Plot vs Subplot
I feel that there is a great resemblance between father/children plots in this story. Some of the areas where I see the resemblance is how each father lost trust of their child who loved them the most and that each father also trusted the child or children who did not love them. I also see similarities in the fact that the prompt mentioned how King Lear was losing his eyesight and Gloucester literally lost his eyes. To basically summarize King Lear asked his daughters who loved him the most and while two of his daughters lied to him to receive the most inheritance his one daughter remained silent and was then excommunicated by King lear. The summary of what happened to Gloucester is his bastard son came up with a lie that his legitimate son was trying to kill him as a plot for the bastard son to get his inheritance. Gloucester set out to kill his legitimate son as he had been tricked into thinking that he was trying to kill him. The funny part about both of these stories is that things are not always as they seem as Gloucester's legitimate son Edgar loved him the most out of all his children and King Lear's daughter who would not lie about her love of him actually loved him the most.
I completely agree with your blog post. The similarities between King Lear and Gloucester's situations are definitely undeniable. I think the fact that they both lost their "eyesight" is very symbolic. Also, the betrayal of both of their children is a major similarity between both. I think shakespeare did this for a reason to draw the two stories together and make them relatable to each other.
ReplyDeleteI agree That the plots being so relate able to each other makes Shakespeare's meaning behind the play seem to be that, each person no matter from what background has a chance to make up for his mistakes. This is defined by Gloucestor and Lear sending the children that love them away and then in the end getting another chance to make things right. It shows that right and just people will have many chances to make up for the mistakes they've made in the end.
ReplyDeleteI agree with your statement that, regardless of people background, everyone has the right to make mistakes, and everyone has the right to a second chance. The opportunity for King Lear and Gloucester to correct their errors, depended on how their kids,that they have rejected, were really devotion to them, loved them from the heart, were willing to forgive and to support them in difficult times.
DeleteI agree with all these comments. I think King Lear eye's are metaphorically opened during the big storm when he is stuck outside because his two oldest daughters threw him out. He realizes he made a mistake disowning Cordelia and is upset with himself. Gloucester's eyes are only "opened" when they are - ironically - gouged out. I think Shakespeare is making a point about the rashness and pride of these two men through this parallel mistake happening with Lear and Gloucester.
ReplyDeleteI agree with previous posts. I believe the fate of the two men was decided the second they chose to feed into their own egos rather than to see past flattery. They were both in a period of life where they expected to be worshiped and hailed for the gifts of inheritance they would surely divide. While this sense of pride in ones lifeworks is not a bad thing necessarily, when it is used as a tool to boost ones ego and create a competition for affection things go terribly wrong. Both men suffer this dilemma and the story plays out to show how the two men will lie in the beds that their egos have created.
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