Symbolism of Blindness

symbolisation of quid little(prenominal)ness in world power Lear Blindness is usually defined as the corporeal force of the eye to befool. and in King Lear by William Shakespeargon, sightlessness is non just a physical whole tone provided overly a noetic dis look that large number possess. This mental flaw bed then lead to plurality making severeness decisions because they cant limit the integrity. In King Lear, the hap images of sight and blindness that atomic number 18 associated with the characters of Lear and Gloucester decorate the theme of self-knowledge and consciousness that exists within the frolic and these characters.Gloucesters characters plot parallels that of King Lears. through and through issue the play, we explore what is meant by eyeballight or the neglect of it. King Lear is the first and the main(prenominal) character that faces problems by this idea of blindness. In act one, Lear asks his troika daughters to express their admire f or him in order to get the partake in of the land and dowry. Goneril and Regan come up with an profuse speech that uses with wit and deceit.She starts off by saying Sir, I sleep together you more(prenominal)(prenominal) than word can wield the consequence de arer than eyeight, space, and liberty beyond what can be valued, rich or rare no less than life, with grace, health, beauty, honour as a lot as child eer deald, or grow found a do it that exploit overs breath poor, and speech un fitted-bodied beyond all manner of so a good deal I love you (Foakes 1. 1. 55-61). The metaphorical talk of the town to and beauty of Goneril and Regans speeches blind Lear.Cordelia actually loves him a lot silence he doesnt see it in her resolution when she says Unhappy that I am, I can non panting my heart into my mouth I love your majesty According to my bond nor more nor less (Foakes 1. 1. 93-95). But on the former(a) hand, Cordelias speech makes him feel less powerful. Her lan guage is legalistic and delimiting. It suggests that it is a contractual descent (Kronenfeld 96). By using the word bond, she makes it more formal unless shes talking to her nonplus so she should be able to express her feelings in a less formal way.She declares her love to be of no surpassing quality. She is not standardised her sisters because it is not in her nature to solicit her set about with outward showings of love hardly quite willing show it through her actions (Kronenfeld 106). He mis en dreams her love and is unable to see the love she actually has for him because of the way all trine of the daughters respond. The twain older sisters flatter their yield instead of speaking the truth so they can get what they want and this leads to Cordelia being disowned.The cause of his blindness appears to be an infatuation with his own rank and station, which is a take of senility. Lears kingdom is used as a symbol of affection towards his three daughters. In the first ac t, it is implied that Cordelia is his favorite daughter. He feels that dividing up the land by the train of love they show to him is the right occasion to do. He does not see that Goneril and Regan will use this as a come up to become his favorites. They will say some(prenominal) they use up to for their own benefit because they are greedy.Driven by his own blindness, King Lear begins to make m whatever mistakes not just with his daughters solely also with his hardcore supporter Kent. His blindness doesnt allow him to see the truth in a souls mortalality and character. When Kent hears about Cordelia getting disowned, he is shocked by the decision that King Lear. He tries helping King Lear understand the truth about his daughters but ends up getting banished himself. King Lear wants Kent out of my sight (Shakespeare 1. 1. 159). Kent responds by saying See better, Lear and allow me still remain The true uninfected of thine eye (Foaks 1. 1. 60-161). Kent is tasteing to make him consider his decision but Lears fire gets the better of him and he banishes him from the Kingdom. The blank can refer to the center of a level but also the absence of something which captures the ambiguity and vulnerability of our seeing. Kent was King Lears eye and ears and literally helped him see things clearly. Without Kent, he is fifty-fifty blinder to the reality than before. Kent disguises himself and manages to get rehired by King Lear which further shows his blindness. He k newly Kent really good and yet couldnt figure out that he was the same person.His vision and insight on other people never really improves and this leads to his downfall and finally his death. Shakespeare uses a lot of offstage episodes which also shows the blindness to the earreach. This indirect mode of presenting passing significant events generates doubt and discombobulation because the audience cant see what is occurrent but is known only by reports of those who claim to have observ ed them. But it is hard to rely on here say because of characters like King Lear who are oblivious and blind from the truth.Due to King Lears lack on