Gloucester Character in King Lear Essay

King Lear and Gloucester ar similar to an extent of being tragic heroes, because they twain experience the traditional features of a stainless tragedy. Both characters go through and through the features of hubris, hamartia and culminates with anagnorisis. Shakespeare employs the double plot in King Lear, the only Shakespearean tragedy to employ two similar plots which function in a parallel manner. In doing so, Shakespeare is commensurate to demonstrate the tragic consequences that result when the inseparable law is subverted. Despite both(prenominal) being tragic figures, the causes of their downfall are different and thus the culmination of the way both characters are considered to be tragic varies as well.Lear and Gloucester both commit blunders in the opening of the gambling, occupation attention to their own tragic flaw, however the both the cause and refer varies. There is an indication of a power struggle as metempsychosis society was patriarchal and gerontocratic , meaning men did not consider privacy nor did they pass on their power when they reached old age. Lear deciding to give outdoor(a) his power to his daughters, under the intention of conferring them on younger strengths, composition we unburthend crawl towards death, would have challenged the thinking of an Elizabethan audience who hold the social construct of the Great Chain of Being, the existence of a natural social of all beings and animals having their own ordained position. Both figures do away with a child who truly loved them- this is their tragic flaw. Lears termination to disclaim all parental care from Cordelia, is perhaps the most impactful decision, because Lear had disacknowledged the angiotensin-converting enzyme daughter who truly loved him.As a result, Lears rottenness of power to shake all cares and business from our age is perhaps much fata as a mistake in comparison to Gloucester. For Gloucester, his mistake is may be his adultery. The way Gloucester de scribes his son as often blushed to acknowledge him highlights the matter to of raising an illegitimate child. Consequently, Edmund seeks go a progress tost the laws of primogeniture, allowing only the legitimate child to be entitled to land. Gloucester is alsosuggested to have relaxed morals, justifying the birth of Edmund with his mother as a knave came something saucily to the world. Gloucesters fault is less intoxicating than Lears. Gloucesters fault is arguably justifiable as he was be to by his own son. However it is his reaction, denying horizon and logic which warrants consequences.The impact of both characters hamartia being equally destructive. According to Aristotle, he believed horror and pity are the two emotions the audience should feel while watching a tragedy, and Shak The physical suffering Gloucester endures namely, being blinded was thought to be something too gruesome to be displayed as a result, the background had been omitted by some productions. Theatrica l critic G.Wilson Knight commented on the play being purposeless and unreasonable, King Lear is the most fearless artistic face up of ultimate cruelty. The juxtaposition of Gloucesters cries of give me help O cruel against Gonerils brutal statements how now, you dog-iron highlights the ruthlessness and barbarity of Gloucesters circumstance. 19th century criticism was notable for suggesting Gloucester is punished harshly for his misjudgement of characters and will be viewed by most audiences as a character more(prenominal) sinned against than sinning.However, in comparison to Lears suffering, the King may be portrayed more so as a tragic figure. contrary Gloucester, Lear falls into a state of madness and the audience watch Lears mind deteriorate progressively during the play. The dismissal of Lears hundred knights by both Goneril and Regan is powerful because the knights can be considered to be a attribute of Lears importance. But being denied something which Lear wants and need s he notably comments, earths life is cheap as beasts as aspects including clothes and property are symbols of civilisation. As a result Lear is reduced to having nothing to his name, thus being reduced as G.Wilson Knight verbalize an elemental, instinctive life. Near the end of the play, the king is wearing a crown of thorns, characterising his downfall as a figure who was once adorned as King of England to a person who has aligned himself with nature, furthered by unmannerly Kernode stating, suffering can reduce humanity to a bestial develop In this way, the portrayal of Lears madness may be seen as more tragic than of what Gloucester experienced.A further feature of a classic tragedy is both tragic figures achieving anagnorisis, (a critical moment ofrecognition), near the decision of the play. The moment of realization occurs when Regan reveals to Gloucester of Edmund being a treacherous villain erst being blinded, Gloucester comments, I stumbled when I saw, situational iro ny is deployed, epitomizing his realization of the events surround him, at a point where he is no longer able to see. Perhaps this alludes to critic Lawrence Rosingers comment of the play is about Gloucester and Lears self-discovery after a period of treating the others as a means of dissoluteness, suggesting for Gloucester to recognise the true virtues of a human being, the process involves suffering and pain. However, for Lear to gain anagnorisis, I believe he is forced to endure suffering, for example, his daughters which serves to heighten the kindness felt for Lear.This is exemplified particularly when interacting with Gloucester in Act 4, commenting they (Goneril and Regan) flattered me like a dog, the dramatic irony invoking pity because the audience is already aware of this. at a time reunited with Cordelia, Lear expresses himself as being bound upon a wheel of fire, his bearish view, alluding to a Christian interpretation of hell. Though both characters learn through th eir experience, it is arguably Lears anagnoriss which allows him to be more tragic than Gloucester. His torment ultimately reduces him to beggary, wanting give me that patience, patience I need, the chiasmus emphasising his desperation.