i had to write an essay on shakespeares play King Lear. It had to discuss his physical and spiritual journey through the play. Looking for some feedback on how to improve before handing in.
King Lear's Physical and Spiritual Journey
In Shakespeare's tragedy King Lear the title character King lear suffers a tormenting physical and spiritual journey that lead him to experience some of life's important lesson's. He made the decision to start the journey towards old age and little did he know it would be a fast journey towards greater wisdom and self knowledge and unfortunately eventually his death. King Lear's physical journey starts with Lear dividing his kingdom and passing down his authority to his 3 daughters. Then to being rejected and stripped of any power he had left while visiting his eldest daughters, Goneril and Regan. Lastly his physical journey ends with him in Dover where he is reunited with his youngest daughter Cordelia and captured by the evil sisters solider's. Not only did Lear have a physical journey but also a spiritual one. King Lear's great hubris ultimately starts off his spiritual journey when he is less then pleased with his youngest daughters words. After his physical journey takes him to visit eldest's daughters, his spiritual journey takes him into a storm where he start's to makes realizations that would start to change him from a King to a man. The end to his spiritual adventure comes when the suffering King Lear endured allows him to reconcile with his daughter Cordelia and they are finally back together. Each step in the journey was necessary for King Lear to change into the character he was when he reached his death.
Act I Scene I is the beginning of King Lear's physical and spiritual trek. The physical journey beings when King Lear makes the decision to divide his kingdom up between his daughters and start his crawl towards death. This first decision shows a lot about Lear's character and is the first action that starts off his journey. " Know that we have divided In three out kingdom, and 'tis our fast intent To shake all cares and business from your age, Conferring them on younger strengths while we Unburdened crawl towards death." (I.I.36-29). Lear thinks that by dividing up his kingdom between his daughters he will be unburdened with problems and will have it easy while he gets older. To help King Lear decide who will take care of him he asks his three daughters Goneril, Regan and Cordelia so profess there love for him. King Lear's first decision and great hubris then start off spiritual journey. His is flattered and when his two eldest daughters claim there love for him through their fake words. When his youngest daughter can not compete with her sisters false words and can only simply promise her love, the King is emotionally outraged. "So be my grave my peace as here I give Her father's heart from her"(I.I.125-126). The King has to much pride and his ego is hurt when she did not praise him like her sisters, for this he banish's his most true and honest daughter from the kingdom and the family. This first decision from the King and his reaction to his daughters words start his spiritual and physical journey that will change him forever.
King Lear's next step in his physical journey takes him to his daughter Goneril's house then to see his other daughter Regan. While visiting both King Lear is rejected by his daughters who deny him any power even though he was the one who granted them there inheritance. They strip him of his power when they forbid him to have his men with him while staying with them. This is an important part in King Lear's journey as it is the first time he experiences his two daughters true personalities first hand. "I will have such revenges on you both"(II.IV.276). The King promises he will have his revenge on them then isolates himself in a raging storm after the confrontation with his vindictive daughters. While the storm rages above him violently it mimics the thoughts going through his head. The event that just happened with his daughters leads Lear to his next spiritual journey. WHile out in the storm and stripped of his royalty King Lear must learn to empathize with all living creatures again even if they are not royal. This him from being a king to a man. Lear sheds his clothing out in the wilderness along with his kingship pride and vanity. "Unaccommodated man is no more but such a poor, bare, forked animal as thou art."(III.IV.101-102). King Lear has finally come to terms with his own humanity and gained self knowledge and insight after these steps in his journey.
In the last Act of the play King Lear reaches the end of his journey. His physical journey has taken him to Dover to seek refuge from his own evil daughters army. Upon arriving in Dover, Lear's insanity has worsened, he is subdued by doctors and when he awakens he is reunited with his devoted daughter Cordelia. Unfortunately the happy reunion does not last long as they are captured by the sister's army. Although Lear's mind has been withering through out the play he has come to terms with his situation. As long as he is with his faithful daughter he is okay. "No, no,no,no! Come, lets away to prison"(V.III.9). Lear is okay with being captured as long as he his daughter Cordelia forgives him and they can be together. The last act is also where Lear's spiritual journey ends. The self awareness Lear gained through suffering allows him to reconcile with his daughter Cordelia not as a king but as a father. When she returns from france to save him he realizes her unconditional love for him. "as i am a man, I think this lady, to be my child Cordelia"(IV.VII.68-69). In the end after being reconnected with his daughter emotionally and physically, Cordelia dies from being hung and losing her is to much for the old King as he dies from a broken heart. Therefore signaling the end of both his physical and spiritual journey.
Through the journey's King Lear has gone through the audience also goes through as well. We feel for the King, from when he passed down his authority and exiled his daughter, to the reject he faced from the evil sisters Regan and Goneril. The audience was with him while he traveled through the storm with rage and also gained the same insight to morals and self knowledge when he came to terms with his humanity. Witnessing Lear's character change through out the play the audience can feel defeated when he was captured by the sisters army, and happy for the reconciliation with Cordelia. The death of Cordelia and King Lear marks the end of his journey but the physical and spiritual journey the King endured lets the audience rest easy that King Lear passed away a better man then he was in the beginning.
