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Theme of king lear
Theme of king lear
Literary techniques in king lear
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The Importance of the Earl of Kent in King Lear
The Earl of Kent plays a small but important part in Shakespeare's play King Lear. From the beginning scenes to the end we see a minor character that is used to show the values that Shakespeare believed in. Whether Kent is an example of the dutiful servant or plays the intermediary between Lear and Cordelia he is essential to the functioning of the plot.
The role of Kent is important because of the use Shakespeare has for his character in giving the reader an example of what the values are in the play. In Kent the reader sees a man who is loyal to his King but is not blind to the wrong that this King has committed Kent is also able to defend his King even though he has been banished by him. Kent is an example of a dutiful servant and a symbol of reason.
The reader discovers Kent's willingness to protect his King in the first scene. After Lear has had his daughter's display their love in a pubic competition Kent tries to persuade him that Cordelia "does not love him least" and that Lear should think about banishing her. Kent is trying to protect the King from his emotions and the decision that they have led him to. But Lear does not listen and instead banishes Kent from the Kingdom. His banishment is a result of another emotional outburst on the part of the King. If Lear were to look rationally at his actions and what his daughters have said he would realize his folly. Instead he is enraged by Kent and thinks that he is challenging his authority.
Even after he has been banished Kent goes back to protect Lear. He sees that the King is headed for trouble. He has let his emotions guide his actions. He has abandoned reason, and Kent is present as a reas...
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... example of what is right and to show how powerful duty is. Without Kent the play would take a completely different course. He is able to connect the King's madness with the loss of reason that Lear displays in the first scene. Kent is a representative of Lear before he lost his power.
The actions of Kent are connected to the main plot of the play. He is present in almost all of the scenes in which Lear shows his descent from power into madness. The reader is able to make connections in the plot because of the presence of Kent. The reader also sees the strong moral messages of the plot through the character of Kent. Kent is the embodiment of honor and duty. These themes are needed in order to keep the story complete.
Works Cited and Consulted
Shakespeare, William. The Tragedy of King Lear. Ed. Russell Fraser. New York: Penguin, 1998.
As the play opens one can almost immediately see that Lear begins to make mistakes that will eventually result in his downfall. (Neher) This is the first and most significant of the many sins that he makes in this play. By abdicating his throne to fuel his ego he is disrupts the great chain of being which states that the King must not challenge the position that God has given him. This undermining of God's authority results in chaos that tears apart Lear's world. (Williams) Leaving him, in the end, with nothing. Following this Lear begins to banish those around him that genuinely care for him as at this stage he cannot see beyond the mask that the evil wear. He banishes Kent, a loyal servant to Lear, and his youngest and previously most loved daughter Cordelia. (Nixon) This results in Lear surrounding himself with people who only wish to use him which leaves him very vulnerable attack. This is precisely what happens and it is through this that he discovers his wrongs and amends them.
Many of the passages of King Lear, particularly those between the characters of Lear, Kent, the Fool, and Cordelia, all share a common theme. The theme of nothing, as well as the theme of blindness, echoes throughout the play. King Lear is in many ways about nothing. However, Kent, the Fool, and Cordelia make him more than nothing by serving faithfully, speaking bluntly, and loving unconditionally.
The ability to be understood and telling the truth is nearly impossible, we see the results of ethical characters losing their former power and political characters keeping their power or gaining more. King Lear creates a “game” for his ego and to determine how the kingdom will be split but Cordelia has no intention of playing, and truthfully expresses her love. Consequently, King Lear is infuriated when Cordelia does not speak anything flattering. Kent, a man devoted and honour bound to King Lear says “Kill thy physician” “Revoke thy gift” “I’ll tell thee thou dost evil.” trying to reason with him explaining that using a game is not the wisest
In other words, he commits suicide. During King Lear, Kent’s purpose is to serve and follow Lear. At first Kent may seem like a generic servant, but as the plot progresses it is evident that Kent truly cares for the well-being of Lear and is emotionally invested in his care. After Lear banishes Kent, Kent “raze[s] [his] likeness” in order to serve Lear once again. Kent’s extreme devotion drives him to sacrifice his personal identity . Kent’s journey is exceedingly purposeful in that he devotes his life to another human being without any obligations to do so. By the same token, Kent follows his journey to the final hour, as his purpose in caring for Lear ends in
The Earl of Kent, Lear’s trusted counselor, by coming to Cordelia’s defense is also banished. Kent however seeing the danger that Lear has put himself in disguises himself as a servant. He remains close to Lear to protect the king from Goneril and Regan who have viscously decided to usurp their father’s throne.
