Nature in King Lear Essay

The Tragedy of male monarch Lear by William Shakespe be is founded on the theme of Nature portrayed through go forth the take over from Lears kingship to personal valete relations, from representations of the physical manhood to notions of the gods, from the portrayal of human genius to the drug abuse of animal imagery. Nature is the core of the play power Lear. Shakespe ars take on personality is ambiguous thus he portrays the two extremes of human condition good and annoyance. by dint of his characters, he asserts that public argon neither good nor evil by nature.However, Shakespeare reflects on what should be considered inborn, since the concept of nature stems from social construct. In the play, there is a perceptible distinction amid the natural ways in which people lack to behave as opposed to what is considered natural in society. Ele handsts of the natural world, much(prenominal) as Mother Nature and the animal kingdom, are invoked in the characters speech, a s they use their different concepts of what nature is in parliamentary law to justify their actions. Through this essay I impart demonstrate good and evil nature mainly through the two juxtaposing characters Cordelia, the Jesus-Like daughter, and Edmund the Machiavellian son, as well as the use of animal imagery to depict natural character traits. The while begins on the day baron Lear decides to divide his inheritance amongst his three daughters.The gallant King demands his daughters to show off their undying have it off for him in social club to befool their share. However, King Lears notion of love is shallow, tall and showy, which results in a great disadvantage to Cordelias natural way of being. Unfortunately, King Lears royal authority belongs to the civilized world. Therefore, he goes against the natural world when he misinterprets Cordelias love and casts her bug out. One of the biggest problems in the play is that Lear calls upon nature which of you shall we say do th love us most/ That we our largest bounty may stay on/ Where nature doth with merit challenge (Act 1, stab 1, tonal patterns 52-54).Lear slides Cordelias true natural, hard-core doings as unnatural and dis pliant when she sincerely expresses I love your majesty according to my cleave, no more nor less (Act I, impression I, Lines 94-95) without the pompous performance played by G hotshotril and Reagan. Lear curses Cordelia exiling her outside society disclaiming propinquity and shoes of blood (Act 1, Scene 1). Lears lack of under withstanding of the natural bond between parents and children authorises him to his tragic demise. He is easily fooled by Goneril and Regans worknatural behavior when they give their long speeches and flatter him.Eventually, Those peli advise daughters (Act 3, Scene 4, Line 75) and Unnatural hags (Act 2, Scene 4, Line-281) as Lear later on refers to them, throw him out of the house once theyve obtained status and power yet fear he might take it back. Further on, they plot on killing Lear. On the other hand, Cordelias love is unconditional. Lear must go through a series of humiliating events to learn the true nature of love and the spl ceaseour of the bond that Cordelia truthfully tried to explain. Cordelia is a tragic heroine, since she returns from France and easily forgives her take despite his wrath. Most importantly Cordelia gives Lear another chance to redeem himself as a king, a father and a human being. Shakespeare brilliantly portrays human nature through Edmund and Cordelia.By placing them in a similar situation, he is able to demonstrate that serviceman act accordingly to their nature. These two juxtaposing characters are stripped away from their royal wealth due to social norms. On one hand, Cordelia faces adversity being a legitimate loving and obedient daughter, yet she doesnt follow the selfish and disloyal path that Edmund does. Cordelia is one of the few genuinely good characters in the entire play. In production line to her two sisters shes a saint. Lears poor judgment and mistake of the father-daughter bond ultimately leads to his tragic loss. The subplot of the main plot is the relationship between Gloucester and his legitimate son Edgar and his bastard son Edmund. Gloucester as Lear, misunderstands the natural behavior of his sons.Edmund, a natural son, feels he is more deserving than his brother in spite of the social law of primogeniture. By calling Edmund loyal and natural boy, Gloucester mistakes Edmunds unnatural behavior to be natural and casts out Edgar from the civilized world to the natural world. Lear and Gloucester share that they are both deceived and furthermore, mistake unnatural behavior (conspiracy against parents) to be natural (loyal and loving behavior). These misunderstandings ultimately lead to their downfall.Edmund calls on Mother Nature Nature, art my goddess. This statement implies that nature provides an evil force. Edmunds views this baseness as natu ral. Furthermore, Edmund recognizes his own evil nature and decides to use it to his advantage. He mocks the notion of any kind of supernatural or miraculous influence over ones destiny in the following lines as if we were villains on necessity fools by heavenlycompulsions knaves, thieves, and treachers by orbicular predominance, drunkards liars and adulterers by an enforced obedience of planetary influence (Act I, Scene 2, Lines 131-135). In Edmunds soliloquy at the beginning of Act 1 Scene 2, we learn of his malevolent intent to degenerate his legitimate half brother.Machiavelli believed that by nature, humans are not perfect in virtue and therefore, humans do not only posses good qualities, but bad ones For if men were all good, this rule would not be allowable, but being they are full of mischief (p. 100). Although he recognized that loyalty and trustworthiness can be gained, he believed that in times of adversity people are generally ungrateful, insincere, anxious to look out for their own safety, and greedy for gain They are unthankful, inconstant dissemblers they avoid dangers and are covetous of gain and will rebel if they are in danger. (p. 99). Therefore, Edmunds natural behavior represents Machiavellis belief of human nature being evil driven by a selfish, insincere and disloyal natural way of being.Contrary to Edmund, Cordelia excessively faces adversity and she stays true to her benevolent nature. Her character counteracts Machiavellis personal credit line of human nature. Through this, Shakespeare hints that Machiavellis beliefs arent necessarily true and do not apply to human nature.Edmund reflects the character traits found in Machiavellis The Prince, as he rebels against the laws of society and is willing to hurt others in order to achieve power and status. He is ungrateful to his brother and father and deceives everyone more or less him for his benefit. Edmund appears to be loyal and trustworthy and knows how to play with these virtuous qualities, protecting his report while betraying others. Hes character reflects the lion and fox-like qualities described in Machiavellis depiction of the ideal ruler. Thus, he is conscientious of his wickedness since the end justifies the means.Edmund inverts the order of society by attacking the convention of sum and law of legitimacy. Thou, Nature, art my goddess to thy law/ My services are bound (Act I, Scene 2, Lines 1-22) Through this passage Edmund expresses his reverence to Nature (nature being the gods) and therefore demands Now, gods, stand up for bastards (Act I, Scene 2, Line 22). He explains that his conception comes from lust and hotness being the most natural way of procreation. Furthermore, he rejects society and laws that denudate him from his right of being a legitimate son.