King Lear's Physical and Spiritual Journey
In Shakespeare's tragedy King Lear the title character King lear suffers a tormenting physical and spiritual journey that lead him to experience some of life's important lesson's. He made the decision to start the journey towards old age and little did he know it would be a fast journey towards greater wisdom and self knowledge and unfortunately eventually his death. King Lear's physical journey starts with Lear dividing his kingdom and passing down his authority to his 3 daughters. Then to being rejected and stripped of any power he had left while visiting his eldest daughters, Goneril and Regan. Lastly his physical journey ends with him in Dover where he is reunited with his youngest daughter Cordelia and captured by the evil sisters solider's. Not only did Lear have a physical journey but also a spiritual one. King Lear's great hubris ultimately starts off his spiritual journey when he is less then pleased with his youngest daughters words. After his physical journey takes him to visit eldest's daughters, his spiritual journey takes him into a storm where he start's to makes realizations that would start to change him from a King to a man. The end to his spiritual adventure comes when the suffering King Lear endured allows him to reconcile with his daughter Cordelia and they are finally back together. Each step in the journey was necessary for King Lear to change into the character he was when he reached his death.
Act I Scene I is the beginning of King Lear's physical and spiritual trek. The physical journey beings when King Lear makes the decision to divide his kingdom up between his daughters and start his crawl towards death. This first decision shows a lot about Lear's character and is the first action that starts off his journey. " Know that we have divided In three out kingdom, and 'tis our fast intent To shake all cares and business from your age, Conferring them on younger strengths while we Unburdened crawl towards death." (I.I.36-29). Lear thinks that by dividing up his kingdom between his daughters he will be unburdened with problems and will have it easy while he gets older. To help King Lear decide who will take care of him he asks his three daughters Goneril, Regan and Cordelia so profess there love for him. King Lear's first decision and great hubris then start off spiritual journey. His is flattered and when his two eldest daughters claim there love for him through their fake words. When his youngest daughter can not compete with her sisters false words and can only simply promise her love, the King is emotionally outraged. "So be my grave my peace as here I give Her father's heart from her"(I.I.125-126). The King has to much pride and his ego is hurt when she did not praise him like her sisters, for this he banish's his most true and honest daughter from the kingdom and the family. This first decision from the King and his reaction to his daughters words start his spiritual and physical journey that will change him forever.
King Lear's next step in his physical journey takes him to his daughter Goneril's house then to see his other daughter Regan. While visiting both King Lear is rejected by his daughters who deny him any power even though he was the one who granted them there inheritance. They strip him of his power when they forbid him to have his men with him while staying with them. This is an important part in King Lear's journey as it is the first time he experiences his two daughters true personalities first hand. "I will have such revenges on you both"(II.IV.276). The King promises he will have his revenge on them then isolates himself in a raging storm after the confrontation with his vindictive daughters. While the storm rages above him violently it mimics the thoughts going through his head. The event that just happened with his daughters leads Lear to his next spiritual journey. WHile out in the storm and stripped of his royalty King Lear must learn to empathize with all living creatures again even if they are not royal. This him from being a king to a man. Lear sheds his clothing out in the wilderness along with his kingship pride and vanity. "Unaccommodated man is no more but such a poor, bare, forked animal as thou art."(III.IV.101-102). King Lear has finally come to terms with his own humanity and gained self knowledge and insight after these steps in his journey.
In the last Act of the play King Lear reaches the end of his journey. His physical journey has taken him to Dover to seek refuge from his own evil daughters army. Upon arriving in Dover, Lear's insanity has worsened, he is subdued by doctors and when he awakens he is reunited with his devoted daughter Cordelia. Unfortunately the happy reunion does not last long as they are captured by the sister's army. Although Lear's mind has been withering through out the play he has come to terms with his situation. As long as he is with his faithful daughter he is okay. "No, no,no,no! Come, lets away to prison"(V.III.9). Lear is okay with being captured as long as he his daughter Cordelia forgives him and they can be together. The last act is also where Lear's spiritual journey ends. The self awareness Lear gained through suffering allows him to reconcile with his daughter Cordelia not as a king but as a father. When she returns from france to save him he realizes her unconditional love for him. "as i am a man, I think this lady, to be my child Cordelia"(IV.VII.68-69). In the end after being reconnected with his daughter emotionally and physically, Cordelia dies from being hung and losing her is to much for the old King as he dies from a broken heart. Therefore signaling the end of both his physical and spiritual journey.
Through the journey's King Lear has gone through the audience also goes through as well. We feel for the King, from when he passed down his authority and exiled his daughter, to the reject he faced from the evil sisters Regan and Goneril. The audience was with him while he traveled through the storm with rage and also gained the same insight to morals and self knowledge when he came to terms with his humanity. Witnessing Lear's character change through out the play the audience can feel defeated when he was captured by the sisters army, and happy for the reconciliation with Cordelia. The death of Cordelia and King Lear marks the end of his journey but the physical and spiritual journey the King endured lets the audience rest easy that King Lear passed away a better man then he was in the beginning.
