The physical blinding of Gloucester is perhaps one of the most horrific scenes in all of Shakespeare. It serves to reinforce his blindness to his world. He cannot see the truth which is that his bastard son is deceiving him. Too readily he believes the lies. Perhaps it is his guilt at his treatment of Edmund. This just goes to show that he really doesn't know his sons.
Lear also does not know his children. If he did, he would not ask the question he does ask---how much do you love me? Goneril and Regan play daddy's game. They both know that he wants to be flattered, so they give the old man what he wants. Cordelia, on the other hand, does not understand this and "cannot heave her heart into her month". In a sense, she is blind to what her father wants and perhaps at this stage of his life needs. Instead she is honest. Here, they are both blind in their own way. Lear's journey through madness opens his eyes to the truth but it is too late to save either of them.
Both Lear and Gloucester are blinded by their egos and pride at the beginning of the play and must discover enlightenment only through the pain they suffer.
No comments:
Post a Comment