Self-discovery in Shakespeares King Lear :: King Lear essays

Self-discovery in King Lear         Through the course of the play, King Lear goes through a process ofattaining self-importance-knowledge, or true vision of ones self and the world. With thisknowledge, he goes through a change of person, much like a caterpillar into abutterfly. In the beginning, King Lears vanity, and the image and exercise ofpower miss his person. But a series of losses (based on his own baddecisions), a fool of a conscious, a powerful storm, a supposed godforsaken man,and the death of the one who rattling loved him, clear his vision and allow him tosee the himself and the world as they truly are. The pain and suffering enduredby Lear at last tears down his strength and sanity.  Lear is not as strong,arrogant, and  filled with pride as he was in the beginning of the play insteadhe is weak, scared, and a confused old man.  At the end of the play Lear hascompletely lost his sanity with the loss of his daughter Cordelia and this isthe thing that breaks Lear and leads to his death.         In the beginning, King Lear shows his need for measure is how he choosesto divide his kingdom among his daughters. The one who praises him with the mostgusto shall receive the largest area of land. This is even more evident whenyou consider that he already has divided up up the kingdom before the praising evenbegins. As evident as he gives each daughter her land before hearing the succeeding(a)daughters praise. Thus the who thing is just a show and an ego boost to himself.It is because of his love for praise that makes him re make up so strongly toCordelia and Kent when they do not act as he would like them to. It could besaid he is like a child who doesnt remember all that his family has done forthem, but only sees them verbalism no to a piece of candy. In the play, this isshown in his banishment of Cordelia and Kent. Kent is probably one of the mostloyal people in the room ( not to mention his kingdom), and it is Cordelia thattruly does love Lear. But because they choose not to contribute to this egotrip, they are banished. In fact, he threatens to kill Cordelia if she is foundin ten days. Lear says,                 Upon our kingdom if, on the tenth day following,                Thy banished trunk be found in our dominions,                The moment of thy death.