The Theme of Madness in King Lear - 1243 Words

According to the Paperback Canadian Oxford Dictionary, to be mad is to be insane and to have a disordered mind. Throughout King Lear, there are several different characters who one would question if they are in an orderly state of mind. The Earl of Kent, Edgar, the Fool, and King Lear all portray varying degrees of madness. Some have alternative motives behind their madness while others are simply losing touch with reality around them. The Earl of Kent is a close advisor to King Lear. Lear decides to split up his kingdom between his two daughters, Regan and Goneril, and to banish his youngest daughter, Cordelia, from the kingdom. Kent strongly advises Lear to keep reign over his own kingdom and insists that Cordelia should not be†¦show more content†¦Throughout the play, the Fool is portrayed as someone who is irrational. When Lear is showing signs of madness, the Fool is there by his side jesting along and yet when Lear regains he rational thought, the Fool is no longer around. The Fool is very comfortable in his seemingly unbalanced frame of mind. He is very smart and sensible, but his way of showing these characteristics is not in a completely rational way. At the beginning of the play, Lear foolishly splits up his kingdom between two of his daughters, Regan and Goneril, and banishes his other daughter Cordelia. Lear appears to be the only one who does not see his mistake in doing so. Even his da ughter, Goneril, notices what poor judgment (1.1.284) her father has and sees the unruly waywardness (1.1.289) which his old years have brought. Regan and Goneril conspire against their father and cause extremely angry emotions to arise in Lear. Lear recognizes the fine line between intense emotions and madness and says, we are not ourselves When nature, being oppressd, commands the mind To suffer with the body (2.4.100-102). The physical and emotional suffering caused by his daughters comes before actual madness and is, in fact, the cause of his madness. His daughter, Regan, says Nature in you stands on the very verge Of her confine (2.4.139-140) and of course sees the connection between the extreme anger Lear is feeling and the loss of reason thatShow MoreRelatedTheme Of Madness In King Lear976 Words   |  4 Pagesdepicting how madness is the result. Ruler of the land, King Lear, betrayed by those he loves, struggles to continue on his life through means of sanity. In Willia m Shakespeare’s play King Lear, madness is brought about through one’s power of authority, self-esteem, and internal conflict. Madness, as a result, is seen when one upholds the highest rank in power. In King Lear, Lear upholds the authority in the kingdom, using his power in forms of abuse, thus resulting in his madness. Lear abuses his powerRead MoreShakespeares Use of Madness as a Theme in King Lear2035 Words   |  9 Pages Edgar first assumes the disguise of Poor Tom as Lear and the Earl of Gloucester enter the cave in which Edgar is hiding. 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Although the story lines in both of the publications are quite different from one another, there is no doubt that there are themes that allow oneRead More A Lesson Learned Too Late in King Lear Essay1184 Words   |  5 PagesA Lesson Learned Too Late in King Lear      Ã‚   In the first half of the play, King Lear struggles with the problem of authority and the consequences of giving his own authority away.   Lear’s eventual loss of sanity is a result of his ill judgement and unwillingness to part with his power as king.   Yet, the issue of authority is not the only theme that is being dealt with in the play.   King Lear is also about Lear’s search for identity and wisdom in his old age.   The play explores the concept of