Representations of Nature in King Lear Essay examples

We are lucky, today, that the majority of the world’s nations are democracies. This has only been the case in very recent times. For the greater part of human history, society has subscribed to the belief that birth is the most important determinant of one’s future. In Elizabethan England, this was especially true. Those born into the nobility enjoyed a lifetime of privilege, while those born outside of their ranks mainly existed to serve them. A century later, the British encountered an even stricter form of this belief when they conquered India. The Hindu caste system, which dictated one’s future based on birth just as British society did, was deemed even by the English to be excessively restrictive. After gaining control of the†¦show more content†¦Edmund, the comically evil villain, referred to by Shakespeare in the stage directions merely as â€Å"The Bastard,† ascends to supremacy by deceiving his father, Gloucester, and framing his half bro ther Edgar, the legitimate heir to his father’s estate. Through fraud, he convinces Gloucester that Edgar plans to usurp him, forcing his brother to go into hiding, grievously upsetting nature. In traditional English society, Edmund, an illegitimately conceived bastard, would be exiled from the royal family on principle. For him to ascend to the throne would be inconceivable. Therefore, his bid for power is punished by death. After his duel with a disguised Edgar, he confesses to his crimes and tells his opponent â€Å"If thou’rt noble, I do forgive thee† (V. iii. 200-201). This demonstrates his return to social norms. Edmund knows, deep down, that he did not deserve his newly acquired royal status, because he was not born into it. A true noble inflicting punishment on a lowly bastard for such pretentions of greatness is the only remedy for this behavior. Edgar, by rising to the task of defeating his brother, the disruptor of nature, restores harmony to the king dom. The most obvious instance of natural imbalance leading to catastrophe, however, is certainly Lear’s transition from King to beggar. At the play’s onset, Lear is absolute master of his kingdom. He commands total admiration and respect from his eldest daughters, who adore him â€Å"dearer thanShow MoreRelatedExamples Of Punishments In Dantes Inferno1187 Words   |  5 PagesDantes Inferno explores the nature of human suffering through a precautionary light. As Dante and Virgil move through the Inferno, Dante sees what has become of people who overindulged in things such as, lust, gluttony, violence, and bribery. Few of the punishments described in the Inferno have a direct correlation to the sin that the souls committed while they were living. Rather, they are a representation of what happens when we commit those crimes against ourselves and others. We create hellsRead MoreDramatic Scene Illustrated in Shakespeares King Lear - Storm Scene891 Words   |  4 PagesShakes peare’s King Lear offers its audience an impossible number of dramatic and memorable scenes, but I have chosen the storm scenes in Act III Scenes 1, 2 and 4 as my key dramatic scenes. The storm provides a dramatic centre to the play. It is used to bring about change, to represent Lear’s inner unrest, to symbolise the power of nature and to expose the play’s characters under the intolerant conditions of thunder and lightning. The scenes in which the storm takes place are very different toRead MoreThe Tragedy Of King Lear Essay1745 Words   |  7 PagesIn William Shakespeare’s play The Tragedy of King Lear, human suffering is exploited through exploring social destruction caused by love, lust, and loss. King Lear’s kingdom is broken down through the excess of love and hate. Behaviors resulting from such emotions becomes tragic flaws for the characters within the play, as the need for approval disrupts all natural social order, which is then represented by the natural world. The natural world and nature of society become intertwined as the plot unfoldsRead MoreEssay The Foolishness of Fools in Shakespeares King Lear1706 Words   |  7 PagesThe Foolishness of Fools in Shakespeares King Lear Shakespeares tragedy King Lear is comprised of many distinct themes. His contrasts of light and dark, good and evil, and his brilliant illustration of parallels between the foolishness of the plays characters and society allowed him to craft a masterpiece. Just as well, Shakespeares dynamic use of linguistic techniques such as pun and irony aid this illustration of the perfect microcosm, not only of 16th century Britain, but of all timesRead MoreKing Lear Nature Essay1591 Words   |  7 PagesThe concept of Nature has become layered with many complexities due to the numerous ways this word can be interpreted. It could mean anything from â€Å"the inherent character or basic constitution of a person or thing† to â€Å"the external world in its entirety† to â€Å"a spontaneous attitude† (Merriam Webster). However, despite its many forms, the common bond between all forms of nature is it’s power over individuals. It will always be something that is beyond hu man control, whether it be the forces that workRead MoreTheme Of Nature In King Lear1562 Words   |  7 PagesThe concept of nature has become layered with many complexities due to the numerous ways the word can be interpreted. It could mean anything from â€Å"the inherent character or basic constitution of a person or thing† to â€Å"the external world in its entirety† to â€Å"a spontaneous attitude† (Merriam Webster). However, despite its many forms, in its essence, nature as a concept implicates powerlessness for individuals. It will always be something that is beyond human control, whether it be the forces that workRead MoreEssay about Critical Study of Shakespeares King Lear1272 Words   |  6 PagesCritical Study of Shakespeares King Lear In this production of Shakespeares King Lear, a feminist reading of the play has been chosen to be presented to the audience. Certain important factors must be taken into consideration as to how this reading will be reflected on stage. Thus, we will examine, in detail, two important scenes: Act I, scene i, and Act IV, scene iv, their impact on the action and main issues of the play (ambition/ greed, power, corruption, appearanceRead MoreDifferent Directors Perspectives in King Lear Essay1733 Words   |  7 Pagesdifferent interpretations of â€Å"King Lear† have been made, each valuing and highlighting different aspects and themes of the play. It is necessary for these interpretations to be made and adapted in order for â€Å"King Lear† to have relevance within the context of the society. Each interpretation of the text extracts and concentrates on certain ideas, issues, themes, values of the play, altering the way the play is received amongst audiences and critics. Shakespeares tragedy King Lear can be interpreted inRead MoreFool in William Shakespeares King Lear Essay1119 Words   |  5 PagesFool in William Shakespeares King Lear The Fool’s function in King Lear is to create emphasis on the tragedy in the play and give insight into the characters’ true nature. He shows other characters’ nature though blunt comments and earns himself the name of ‘all-licensed Fool’, as he clearly states peoples’ inner personality. He develops the tragedy though a theme of madness and instability, from his use of poems and rhymes intermingled with standard prose, Read More King Lear Essay1229 Words   |  5 PagesKing Lear Every situation in life has an appearance, and a reality. The appearance of a situation is usually what we want to see. The reality, what is really going on, is not always as obvious to the observer. People who cannot penetrate through the superficial appearance of a situation will see only what they want to believe is true; often, the reality of a situation is unappealing to the perceiver. These are the circumstances surrounding the conflict that occurs in William Shakespeares