It is proven multiple times throughout the act, King Lear has a hard time compromising. This is particularly due to his inability to see things from another point of view. While Kent is trying to calm Lear down after banishing Cordelia, Lear responds with, “The bow is bent and drawn. Make from the shaft” (I.i.160). Lear won’t even let Kent talk to him or try and change his mind. The King’s pride is too hurt after being embarrassed in front of Cordelia to think rationally and listen to his advisor, Kent. In the end, when Lear makes up his mind, it is almost impossible to compromise it. It also is not helpful when Lear makes quick decisions like the banishment of Cordelia and Kent. Also, if he does not get his way, he would most likely throw a fit of violence and name calling until the situation changes in his favor. However, this does not make every action or word from King Lear
Following this Lear begins to banish those around him that genuinely care for him as at this stage he cannot see beyond the mask that the evil wear. He banishes Kent, a loyal servant to Lear, and his youngest and previously most loved daughter Cordelia. This results in Lear surrounding himself with people who only wish to use him which leaves him very vulnerable attack.
In the same scene he banishes Kent, who spoke the truth to Lear on the banishment of Cordelia and that it was wrong to divide up the country between Gonerill and Reagan. In this scene King Lear loses his favourite, and honest daughter and his most loyal servant.
A witness to King Lear’s battle with old age, the fool finds some time to sympathize with the plight of Kent. One of Lear’s most loyal subjects, who was formerly a very well-respected and trusted aide of the kingdom of Britain, the
Shakespeare's King Lear is a play which shows the consequences of one man's decisions. The audience follows the main character, Lear, as he makes decisions that disrupt order in his Kingdom. When Lear surrenders all his power and land to his daughters as a reward for their demonstration of love towards him, the breakdown on order in evident. Lear's first mistake is to divide his Kingdom into three parts. A Kingdom is run best under one ruler as only one decision is made without contradiction. Another indication that order is disrupted is the separation of Lear's family. Lear's inability to control his anger causes him to banish his youngest daughter, Cordelia, and loyal servant, Kent. This foolish act causes Lear to become vulnerable to his other two daughters as they conspire against him. Lastly, the transfer of power from Lear to his eldest and middle daughter, Goneril and Regan, reveals disorder as a result of the division of the Kingdom. A Kingdom without order is a Kingdom in chaos. When order is disrupted in King Lear, the audience witnesses chaotic events that Lear endures, eventually learning who truly loves him.
