King Lear Essay

Similar to real life, char moulders in books and plays go significant flaws. The way those flaws play a part in the characters life is what line ups them apart. The misguided actions and flaws of a character eventually leash to their demise. Shakespeares tragedy King Lear is a detailed comment of the consequences of one mans wretched decisions. The man is Lear, King of England, whose decision to divide his kingdom ground on which of his children most manage him greatly alter his life and the lives of those around him. Shakespeare shows us how one flaw in an otherwise normal soul can lead to their ultimate demise.According to critic Northrop Frye, Tragic heroes are so more the highest points in their gay landscape that they seem the inevitable conductors of the supply ab start them, great trees more than likely to be struck by lightning that a clump of grass. Conductors may of course be instruments as well as victims of the divisive lightning. Based on Fryes criticism ab out tragical heroes, the character King Lear is the ameliorate example. In Fryes words Tragic heroes are so much the highest points in their human landscape, refers to the tragic hero being the one that stands out amongst the other characters.The tragic hero doesnt see the hassle he creates or is given to him which makes him the tragic hero. In Shakespeares King Lear, Lear is the tragic hero because he doesnt see the problems he created by dividing the kingdom amongst his daughters. Lear is a high point in the human landscape just because he is the king in the very beginning making him far more crucial than the other characters. From the very first act the readers can see blindness he has towards love life and loyalty. He chooses to divide the kingdom based on love and when he is oblivious to the real love of Cordelia and Kent he banishes them.Throughout the play, and from act one, Lear is surrounded by, a compliment of people that love him dearly, people who would fain sacrif ice their lives for him. He turns on most, if not every single one of these people, and when he really starts to retrogress sanity, things only go from bad to worse. Therefore Lears status and tragic flaw set him apart from the rest of the characters making him the tragic hero that Frye describes. As stated by Frye they seem the inevitable conductors of the power about them, is criticizing the inevitability of events.The characters unknowingly put themselves in a situation where they have nowhere to go but push down. Lear exemplifies this exact quality of unintentionally put himself in danger, when he wished to divide the kingdom based on love. Lear did not think before deciding to split the kingdom into three equal parts. Since he didnt do he brought strife between the daughters. Also the fact that who he thought love him the most turned out to be two daughters that just had greed for power and fortune, adds to the argument. Lear started out with smashing intentions, but when he chooses love as a way to divide the kingdom.He was inevitable set up to failure. Lear was a foolish old man, who thought the idea of dividing his kingdom up among his three daughters tally to who said she loved him most would flatter his ego. However he did not know how events would play out in the end. Lears inevitability of failure is what causes him to be the perfect example of a tragic hero. eventually Frye comments on the way characters inadvertently cause the suffering of others and himself. His comments are great trees are more likely to be struck by lightning than a clump of grass.Conductors may of course by instruments as well as victims of the divisive lightning. The mistakes of Lear are not just the suffering of one man but the suffering of everyone down the chain. Lears decisions have caused Kent and Cordelia to say things Lear does not want to hear, getting them banished. Another person to be harm by Lear is Gloucester, who loses his status and eyes. Lear is the in strument in that he causes other people suffering. However he is similarly a victim to his actions and the great tragedy that is the lightning.All of the pain that Lear suffered is traced back to the single most important error that he made the choice to give up his throne. This one mistake has proven to have massive effects upon Lear and the lives of those around him eventually killing almost all of those who were involved. Since Lear is the cause of so much suffering, he fits Fryse description of a tragic hero well. Lears extremely arrogant surcharge supplies him the strength and confidence to rule kingdom, but at the same time blinds him from recognizing true love and loyalty. That is the tragic flaw which eventually costs him both his ingdom and his beloved daughter, the only one of the three who loved him as a father, and the only daughter who cared about a jealous, foolish, and impulsive old man.According to Fryes description of a tragic hero Lear fits the description perfec tly. The tragic demeanor of the play and the tragic hero adds to the caricature at the end. Everyone ends up dying without salvation or redemption. The bitterness, sadness, and reality of the human psyche that is contained throughout this die demonstrate its tragic nature best, however. Shakespeare puts a mess across about thinking before you act because the people around you will be affected.