Themes in King Lear

Themes in King Lear

1. Theme of Blindness

   • Gloucester's blindness symbolises both his physical blindness
     • Both Lear and Gloucester have loyal and disloyal children
       • Both are blinded by the truth and both end up banishing the loyal children
         • They make the wicked ones of their heirs
           • Gloucesters Loses his eyes
             • Lear goes mad when they realise their blindness
               • 'O my follies' !
                 • Then Edgar was abused
                   • ''Kind Gods forgive me that ,and prosper him'' Gloucester.
                     • There is no future for Gloucester
                       • No need for eyes to see his way .
                         • He was able to see he made wrong judgements because of his lack of insight
                           • If he could live to recognise his son as he really is a loving son.
                             • 'I have no way , therefore I want no eyes '
                               • 'I stumbled when I saw '

2. The storm echoes Lear's turmoil and mounting madness

   • The storm embodies the awesome power of nature .
     • which forces the powerless king to recognise his own mortality
       • Storm symbolises divine injustice nature itself is angry about the events in the play
         • The meterological chaos reflects the political disarray that has engulfed Lear's Britain

3. Motifs and madnesss

   • Fool seems to be mad through his babble ,yet he offers good counsel .
     • The madness in Lear's mind mirrors the turmoil and chaos that has descended on the kingdom
       • Provides him with wisdom by reducing him to his bare humanity