You have found the "BEST" Term Paper site on the Planet!
PLANETPAPERS.COM!

We GUARANTEE that you’ll find an EXEMPLARY College Level Term Paper, Essay, Book Report or Research Paper in seconds or we will write a BRAND NEW paper for you in just a FEW HOURS!!!

150,000+ Papers

Find more results for this search now!
CLICK the BUTTON to the RIGHT!

Please enter a keyword or topic phrase to perform a search.
Need a Brand New Custom Essay Now?  click here

Parental blindness / Filial Ingratitude / Madness

Uploaded by Admin on Dec 31, 2000

As Shakespeare presents to us a tragic pattern of parental and filial love, in which a prosperous man is devested of power and finally recognises his "folly", empathy is induced in the audience. In "King Lear", it is noted from the beginning of the play that both Lear and Gloucester suffer from self-approbation and will consequently find revelation by enduring "the rack of this tough world". While Lear mistakenly entrusts the shallow professions of love from his "thankless" daughters - Goneril and Regan - instead of the selfless words of Cordelia, Gloucester shadows a similar ignorance by initially entrusting love in the evil Edmund, rather than Edgar, whom we consider to be a "truly" loyal "noble gentlemen".

Undeniably, both parents misjudge appearance for reality, as it is only in this way that they can "let the great gods that keep this dreadful pudder O'er [their] heads / Find out their enemies" where "all vengeance comes too short". When Lear is rejected by Goneril and Regan and stripped of his "hundred Knights and squires", he is left with "nothing" in the wilderness, besides the loyal company of Kent and the Fool, and later on, Edgar and Gloucester. It appears that at this stage he senses his "folly", that he "did [Cordelia] wrong". But Lear has yet to gain full insight. Although, before entering the hovel, he realises that he has been a "man more sinned against sinning", the process of self-discovery is not complete until all truth is unveiled. As Lear realises his foolishness in bannishing Cordelia - his "joy" and the only daughter who truly loves him - we sense Lear's increasing sorrow and despair. By revealling his "sin", he is subjecting himself to punishment. Perhaps it is a deserving motion, since he had passed judgement and punished Kent and Cordelia for coming between "the dragon and his wrath", that is, him and his power. Now the gods above rightfully control Lear's destiny, abiding by the process that man has to suffer to gain peace.

At this particular moment, Lear is still unaware of Kent's identity, disguised as Caius, ever since he bannished Kent for defending Cordeila's thoughtful choice to "love and be silent". We understand that the disguise is a way in which Kent can protect and continually serve the "poor, weak and infirm" Lear. Lear begins to accomplish understanding through the change in his contemptuous behaviour to a sympathetic learning...

Sign In Now to Read Entire Essay

Not a Member?   Create Your FREE Account »

Comments / Reviews

read full paper >>

Already a Member?   Login Now >

This paper and THOUSANDS of
other papers are FREE at PlanetPapers.

Uploaded by:   Admin

Date:   12/31/2000

Category:   King Lear

Length:   4 pages (969 words)

Views:   2538

Report this Paper Save Paper
Professionally written papers on this topic:

Parental blindness / Filial Ingratitude / Madness

  • Validity of Efficient Market Theory

    In five pages efficient market theory is examined in terms of its weak, semistrong, and strong forms and their validity. Eight so...

  • 1990s' Bull Market

    In five pages this paper discusses the bull market of the 1990s in an analysis of longstanding contributing factors. Five sources...

  • Jane Austen and Adam Smith

    In a paper of seven pages a comparison between social constructs and moral convictions as illustrated in the novels of Jane Austen...

  • Guatemala Economy and Banking

    In twelve pages Guatemala's system of banking and its role in the country's economic evolution are examined. Eight sources are ci...

  • Stock Market Investing

    In five pages this paper considers various investment strategies for mutual funds, bonds, and stocks with mutual funds being regar...

  • An Examination of Corn as an Agricultural Commodity

    In this paper consisting of nine pages agricultural commodities as they relate to corn are discussed and include an examination of...

  • Stock Market Success of Initial Product Price Offerings

    In five pages the appeal of IPOs are examined in an analysis of their effectiveness. There is no bibliography included....

  • 1999 Interest Rates and Stock Market

    In five pages the period from December 31, 1998 to May 21, 1999 is the focus of this consideration of the Dow Jones Industrial Ave...

  • Stock Market Losing

    In six pages this essay considers how small investors' attempts to 'beating' the stock market odds invariably result in losses and...

  • Stock Market Investment

    In twenty five pages this paper's focus is the stability of the stock market with a concentration of the summer of 1998 when the C...

View more professionally written papers on this topic »