After Kent delightfully brings the two together and Lear realizes who he is talking to, he begs for forgiveness: “Pray, do not mock me. / I am a very foolish fond old man, / Fourscore and upward, not an hour more nor less /....Do not laugh at me, / For as I am a man, I think this lady / To be my child Cordelia.“ (IV.vii.68-79). Lear has finally achieved self-awareness regarding his mistaken banishment of Cordelia, and proclaims to her in a surprising display of humility that he is just a “foolish fond old man.” Shocking the audience, Lear does not hold back his newfound sense of shame. He goes on: “Be your tears wet? Yes, faith. I pray, weep not. If you have poison for me, I will drink it. I know you do not love me, for your sisters Have, as I do remember, done me wrong. You have some cause; they have not.” (IV.vii.81-85). In another case of both humility and misjudgment, Lear believes that Cordelia no longer loves him due to his mistakes. Lear could not be more wrong because Cordelia 's love for her father is unconditional and still lives. Cordelia virtuously accepts his apology and assures him “No, sir, you must not kneel,” (IV.vii.67). Although the two do not live much longer, Lear intends to live out the rest of their lives being the best a father can
In the same way as Lear, Larry possesses power, authority and land. He is heavily involved in his church community and is seen as a decent family man. Not only are his deeds admirable, but his age also commands respect from those younger than him. King Lear is ruler of one of the most powerful nations in all of Europe and is a loved King with strong allies like, Kent and Gloucester; Lear is also up in age and demands respect from those younger than him. As highly regarded public figures, each character is accustomed to seeing events play out as they wish, meaning that they have little experience in dealing with opposition or disappointment. Similarly to Lear, Larry decides to divide his property in order to avoid family conflict after his death and so that his daughters are not “lumped with inheritance taxes, giving the government money”, however; he faces disappointment in the form of his youngest daughter. For Larry, when his daughter, Caroline “wants to think about [the decision]” instead of praising her father for his ingenious decision, he comes to the conclusion that “She doesn’t want [any shares]. Simple as that”. Larry goes so far as to shut Caroline out of his home when an important business decision regarding the farm is being made. Larry’s disownment of Caroline is nearly identical to Lear’s disownment of Cordelia. When Cordelia refuses to vainly profess her love for her father, Lear admonishes her that “Nothing will come of nothing [and urges her to] speak again” (1.1.4). When Cordelia once again, disappoints her father, Lear banishes her from his kingdom, letting her know that if “[her] banish 'd trunk be found in [his] dominions, The moment is [her] death” (1.1.8). Both these characters willingly push away the people in their lives with the most love and respect for them all because of their pride. It was the youngest daughters of both
"Royal Lear, whom I have ever honored as my king, loved as my father, as my master followed, as my great patron thought in my prayers../ Let it fall rather, though the fork invade the region of my heart. Be Kent unmannerly when Lear is mad....Think'st thou that duty shall have dread to speak when power to flattery bows? To plainness honor's bound when majesty falls to folly. Reserve thy state..." (Shakespeare, 139/ 144). Even though King Lear had banished Kent and banished him, he was still loyal and followed and helped King Lear throughout the whole play, just like a lost puppy, but this puppy was not lost, he was just helpful and very loyal. Kent's love for King Lear was unbelievable. "If but as well I other accents borrow, that can my speech diffuse, my good intent may carry through itself to that full issue for which I razed my likeness. Now, banished Kent, if thou canst serve where thou dost stand condemned, so may it come thy master, whom though lovest, shall find thee full of labors" (Shakespeare, 1-7). Kent is too loyal and caring to King
In 1603, Shakespeare wrote King Lear, and, intentionally or not, paralleled the ruling of Lear to King James I. King James created 100 knights during his reign (“The British Monarchy”); much like King Lear had 100 rowdy knights that came along with him. Despite his knights, King James had many issues with the Parliament. Because he was used to lawless ruling in Scotland, the Parliament posed a threat to his ruling. His “fondness in lecturing” (Mathew) the Parliament on spending money on granting taxes rather than allowing him to spend the money soon led to tensions between the two bodies. “His extravagant spending habits and nonchalant ignoring of the nobility 's grievances kept king and Parliament constantly at odds” (Mathew). The aversion between the two creates a strain that reveals the king’s true self interest and his lack of care for the people and his own workers. Likewise, King Lear treats his servant Kent poorly. When Kent tries to help the king from making a dreadful decision, he is immediately banished. “Away! By Jupiter, / This shall not be revoked” (Shakespeare 19). Even after Kent proves his loyalty and dedication, Lear’s self-involvement proves his lack of respect for his own worker, much like King James showed to Parliament. Although Kent constantly supports Lear, King Lear looks out for only himself. In that situation, he felt betrayed by Cordelia as she would not gush over her love for him. Therefore, Kent supporting Cordelia led to Lear’s
Bradley, A.C. “King Lear.” Shakespearian Tragedy. Lectures on Hamlet, Othello, King Lear, and Macbeth. Macmillan and Co., London, 1919. Project Gutenberg. Web. 26 Apr. 2015.