King Lear Character Analysis - 1511 Words

A character study written of a mortal man full of unpredictable mental illnesses and insanity can be as confusing as a thing to write as the thoughts within his very own mind. King Lear had a mind that could be compared to a light switch. His emotional states change from one extreme to the other with just that flip of the switch. Lear had a vast need for power and control; this combined with his temper and enormous selfishness created room for many mental outbursts. Best stated by Henry Hudson (1911) in his character study of Lear: â€Å"We see in him something of constitutional rashness of temper, which, moreover, has long been fostered by the indulgences and flatteries incident to his station, and which, through the crippling’s of age, is†¦show more content†¦Lear was viewed as a hero in his adolescence and early manhood. His mental incompetency did not appear at this time. However, the historical context of this time mental health and studies of the mind was not conducted as are today. Those with mental issues were considered as maddened or they were thought to be simple ailments cured by bloodletting and prayer. Lear’s type of insanity has the extreme possibility that it was passed down through generations. As he aged signs of insanity intensified, known now as the signs of dementia. In 2007, S. Ottilingam published The Psychiatry of King Lear in the Indian Journal of Psychiatry stating: â€Å"It is extremely difficult to ascertain where in the play King Lear the hero becomes mad. The abnormal behavior, the extreme irritability, the exhibition of disinhibited thoughts may be the harbinger of psychosis or his pre morbid traits.† With these many mental disorders, any setback is more of a disaster that adds fuel to a fire that their minds cannot control. This became an obsession to the point of madness; whereas, rash judgments are made that ultimately lead to the downfall of many. Lear’s madness seemed to come slowly while raising his two daughters, Regan andShow MoreRelatedKing Lear Character Analysis1258 Words   |  6 Pagesrespect and honesty is expected. Yet to the demise of many of the characters this expected attitude is only portrayed through a few of them. When this attitude is not portrayed it is not looked upon as odd or out of character it is almost normalized. The king goes mad, Kent’s breaking of a stereotype, Gloucester is naà ¯ve nature, Edmunds superb manipulation, and the fool is the most knowledgeable of all. The first is the king. He goes mad, completely loses all sense of sanity. â€Å"Nature’s aboveRead MoreKing Lear Character Analysis796 Words   |  4 Pages In the play King Lear by william Shakespeare, Lear decides to give up his throne and retire because of his age. Lear decides to divide his kingdom between his three daughters because he has no heir to the throne. Before splitting the country up, Lear asks his daughters to tell him how much they love him and only then will the receive their part of the kingdom. His eldest daughters, Goneril and Regan, shower their father in insincere flattery trying to show their affection. In contrast his youngestRead MoreKing Lear Character Analysis1442 Words   |  6 PagesKing Lear starts with Gloucester introducing his son, Edmund, to Kent. Then the King of Britain wants to step down. The King has 3 daughters. Cordelia the good daughter and Goneril, and Regan the bad ones. King Lear wants each of his daughters to tell how much she loves him. While Lear is trying to decide who to give his power to he gets mad at Cordelia and banishes her out the country also while disclaiming that she is his daughter. The power is divided among the two daughters. Lear then says heRead MoreCharacter Analysis Of King Lear963 Words   |  4 PagesA Child King At first glance, King Lear appears to be simply a selfish man who loses his wealth, his mind, and his life in that order. Sure, he learns a lesson, but it does not do much good because both he and his daughter, Cordelia, die before really making amends. In fact, most everyone dies before really getting anything good done. So why did Shakespeare bother writing this play? Well, Shakespeare was well known for having a deep understanding of mankind and portraying that understanding inRead MoreKing Lear Character Analysis714 Words   |  3 PagesIn Act III scene 7 of Shakespeare’s King Lear, Gloucester returns to his castle after secretly guiding Lear to safety. Gloucester hoped to avoid any confrontation by Cornwall and Regan, but his son Edmund, betrayed him and revealed the information. When Gloucester finds Regan and Cornwall, they accuse him of being a traitor. They are both enraged that he has disobeyed their orders by helping Lear who was just kicked out during a terrible storm. After some interrogation by Regan, Gloucester justifiesRead MoreKing Lear Character Analysis1222 Words   |  5 Pagesâ€Å"Obey thy father† (King Lear III-IV 75). What that means is, to honour your father.Edmund, who broke a sin by dethroning his father Gloucester and, as a result Edmund was slain by his brother Edgar. Next, King Lear was betrayed by his three daughters. During act I, scene IV, Lear said. â€Å"Degenerate bastard, I’ll not trouble thee. Yet have I left daughter.† (Lear I IV 242-243). This advises us that King Lear will not be bothering Goneril as Goneril is promptly an extraordinary character. Goneril breaksRead MoreKing Lear Character Analysis1196 Words   |  5 Pageswritten play, King Leir, published on May 15, 1594. In the play, the single father, King Leir, was betrayed by his two oldest daughters as he realizes that they do not love him. â€Å"He fled the land, and sailed to Gallia, there to seek some comfort of his youngest daughter Cordeilla, whom before he hated† (Holinshed: Chronicles). Out of all of his children, he favored his youngest Cordeilla due to her â€Å"motherly† personality of caring and love for him. Shakespeare’s version of King Lear is very similarRead MoreA Comparative Analysis of the Characters of King Lear and Hidetora526 Words   |  2 Pagesin human history dont just resurface in critical analysis but are also given new life when channeled through modern media. This is well-exemplified by legendary Japanese filmmaker Akira Kurosawas 1985 epic, Ran. The highly regarded and high-budgeted film, based on William Shakespeares 1606 play King Lear, demonstrates the power retained by the original play even when dramatically recontextualized. Indeed, in a comparative discussion of King Lear and Hidetora, his counterpart in the Kurosawa filmRead MoreEssay on Character Analysis of King Lear600 Words   |  3 PagesKing Lear, the protagonist of the play, is a truly tragic figure. He is driven by greed and arrogance and is known for his stubbornness and imperious temper, he often acts upon emotions and whims. He values appearances above reality. He wants to be treated as a king and to enjoy the title, but he doesn’t want to fulfill a king’s obligations of governing for the good of his subjects. Similarly, his test of his daughters demonstrates that he values a flattering public display of love over realRead MoreKing Lear and the Genre of Tragedy Essay960 Words   |  4 Pagesof the hero. Written between 1604 and 1606, ‘King Lear’ falls into the genre of tragedy, depicting the destruction and downfall of the main character (Abrams). The play centres on Lear, an aging king who, in his retirement, decides to divide his kingdom between his three daughters while retaining the title and privileges of being king. However, King Lear’s actions lead to the destruction of his family, tearing up his kingdom and creating a war. ‘King Lear’ is a tragedy as it follows the codes and conventions