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When King Lear hits bottom? [12]
having trouble finding when he hits bottom
Here is my first draft any suggestions would be helpful.
In order to interpret King Lear's gradual process of "bottoming out," it is necessary to look into the context of his life, and the circumstances around his stress and conflicts. "Bottoming out" or reaching a low point in ones life can be emotionally and physically hard. It can be a horrible place where life seems unbearable and there is nothing to make you happy or anything to look forward too. There is although a benefit of reaching bottom, you have nothing left to lose and no were to go but up. The tragedy of King Lear helps us to understand that there will be individuals whose actions will bring them and everyone around them down. In King Lear, we see that he has hit rock bottom but there is one thing to remember: if you experience hardships keep pushing forward to see a better day. There will always be a light at the end of the tunnel; the hardest part is getting there.
Lear's descent toward madness begins when he cries, "O fool, I shall go mad!" (Act 2, scene 2, line 475) The cruelty from his daughters Goneril and Regan plays on Lear's sanity and then he is thrown out into the elements to find himself. Lear's pain and suffering escalates when he confronts the storm. " Rumble they bellyful! Spit fire, spout rain! Nor rain, wind, thunder, fire are my daughters; I tax not you, you elements, with unkindness. I never gave you kingdom, called you children;You owe me no subscription. Why then, let fall Your horrible pleasure. Here I stand your slave, A poor, infirm, weak and despised old man. But yet I call you servile ministers That will with two pernicious daughters join Your high-engendered battles 'gainst a head So old and white as this. O ho! 'tis foul." (Act 3, scene 2 lines, 14-24) There is a representation between the storm and his relationship with his daughters. The storm is violent as is his relationship with his daughters. The storm represents his madness and insanity. Once Lear is alone in the cave his mind and body's rage increases over the thought of his daughter's betrayal. He fears this will lead to madness and tries to remove them from his mind. Eventually Lear hits bottom and puts on a mock trial where he wants justice for what his daughter's Goneril and Regan did to him. Lear appoints Edgar as the judge, the Fool as his fellow justice of peace, and Kent as judge also. "I'll see their trial first. Bring in their evidence. [to Edgar] Thou robed man of justice, take thy place. [to the Fool] And thou, his yoke-fellow of equity, Bench by his side. [to Kent] You are o'the commission; Sit you too."(Act 3 scene 6, line 35-39) At this point, Lear has completely lost his mind and knows nothing of what he is saying. "Here, sir. But trouble him not, His wits are gone." (Act 3, scene 6 line 84) A person can see when someone has reached bottom because everything has been taken away and you have nothing. By the end of Act 2 Lear has not one of is daughters left. He drove Cordelia away, and Goneril and Regan have forced Lear away. Lear's daughters were his whole life he loved them unconditionally and because of this he was unable to see their true motives and this eventually led to Lear's pain and he hit bottom. "O, sir, you are old: Nature in you stands on the very verge Of her confine. You should be ruled and led By come discretion that discerns your state Better then you yourself." (Act 2 scene 2, lines 335-339) Reaching bottom can be a good thing for some people but for others they do not have the strength to fight back. There are many people who cannot fight to get out of this dark place and it can claim their lives. Usually after bottoming out though you reach a turning point and you have no were else to go but up to build yourself back up, and that is just what Lear tried to do. You feel as though you can accomplish anything because you have nothing left to loose but everything to gain.
Lear's struggle and pain in the end led him back to his one honest faithful daughter Cordelia and they rebuilt their relationship. Lear was able to turn his life around and rediscover himself again. Despite all this thought after the death of his youngest daughter Cordelia, Lear could not hold on any longer and died shortly after.
"Bottoming out" can be essential for recovery to happen because it is a turning point where you have no were to go but up. Some people face challenges in their lives they seem too big to over come and they lose faith and hit bottom. Shakespeare's, King Lear shows us that any one can bottom out even a strong powerful King. After Lear bottomed out he was able to slowly start building his life back. Even though Lear died he was able to escape the bottom, became a new man and found peace with his daughter, Cordelia.
