The Theme Of Blindness In King Lear

Blindness is the main theme of the play. In act 4.1 there is a line essential for the entire play: “’Tis the time’s plague when madmen lead the blind.” (4.1.49)
This is what Gloucester, the character who goes physically blind, says. King Lear undergoes a metaphorical blindness, which can be easily associated with his madness. There is a strict connection between King Lear’s metaphorical blindness and Gloucester’s physical one. Gloucester makes Edmund his heir while banishing Edgar. King Lear favors Goneril and Regan and he banishes Cordelia. They are both blind to the truth, they both favor their disloyal children and they both see the reality when it is too late: Gloucester when he experiences physical blindness and King Lear when he goes mad.

He is a king, which puts him in a position of being able to discern between good and bad. However, he is unable to do so. He mistakes good for bad and this leads to his and his kingdom’s downfall and to his death in the end. Furthermore, blindness plays a role for all characters. Regan and Goneril are blind at Edmund’s intentions, Albany is blind at Goneril unfaithfulness, and no one recognizes Edgar. Blindness is in direct relationship with the truth. This reoccurring motif is portrayed as both a physical and mental flow. The lack of sight, the lack of ability to see the truth can be seen as the moral of the play. We need more than eyes to see the