King Lear: Themes Essay, Research Paper

King Lear: Themes

Many themes are evident in King Lear, but perhaps one of the most prevalent

relates to the theme of justice. Shakespeare has developed a tragedy that

allows us to see man’s decent into chaos. Although Lear is perceived as “a man

more sinned against than sinning” (p.62), the treatment of the main characters

encourages the reader to reflect on the presence or lack of justice in this

world. The characters also vary in their inclination to view the world from

either a fatalistic or moralistic point of view, depending on their beliefs

about the presence or absence of a higher power. The theme of justice in

relation to higher powers can be illustrated from the perspective of King Lear,

Gloucester, and Edgar.

When reading King Lear, it is helpful to understand the Elizabethan “Chain

of Being” in which nature is viewed as order. Rosenblatt (1984) states that

there was a belief in an established hierarchy within the universe. Everything

had its own relative position beginning with Heaven, the Divine Being, and the

stars and planets which are all above. On earth the king is next, then the

nobles, on down to the peasantry. Holding the lowest position were the beggars

and lunatics and finally, the animals. Interrupting this order is unnatural.

King Lear’s sin was that he disrupted this chain of being by relinquishing

his throne. By allowing his daughters and their husbands to rule the kingdom,

the natural order of things was disturbed. His notion that he can still be in

control after dividing the kingdom is a delusion. According to Elizabethan

philosophy, it would seem that this is the beginning of his mistakes and is also

the cause of much of the misfortune that occurs later on in the play. Chaos

rules the unnatural.

As well, King Lear makes another devastating mistake which affects his

relationship with his daughters by asking them to tell him how much they love

him in order that he may divide his kingdom according to the strength of their

love. Cordelia, the youngest daughter, states that she loves her father

“according to her bond” (p.4). She is saying that she loves him as much as any

child could love a father. On the other hand, Goneril and Reagan easily speak

the words that their father wants to hear, rather than the truth.

Because Lear is not satisfied with Cordelia’s response, he turns his back

on Cordelia and on her love. By doing this he is destroying the natural family

unit and lacks the insight to know this. He unjustly punishes Cordelia by

banishing her from the kingdom. He casts out his daughter in an unfatherly

fashion, yet is gravely upset by the ingratitude of his other two daughters,

Goneril and Reagan. Once again, due to Lear’s lack of wisdom, he fails to

recognize the sincerity of Cordelia’s words. Thus, he puts his relationship

with his daughters in jeopardy which results in a constant source of grief for

King Lear.

King Lear holds firm to his belief that the world is governed by the gods

and in justice. Therefore he does not question the will of the gods in letting

him suffer from his daughter’s unkindness, but prays

If it be you that stirs these daughters’ hearts

Against their father, fool me not with so much

To bear it tamely; touch me with noble anger (p.50).

Greer (1986) reminds us that Shakespeare uses the word

“nature” often, but rarely with the same meaning. For instance, Lear

personifies nature when he calls Cordelia “a wretch whom Nature is

ashamed/Almost to acknowledge hers” (p.9). Here, it seems as though Lear thinks

himself to be particularly special and close to nature because he is

presumptuous in believing that he can read Nature’s mind. On the same note,

Lear also seems to order his goddess, Nature, as though he is in control. He

commands Nature to follow his orders,

Hear, Nature, hear! dear goddess, hear!

Suspend thy purpose, if thou didst intend

To make this creature fruitful (p.29).

Therefore, Lear is once again disturbing the order of things by putting himself

above the gods.

Lear disturbs the Chain of Being, unjustly punishes Cordelia and

misinterprets his role in life by assuming himself to be the lord of creation.

For these “sins” he is punished when Goneril and Reagan turn on him and Cordelia

dies. Thus, it would seem that justice is served.

However, Holloway (1961) suggests that Lear suffers more for his “sins”

than seems reasonable. Holloway sums up this concept as follows: “the world

can be to mankind, and has been to Lear, a rack: a scene of suffering

reiterated past all probability or reason” (p.506).

