The Perception Of Blindness Versus Ability - 1052 Words

The perception of blindness versus ability to see truths in King Lear Throughout history, noble kings and powerful leaders have fallen from power due to their blindness towards people they trusted. Novels, such as William Shakespeare’s King Lear convey a similar message. Although blindness is conceived as the lack of sight by many, metaphorically speaking, blindness is the inability to see and interpret the truth due to one’s deceptiveness and lies. In King Lear, Lear’s blindness towards Goneril and Regan, and his arrogance, results in his downfall. Similarly, Gloucester’s blind-eye towards Edmund results in his downfall and ironically, his loss of eye-sight. Shakespeare conveys, through the life and dialogue of Lear and Gloucester,†¦show more content†¦Lear says to Kent about Cordelia, â€Å"I loved her most and thought to set my rest / On her kind nursery. / Hence, and avoid my sight! / So be my grave my peace as here I give / Her fatherâ€⠄¢s heart from her† (I.i.124-126). Cordelia s reply towards Lear is honest, but less persuasive compared to Regan s or General’s and Lear curses Cordelia and tells her that he wishes to never see her again. Lear blinded does not see what Regan and Goneril are planning and more importantly what his blindness will lead him in too. Though Lear is blind, he realizes later what he has done after his downfall. When Regan and Goneril betray Lear, Lear goes mad and loses his sanity as he realizes his mistake. The fool tells Lear, â€Å"Fathers that wear rags / Do make their children blind. / But fathers that bear bags / Shall see their children kind† (II.iv.40-43). The fool tells Lear that Lear gave too much worldly things to Regan and Goneril, such as land, and the daughters got too greedy and now took everything from Lear and left him with nothing, but if Lear gave more of his true love and care to his daughters, they would have cared about him and would not be this greedy. Lear trusted his daughters to make the right choices, but Regan and Goneril used that trust against Lear as Lear says, â€Å"I remember thine eyes well enough. Dost thou squiny at / me? No, do thy worst, blind Cupid. I ll not love† (IV.vi.152-155). Lear