King Lear Themes

Nothingness Cordelia has nothing to say to her father when he requests she praise him with her love. King Lear has nothing to give Cordelia because she has no words for him. Kent has no job because he disagreed with King Lear. Burgundy has no wife because Cordelia comes with no dowry.

Nothingness Edmund has no title and will do anything to get one Goneril, Regan, & Edmund have no morals Gloucester has no eyes Edgar has nobody he can trust It is unnatural that King Lear would give up his land and authority before he died. Gloucester committed an unnatural act by committing adultery under the stars.

Blindness When many characters can literally see, they are figuratively blind BUT when they are literally blind, they can, for the first time, figuratively see King Lear is figuratively blind to the fact that Goneril and Regan are lying to him about how much they love him King Lear is figuratively blind to the fact that Cordelia truly loves him King Lear is figuratively blind to the fact that Kent only has his best interest at heart. Gloucester is figuratively blind to the fact that Edmund is dishonest and the fact that Edgar is always faithful

Blindness Albany is figuratively blind to the fact that Goneril is an evil woman because of his great devotion to her. Gloucester is literally blinded because Cornwall, Regan, and Goneril consider him a traitor for helping King Lear after they threw Lear out into the tempest.

Ingratitude of Others Goneril & Reagan are ungrateful for all their father has given them King Lear is ungrateful for being taken care of by his daughters Burgundy is ungrateful for the gift of Cordelia which he was offered Edmund is ungrateful for the fact that his father loves him and accepts him as a legitimate son

Appearances vs Reality At the beginning of the play, the Lears and other characters are presented as normal and caring. But as Shakespeare rubs away the pretty veneers of the characters, we find greed, betrayal, lust for power, and cruelty. In other words, they are anything but normal and caring.  

Loyality King Lear is disloyal to Cordelia, yet she is loyal to King Lear King Lear is disloyal to Kent, yet he is loyal to King Lear Goneril & Regan are disloyal to King Lear and he treats them poorly too. Goneril is disloyal to Albany, yet he is loyal to her until he discovers her attempt on his life. Gloucester is disloyal to Edgar, yet Edgar remains loyal to Gloucester Edmund is disloyal to Gloucester, yet Gloucester is loyal to Gloucester Edmund is disloyal to both Goneril and Regan.

Justice Greed and lust result in the character’s downfall Duke of Cornwall has Kent placed in the stocks and Gloucester’s eyes plucked out so towards the end of the play, he is killed. Lear banishes Cordelia and Kent then so Lear driven out into the storm by his own wicked daughters Q: How is justice served for Cordelia?

Hospitality Being a good host is essential during the Elizabethan era…do you remember Capulet? Goneril and Regan are not gracious hosts King Lear is not a good guest Cornwall and Regan are not good guests whilst in Gloucester’s home.

Madness and Insanity The inclusion of madness and insanity in the play is Shakespeare’s comment on Elizabethan society and the clear lack of morality during this era. It is especially significant that those characters who go mad are of great nobility. Thus, a comment on the ignorance of the monarchy and the lack of concern the monarchy has for lower class society. Also, note that characters such as Mad Tom and the Fool are representative of the unrecognized wisdom of the lower class.

Nature The storms act as pathetic fallacy. When the tempest is in full force, it is a reflection of the inner turmoil/torment that King Lear is forced to suffer. The nature of the stars, under which Edmund is conceived, dictates that illegitimate children will be as evil as the Elizabethans believed astrology and witchcraft to be.

Guilt Both King Lear and Gloucester live rich lives, with no understanding of the suffering those living in poverty experience on a daily basis. It is only after all has been taken from these two men that they finally feel guilty for ignoring the plight of the poor and forgotten. Once King Lear and Gloucester recognize the error of their ways, they feel such great grief and guilt for what they have done to their honorable children, that their betwix’d emotions were the ultimate cause of each of their deaths.

Age & Wisdom Advanced age and wisdom do not go hand-in-hand. Lear is probably about 80, but he is often childish in his judgments until suffering reforms him. Shakespeare's depiction of Lear may have been, in part, an attempt to discredit or satirize the tendency of people in Elizabethan England automatically to revere elders and authority figures. 

The truth Telling the truth can deeply wound the listener as well as the speaker. Cordelia wins our admiration because she is forthright and sincere. However, her honesty offends her father, and he disowns her. The Earl of Kent, a loyal subject of Lear, suffers banishment for speaking up for Cordelia.

References A few concepts were applied from the following website: http://www.cummingsstudyguides.net/xKingLear.html#Themes