Gloucester plays a parallel role to Lear in the play. He is elderly,

gullible and taken in by his children. Again, the natural unit of the family is

disturbed for Gloucester has a bastard son who is his downfall. However, unlike

Lear, he is not weak and infirm and is more good- natured and brave.

Like Lear, Gloucester makes reference to Nature. However, Greer (1986)

feels that Gloucester views Nature as neutral and sees it existing only for

man’s benefit:

These late eclipses in the sun and moon portend no good to us. Though the

wisdom of nature can reason it thus and thus, yet nature finds itself

scourged by the sequent effects (p.15). Rather than blame Nature, Gloucester is

aware that his problems are a result of his own foolishness. He does not feel

that the gods are necessary to explain Edmund’s treason or Cornwall’s brutality.

However, he does make clear his belief that the gods are not interested in the

affairs of men:

As flies to wanton boys are we to the gods.

They kill us for their sport (p.82). Although it may seem as though he is

an atheist, Frye believes otherwise:

Gloucester is not atheist: he postulates gods, divine personalities, and if

he replaces them with a mechanism of fate or destiny he couldn’t ascribe malice

to it. What he feels is that there is some mystery in the horror of what’s

happened to him that goes beyond the tangible human causes” (p.111).

It is true that Gloucester has been lustful and has fathered an

illegitimate son as the consequences. Since this, too, is an unnatural act, it

seems justice must be served to restore order. However, to what degree is

Gloucester responsible for Edmund’s evil behaviour? And was it just that

Gloucester’s eyes were poked out by Goneril and Reagan? This leaves one

wondering whether or not justice was served as Gloucester dies at the end of the

play. The punishment would seem to exceed the crime.

Edgar is Gloucester’s legitimate son who is in danger of losing his right

to his inheritance. At first, he is the good and dutiful one. At times he is

gullible and naive when responding to his illegitimate brother Edmund, who tries

to take his birth-right.

Edgar is the moralist in this play. When he reflects on his own undeserved

troubles and the suffering of others, there is a religious tone. He has faith

in the gods and their justice, and is quick to give the “higher powers” the

credit for what happens to men. Thus, he says to Gloucester, who believes he

has fallen from the edge of a cliff:

Think that the clearest gods, who make them honours

Of men’s impossibilities, have preserved thee (p.96).

And thus he points out the justice of the gods in punishing

Gloucester by the hand of Edmund:

The gods are just, and of our pleasant vices

Make instruments to plague us (p.119).

Edgar believes that there is order in nature. He thinks that there is a

natural ebb and flow in human fortunes, meaning that even the worst situation

can become better (Greer, 1986). He believes in the Wheel of Fortune and if he

is at the bottom of the wheel, his fortune will improve as he moves upward:

To be the worst,

The lowest and most dejected thing of fortune,

Stands still in esperance, lives not in fear.

The lamentable change is from the best;

The worst returns to laughter. Welcome, then,

Thou unsubstantial air that I embrace! (p.81).

However, he comes to realize that this belief is not necessarily so. When he

finds his father blinded, it becomes obvious that this suffering is renewed:

The worst is not

So long as we can say “This is the worst” (p.82).

Greer (1986) comments that it may seem that nature is indifferent to the fate of

any individual.

Edgar differs from Gloucester in that he takes a moralistic point of view.

Frye suggests that while Gloucester “feels that there is some mystery in the

horror of what’s happened to him that goes beyond the tangible human

causes…Edgar…looks for human causes and assumes that there are powers above

who are reacting to events as they should” (p.111).

In Edgar’s case it seems that he has received his just reward. He does not

have an easy time when dealing with his brother, Edmund. Yet, it would seem

that justice is served as Edgar regains his proper position in the natural order

of things.

In King Lear, each of the characters discussed have varying interpretations

of the importance of the higher powers affecting their fortunes. As well,

justice is handed out in different degrees. In the eyes of the characters,

Shakespeare succeeds in illustrating the universal conflict that members of

society have always had in understanding their fate in this world.

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