King Lear Act III blog

The scene in which Gloucester's eyes are gouged out is in fact full of violence, however it is also full of symbolism.  All throughout the play, Goucester has been stabbed in the back, mislead, and toyed with, and despite his physical capability to see, has been completely blind to the fact.  Now that he has lost his sight, however, he is able to realize that all along he's been had.  The reason for this graphic violence occuring on stage is more for dramatic purposes than to be gratuitously violent.  During act III, elements of confustion, tension, and malevolence have built up into a certain sort of frenzy.  This gouging out of his eye then stomping on it serves as a parallel to represent all of the ludicrous nature of the behavior in this act thus far.  This act is much more justified in its presence than violence in slasher films and Grand Theft Auto.  Violence in the latter two examples is typically violence for violence's sake.  It is there to be as gory and as gruesome as possible, for little dramatic reason and generally for shock value.  Graphic violence has a place in drama when it actually conveys drama, not when it is there to convey violence.  

King Lear Act II Response 2

After Edgar "fights" Edmund, he runs away because he is under the impression that everyone is going to be looking for him.  He hides in a hollow tree because "I heard myself proclaimed, and by the happy hollow of a tree escaped the hunt.  No port is free, no place that guard and most unusual vigilance does not attend my taking."  Due to his confusion of the actual situation (and his ignorance regarding the treachery of Edmund) he decides to disguise himself as "the basest and most poorest shape that ever penury and contempt of man."  On a surface, this disguise is simply to avoid himself being caught for the transgressions he has made against Edmund.  However, on a deeper level, Edgar feels as though his own character is of no worth to society.  He feels that due to the actions that everyone else in the society perceives him  to have done that they no longer value him and would value him more as a vagrant.  At least they would cast some semblance of charity onto a wanderer.  On a different note, this character may be used as a symbol.  Typically these characters of whom Edgar is disguising himself are known as insane people who have escaped from an asylum, and as such are generally confused and crazy.  This might be used as a symbol of the confusion and craziness that both the reader and Edgar himself are feeling at this point.  All things considered, however, this extreme disguise is probably employed mostly due to the fact that Edgar must pick something so drastically differed from his typical self so that those who seek to punish him for his supposed wrongdoing will not be able to find him.

King Lear Act II Response 1

Sad as it is, there is often the case in which a child (though he or she may not be necessarily of a child's age) turns against their parent.  They undermine, they neglect, or they in essence mistreat their parents to such a degree that an outward appearance of the actions borders on the despicable.  The exact reason for this phenomena is wide open for debate, and can range from a grudge of a past wrongdoing, the result of a spoiled childhood, a culmination of years of irritation, or simply out of the questionable character (morally/ethically) of the child his or herself.  In the case of the two daughters in this story, i would say that a combination of all of the aforementioned scenarios can apply (probably with less of an emphasis on the wrongdoing).  The daughters have more likely than not known throughout their lives that one day they would inherit their father's land.  Whether that came by the way of the king's death or by some other means is unknown to them, but they have undoubtedly lusted after their hefty parcels.  Sheer greed mixed with the years of irritation of their father lecturing them about their mannerisms and what have you may have definitely fueled their treatment of their father.  Furthermore, the fact that the once king has handed over his land to his daughters, then proceeded to encroach on what was at one time, but no longer is his power may also come as an irritation at an extent great enough to make the daughters want to turn him away.