King Lear, one of William Shakespeare's best tragedies, depicts a modern culture in grim circumstances. As with all tragedies, there exists a tragic hero, person who has a fatal flaw that initiates the tragedy and everything the sufferings that follow. In this particular play, the tragic hero is undoubtedly the title figure, King Lear. The storyline is influenced by the energy and effect of losses, more specifically, the deficits of Lear. In the course the play, Ruler Lear, because of his imperfections, loses his authority as a ruler, his identity as a father, and his sanity as a man. One loss builds on another, but moreover, his greatest loss, and what distinguishes this tragedy from all others, is his potential for redemption. Unlike other tragedies, there is no salvation for the tragic hero or any indication of optimism in the final outcome. This bleak portrayal of Ruler Lear, through his losses, makes him the ultimate tragic hero, and the play an ultimate tragedy.
The play begins with Ruler Lear's decision to separate his kingdom among his three daughters. This is actually the first indication of Lear's loss - the increased loss of authority. Attempting to abandon his responsibilities before his time, Lear says, "tis our fast intent / To shake all cares and business from our era, / Conferring them on youthful strengths while we / Unburdened crawl toward loss of life" (I. i. 38-41). It could be argued that his flaw is at his decision to prematurely abdicate the throne, heading against nature. However, it is more crucial to realize that his major flaw is actually in his figure, shown through his judgment in renouncing his power. Lear carries tremendous insecurity and egotism as he announces that he will offer the major talk about of kingdom to the daughter who professes the greatest love for him. Goneril and Regan both proclaim in fulsome terms that they love him more than anything on the globe, while Cordelia speaks from her heart and soul in honest terms that she is in love with him exactly as a little princess should love her father. Valuing self-importance above all else, Lear is blind to the commitment and love of Cordelia and instead, perceptive to the flattery of his two vile daughters. Furthermore, Lear is infuriated when Kent items and protests to his decision: "Thy youngest girl will not love thee least, / Nor are those emptyhearted whose low sounds / Reverb no hollowness" (I. i. 153-155). This fatal flaw of insecurity and egotism induces Lear to make problem in his judgment, resulting in the improper section of his kingdom and the increased loss of his two most faithful companions - Cordelia and Kent. The consequences of this mistake build-up throughout the play, resulting in Lear's ultimate tragic semester.
Lear's lost royal authority now exchanges to his two daughters, Goneril and Regan, plus they deceitfully use this electric power against him. Ironically, Lear also comes in position, to a level inferior compared to that of his own children. Goneril no more adores him "beyond all manner" and Regan no more is "an foe to all other joys" as they have professed initially (I. i. 61, 73). Instead, Goneril reprimands his daddy for the way his servants and knights have "infected" her home (I. iv. 237). Regan employs suit, and insist that "The old man and his people/ Can't be well bestowed" (II. iv. 258). His daughters no more even respect him. Lear has lost his identity as a daddy, since he even confesses that "[He] should be phony persuaded / [He] acquired daughters" (I. iv. 227-228). Troubled and confused, Lear reveals his weakened sense of personal information when requesting "Who's it that can notify me who I am" (I. iv. 224). Stripped of specialist as king, Lear has now also lost authority as a daddy over his own flesh and blood.
King Lear's banishment from his daughters certainly has tremendous mental effect on him. He not only loses youngsters as he "crawl toward death", but also loses sanity as his "heartbreak into 100 thousand defects" and "hego mad" (I. i. 41, II. iv. 284-286). With so much fighting already thrown after Lear anticipated to his tragic flaw, it appears that Shakespeare has now shown pity and made a decision to set the stage for a reversal of destiny. Sacrificing sanity has given Ruler Lear the opportunity to discover the fact and the primary of humanity. With disapproval of Regan and Goneril, Lear mind outside, where a wild storm takes place. In this time of chaos, Lear fulfills Edgar as Low of the Tom and benefits serious revelation of man and life. Experiencing Poor Tom bare, at human's easiest state, Lear questions, "Is man only this?" and realizes that the "unaccomodated man is no more but such a poor, bare, forked pet as thou art work" (III. iv. 103-104, 107-109). He proceeds with disrobing himself, and at the same time, taking away himself from any public constraints. It really is at the extreme low point that Lear whitening strips of his rationality and depends on his inner instincts to fully understanding his identification and gain back his mankind. He now comprehends the deep love of Cordelia and the disguise employed by his other daughters. The true Ruler Lear finally emerges.
Although Shakespeare creates this turning point for Lear, he is actually paving just how for a greater tragedy. Lear manages to lose everything he has - power, family, and sanity, however now he faces his greatest damage - the chance for redemption. After the storm, Lear is finally reunited with Cordelia as he battles to get back his sanity. Cordelia never manages to lose her love for her daddy even after he has disowned her, and after witnessing him, she cries, "O my dear father, restoration hang / Thy drugs on my lip area, and let this kiss / repair those violent harms that my two sisters / have in thy reverence made" (IV. vii. 27-30). The mention of restoration implies Cordelia's capability to redeem Lear of his earlier errors. When Lear wakes up, he admits, "I am a very foolish fond old manI dread I am not in my perfect mind" (IV. vii. 61, 65). This unveils Lear's new regained understanding of himself and his admittance to his faults, an indicator of the first rung on the ladder towards redemption. At this time, after all of the turbulence, the audience requires a sigh of relief, being positive and seeing expect Lear. Alas however, this play does not leave any traces optimism.
In the final act, Edmund catches Lear and Cordelia as his prisoners, and purchases both to be wiped out. Lear escapes, but Cordelia, his faithful and loving girl, dies. Lear finally realizes only Cordelia can give him "the opportunity which redeem all sorrows that ever [he] have experienced" (V. iii. 272-273). Her death breaks the last thread between Lear and delight. He expresses his deepest sufferings and declares his sorrows when recognizes Cordelia has "gone permanently She's lifeless as earth" (V. iii. 265-267). With little or nothing left, not even the future and possibility for redemption, Lear loses the only possession that remains - his life. Ruler Lear is truly a tragic hero because he was so near to delight after much torment, yet he is still struggling to achieve salvation, and instead, he is subjected to complete deterioration, both mentally and in physical form.
"Is this the promised end?" Kent, Lear's devoted servant, questions by the end of the play (V. iii. 270). Indeed, this is actually the tragic end of King Lear, a play showing a world of corruption. Ruler Lear, scheduled to his tragic flaw of insecurity and egotism, makes a short miscalculation that soon snowballs into some losses, including the loss of power, personality and sanity. Equally as he is about to redeem himself, he's deprived of this chance as he losses the only person capable of repairing him - Cordelia. The play ends with the ultimate downfall of the tragic hero, as Lear dies in circumstances of grief. In this way, King Lear portrays not only the tragedy of the society, but more importantly, the tragedy of a guy. Even though Lear has gone through much transformation and realized the meaning of humanity, the bleak contemporary society he lives in will not warrant him the ability for redemption. Through disclosing his losses, Ruler Lear illustrates the voyage of the subject character, an ultimate tragic hero.
