King Lear and Gloucester are similar to an extent of being tragic heroes. because they both experience the traditional characteristics of a authoritative calamity. Both characters go through the characteristics of hubris. tragic flaw and culminates with anagnorisis. Shakespeare employs the dual secret plan in ‘King Lear’ . the lone Shakespearian calamity to use two similar secret plans which function in a parallel mode. In making so. Shakespeare is able to show the tragic effects that result when the natural jurisprudence is subverted. Despite both being tragic figures. the causes of their ruin are different and therefore the apogee of the manner both characters are considered to be tragic varies as good.
Lear and Gloucester both commit bloopers in the gap of the drama. naming attending to their ain tragic defect. nevertheless the both the cause and impact varies. There is an indicant of a power battle as Renaissance society was patriarchal and gerontocratic. intending work forces did non see retirement nor did they go through on their power when they reached old age. Lear make up one’s minding to give away his power to his girls. under the purpose of ‘conferring them on younger strengths. while we unburthen’d crawl towards death’ . would hold challenged the thought of an Elizabethan audience who acknowledged the societal concept of the ‘Great Chain of Being’ . the being of a natural societal of all existences and animate beings holding their ain ordained place. Both figures reject a kid who genuinely loved them- this is their tragic defect. Lear’s determination to ‘disclaim all parental care’ from Cordelia. is possibly the most impactful determination. because Lear had disacknowledged the one girl who genuinely loved him.
As a consequence. Lear’s corruption of power ‘to shake all attentions and concern from our age’ is possibly more fata as a error in comparing to Gloucester. For Gloucester. his error is may be his criminal conversation. The manner Gloucester describes his boy as ‘often blushed to admit him’ high spots the concern of raising an illicit kid. Consequently. Edmund seeks travel against the Torahs of primogeniture. leting merely the legitimate kid to be entitled to set down. Gloucester is besides suggested to hold relaxed ethical motives. warranting the birth of Edmund with his female parent as a ‘knave came something impertinently to the world’ . Gloucester’s mistake is less foolhardy than Lear’s. Gloucester’s mistake is arguably justifiable as he was lied to by his ain boy. However it is his reaction. denying idea and logic which warrants effects.
The impact of both character’s tragic flaw being every bit destructive. Harmonizing to Aristotle. he believed horror and commiseration are the two emotions the audience should experience while watching a calamity. and Shak The physical agony Gloucester endures viz. . being blinded was thought to be something excessively ghastly to be displayed as a consequence. the scene had been omitted by some productions. Theatrical critic G. Wilson Knight commented on the drama being ‘purposeless and unreasonable. King Lear is the most unafraid artistic facing of ultimate cruelty’ . The apposition of Gloucester’s calls of ‘give me aid! O cruel! ’ against Goneril’s barbarous statements ‘how now. you dog! ’ high spots the pitilessness and atrocity of Gloucester’s circumstance. nineteenth century unfavorable judgment was noteworthy for proposing Gloucester is punished harshly for his misjudgement of characters and will be viewed by most audiences as a character ‘more sinned against than sinning’ .
However. in comparing to Lear’s agony. the King may be portrayed more so as a tragic figure. Unlike Gloucester. Lear falls into a province of lunacy and the audience ticker Lear’s head deteriorate increasingly during the drama. The dismissal of Lear’s ‘hundred knights’ by both Goneril and Regan is powerful because the knights can be considered to be a symbol of Lear’s importance. But being denied something which Lear wants and needs he notably remarks. ‘Man’s life is inexpensive every bit beast’s’ as facets including apparels and belongings are symbols of civilization. As a consequence Lear is reduced to holding nil to his name. therefore being reduced as G. Wilson Knight said an ‘elemental. natural life’ . Near the terminal of the drama. the male monarch is have oning a ‘crown of thorns’ . characterizing his ruin as a figure who was one time decorated as King of England to a individual who has aligned himself with nature. furthered by Frank Kernode saying. ‘suffering can cut down humanity to a beastly condition’ In this manner. the portraiture of Lear’s lunacy may be seen as more tragic than of what Gloucester experienced.
A farther characteristic of a authoritative calamity is both tragic figures accomplishing anagnorisis. ( a critical minute of acknowledgment ) . near the stoping of the drama. The minute of realisation occurs when Regan reveals to Gloucester of Edmund being a ‘treacherous villain’ Once being blinded. Gloucester remarks. ‘I stumbled when I saw’ . situational sarcasm is deployed. typifying his realisation of the events environing him. at a point where he is no longer able to see. Possibly this alludes to critic Lawrence Rosinger’s remark of ‘the drama is about Gloucester and Lear’s self-discovery after a period of handling the others as a agency of self-gratification’ . proposing for Gloucester to recognize the true virtuousnesss of a human being. the procedure involves enduring and hurting. However. for Lear to derive anagnorisis. I believe he is forced to digest agony. for illustration. his girls which serves to rise the understanding felt for Lear.
This is exemplified peculiarly when interacting with Gloucester in Act 4. noticing ‘they ( Goneril and Regan ) flattered me like a dog’ . the dramatic sarcasm raising commiseration because the audience is already cognizant of this. Once reunited with Cordelia. Lear expresses himself as being ‘bound upon a wheel of fire’ . his pessimistic position. touching to a Christian reading of snake pit. Though both characters learn through their experience. it is arguably Lear’s anagnoriss which allows him to be more tragic than Gloucester. His torture finally reduces him to beggary. desiring ‘give me that forbearance. forbearance I need’ . the chiasmus underscoring his despair.