insight, it causes him to make bad judgements and leads him to endure immense(p) emotional botheration and suffering as a result. It is through his and Gloucesters characters that Shakespeare has allowed the audience to see what great emotional torment can elicit a person because of disloyalty especially when it is that persons fault due to a lapse in judgement. Shakespeare uses the plot of Gloucester to give voice Lears plot by contextualizing Lears blindness with Gloucesters physical deviation of vision.His character is very similar to Lears because they both couldnt tell which of their children rattling loved and cared for them. Edmund blindsides his father into believing that Edgar was plotting to murder him so this would allow him to gain power. Gloucester was good convinced that the letter was real and never considers guessing if his son could actually do such a terrible thing. twain Lear and Gloucester are very quick to desire their children that use their language in a smart way to deceive their fathers.Gloucester also ends up disowning Edgar even though Edgar is the son who truly loves him. He doesnt feel that he is making any wrong decisions and feels that Come, if it be nothing, I shall not need spectacles (Foakes 1. 2. 363-364). The word need meat requiring something thats important so in this case, being able to see the truth is a necessity but Gloucester feels that he doesnt need that. It denies him the ability to distinguish between his good and wicked sons. Gloucester ends up getting his eyeball gouged out which is like a wake-up call for him.Edgar feels that The Gods are just and of our pleasant vices Make instruments to pest us The dark and vicious flummox where thee he got Cost him his eyes (Foakes 5. 3. 170-173). non only does Edgar deceive his father but believes that his f ather got what he deserved. The blind of a man is a symbol for the oddment of ones manhood like getting castrated (Halio 222). Gloucester is an adulterer and is more or less proud of this fact. Edgar goes on to say Met I my father with his bleeding rings, Their precious gemstones new lost become his guide, Led him, beggd for him, savd him from despair (Foakes 5. . 188-191). Edgar uses the word stone to refer to Gloucesters lost eyes because it is a slang term for testicles which implies that the blinding was like Gloucester getting castrated (Halio 223). at once Gloucester became physically blind was when he actually started seeing clearly. It is very ironic when Gloucester says I have no way and therefor want no eyes I stumbled when I saw. Full oft tis seen Our means secure us, and our mere defects Prove our commodities. Ah nigh son Edgar, The food of thy abused fathers wrathMight I but live to see thee in my touch, Ild say I had eyes again (Foakes 4. 1. 18-24) His inability to see the realities of his sons when he was mentally blind but managed to see his sons true color when he was physically blind because his eyes were gouged out. He eventually learns that vision is not just through your eyes but rather through your heart and mind. Gloucesters subplot paralleled that of King Lears. Cordelias silence throughout the play usually signals acquiescence as she never stood up against her father or her older sisters.In Shakespearean tragedies, it generally conveys feelings of fear, despair, and confusion but Cordelias silence is exhibit of her strength and constancy. Cordelias silence in the first few acts can be compared to her unwillingness to communicate in the after scenes. Lear is very similar to Cordelia in the sniff out that they both are very inarticu tardy when expressing emotions. After everything that her father has done to her, Cordelia is still devoted to helping her father and brings an army to help him. She doesnt need to try to convince her father with words but instead her actions show it all.They are able to reconcile their relationship because of the love that she has for her father unlike her sisters who are willing to do anything to get power. Even though he has wronged her, she sees that he has recognized the errors of his ways. Cordelia is the only loyal daughter King Lear has. Even though she is placid and doesnt have great communication skills, you can still feel the love she has for her father from the few things that she says. throughout the play, Shakespeare uses King Lear and Gloucester to demonstrate how metaphorical blindness can cause a person to make erroneous decisions.King Lears lack of sight led him to banish Cordelia and Kent, the two people that supported him the most. Similarly, Gloucester is affected by this metaphorical blindness as well and leads to detrimental decisions for him and his family. Ironically, when Gloucester gets literally blind, he starts to think clearly but it is too lat e at this point to improve things. nevertheless after they lose everything, they recognize that their blindness to honesty has cost them everything. Cordelia chooses to stay silent which she thinks is beneficial but in turn ends up getting her and her father killed.