King Lear: Motifs Essay, Research Paper

King Lear: Motifs

Shakespeare uses many motives to spread out on the subjects of the narrative. His most-used

motive revolves around filial duty. Each of the two secret plans contains

characters who betray their male parents. Goneril and Regan flatter their male parent,

King Lear, and so betray him. The drastic alteration that occurred in their

attidtude towards their male parent is clearly apparent through Goneril & # 8217 ; s speech

before:

& # 8220 ; Sir, I love you more than words can exert the affair ; Dearer than eye-sight,

infinite, and autonomy ; Beyond what can be valued, rich or rare ; No less than life,

with grace, wellness, beauty, honor ; Equally much as kid vitamin E & # 8217 ; er loved, or male parent

found ; A love that makes breath hapless, and address unable ; Beyond all mode of so

much I love you. & # 8221 ; ( Act I, Sc I, Ln 57-63 ) and after she had been

allotted one half of the land: & # 8220 ; & # 8216 ; Tis his ain incrimination ; hath put himself from

remainder, And must necessitate gustatory sensation his folly. & # 8221 ; ( Act II, Sc two, Ln

289-290 )

They both were interested merely in acquiring Lear & # 8217 ; s land, and used any agencies

necessary to acquire it. Edmund, in the other secret plan of the drama, deceives his male parent

in order to derive his favour. Edmund, the Earl of Gloucester & # 8217 ; s bastard boy, Tells

his male parent that Edgar, Gloucester & # 8217 ; s legitimate boy, is plotting to destroy

Gloucester. This causes the Earl to ostracize Edgar and give his rubric and land to

Edmund.

The dry abuse of power used by the Earl of Gloucester shows up in both secret plans.

Gloucester punishes Edgar and subsequently finds that Edmund was the one pickings

advantage of him. Similarly, Regan and Goneril gain Lear & # 8217 ; s favour, while Cordelia

is left & # 8216 ; dowerless & # 8217 ; and banished from the land. In the terminal, though, Cordelia

saves Le

Ar from the treachery of Goneril and Regan.

Shakespeare develops these major motives with back uping motives. He describes how

retaliation can impact households and make jobs for the characters. He besides uses

the dotage associated with old age to warrant the irrational actions of both

Gloucester and Lear. Gloucester, deceived by Edmund, becomes paranoiac of Edgar.

Lear is portrayed as doddering signifier the beginning when he splits his land

between his girls. He becomes so engrossed by Goneril & # 8217 ; s and Regan & # 8217 ; s flattery

that when Cordelia refused to provide to his wants, he banishes her in a tantrum of

fury.

Using the assorted motives, Shakespeare makes many thematic statements about

filial duty. Without examination, many kids will go overtaken by

greed and effort to acquire their parents & # 8217 ; wealth by any agencies. Some kids will

remain good at bosom, but it is hard to foretell which kids will honour

their parents. This is shown in both secret plans of the narrative, with King Lear and

Gloucester trusting, and being deceived by, the & # 8220 ; bad seeds. & # 8221 ; Lear learns of his

problems after both Goneril and Regan throw him out, but Gloucester understands

the treachery of Edmund much subsequently.

The other major subject in King Lear trades with visual aspects. Shakespeare provinces,

as he does in many of his dramas, that visual aspects can be lead oning. Many people

set up false foreparts in order to acquire what they want, including Regan & # 8217 ; s and

Goneril & # 8217 ; s flattery. Once once more, one must be careful non to fall victim to

others & # 8217 ; false actions. Shakespeare emphasizes the demand to believe about actions

that may hold serious effects, and non to hotfoot into anything. Irrational

behaviour and credulousness cause many of the jobs and struggles in King Lear.