight or blindness in this play is quite symbolic. Gloucester was initially blinded because of his emotional instability he experienced in the moment. This lead him to be vulnerable and easily deceived. He eventually did become physically blind, but later attained vision in a different way. He attains vision that Lear does not ever see or attain until it is too late. In the case of Lear, blindness and the lack of vision is not so much physical and has a different meaning. When Lear thoughtlessly gives away all of his power to others, he suffers of mistreatment from his own kind. Lear’s blindness to see the truth in the personality of a person and character was clear in the beginning of the play with Cordelia and later on with

The concept of blindly placing trust in people can result in much suffering which Shakespeare shows through the integration of character development between Gloucester and Lear in his play King Lear. This teaches people to seek the truth before making ignorant decisions. Gloucester was blinded his temporary emotional instabilities and failed to make an attempt to closely examine his situation. Ultimately causing him to be deceived by Edmund. Equally, when those who thoughtlessly give away all of their power to others, they suffer from the mistreatment of their own kind. This teaches people to make decisions based on what they know, not on what they want to hear. Finally, not taking heed to the warnings of others will end in result of suffering from physical and emotional pain. Sadly, the play King Lear was nothing but a tragic downward spiral. The kingdom was dismantled and the younger generation is left to blindly struggle forward and pick up the