Loss Of Innocence In Julius Caesar

Shakespeare illustrates the innocent and naïve nature of Gloucester who unfortunately receives an untimely death due to the suffering he had to endure. His suffering did not fit his crime, something which Nemesis was never known to do. He was deceived by his son Edmund, his title was given away, and worst of all, his own two eyes were plucked out of their sockets, all because of a crime that he did not commit. Gloucester had admitted to Kent that Edmund was his illegitimate son, but he did not “love him any more than [he] love [his] bastard” (I.i.20-21). Edmund admitted his plan to the audience, but Gloucester was innocent in this whole ordeal. As a father and out of curiosity, Gloucester asked to see the letter that Edmund had with him at

the moment, and was informed that his other son Edgar was plotting against him. Before he jumped to conclusions, he asked Edmund a few questions in hope that Edgar was still innocent.

Even after his clouded judgement, Gloucester admitted that “the grief hath crazed [his] wits” (III.iv.180). Due to Gloucester being a “credulous father / Whose nature is so far from doing harms / That he suspects none” (I.ii.187-189), he was deceived by the craftiness of his illegitimate son and believed that his good son Edgar was evil, thus proving that retributive justice did not win in this case. Gloucester was loyal to King Lear and wanted to help him despite Regan advising him not to do so. Gloucester, unfortunately was concluded to be a spy for France by Edmund to Cornwall. Instead of being sceptical and making a correct judgement, Cornwall immediately believed him and decided to arrest him. Edmund handed him a letter for further proof, but even without reading it, Cornwall proclaimed, “True or false, it hath made [Edmund] Earl of / Gloucester” (III.vi.18-19), and right after decided to arrest the true Earl. Even without his knowledge, his status was handed over to one who did not deserve it, a situation that Nemesis would never have allowed. Finally, after all of this chaos ensues, Gloucester comes to his own home where he is tied to a chair and was cruelly

punished. Gloucester reminds them that they are his guests, but they continue to put him through both mental and physical torture. Cornwall admits that “men / May blame but not control” (III.vii.29-30), which proves that he knows that what he is doing is not just. Yet, as one would think, an innocent person will not be wronged but rather avenged. Even after Gloucester cries out for mercy to the gods, yet another eye gets plucked out. Gloucester prays, “King gods, forgive me” (III.vii.12), but furthermore, he was ordered to be “thrust[ed] out at gates” and to “let him smell / His way” (III.vi.113-114). Gloucester was not avenged, and it was necessary for him to end his life since “if [he] could bear it longer, and not fall / To quarrel with [the gods] great opposeless wills” (IV.vi.), Gloucester would have lived. Gloucester’s life proved that Nemesis did not show her virtuous side and did not show retributive justice in his life.