The use of foil characters in the play King Lear

In King Lear the use of foil characters is apparent throughout and is a tool that Shakespeare uses to his advantage often. A foil character is a character that defines another character by contrast.for a character to be a foil of another character they must have similarities but some notable differences . So now when you look at king Lear there's an endless flow of perfect examples of foil characters and very effective ones at that. The most prominent foils in this play would have to be that of Goneril, Regan and Cordelia , Lear and Edgar, Edgar and Edmund and perhaps even Kent and then more minor character in Oswald. In each of these pairings there is a good and bad side almost like a fairy tale and this seems to be a common factor when it comes to foil characters. In fairy tales the foil characterisation is used to demonstrate right and wrong or tell the stories moral lesson and I think that this is quite relevant in the foiling used in King Lear by Shakespeare.

To firstly look at the foil character and Goneril, Regan and Cordelia. This relationship is shown in the first seen when we see Lear as his three daughters to tell him how much they love him. Goneril and Regan are all to ready to profess they're love opening and very fully but with quite a falseness in the way it is said. When It comes to young Cordelia's turn she simply says 'nothing' but with more love than either if the other two showed. Theses are perfect foils because they have so many things in common and so many reasons to be the same yet they are so different and opposite. By Goneril and Regan being so evil they only serve to show how pure and good Cordelia is and this is a great way to show this through launguage as we can't see these characters we can only read them and so this use of foiling gives us a better idea or understanding of these characters from the outset and warn us what to expect of them.

Secondly looking at the foil characters of Lear and Edgar. In my opinion these are the most important and most relevant foil characters in the play. They are used as foils to highlight the motif of madness but is very prominent aspect in tis play. We see these characters during the storm scenes and this is when Shakespeare really using the foil characters to their maximum. In Lear we see and old man who is suffering from what looks like a mental disorder were he is losing his mind slightly and going 'mad' as they say and in Edgar we see a full aware man pretend to be mad as he is in disguise. In this moment Edgar is acting as 'Poor Tom' with the fake mad persona he has taken on to protect himself from banishment or worse which were the punishments at the time of this play. These characters have both lost they're families and the luxurious lives the once knew very suddenly. We see Edgar enduring mental and physical pain out of fear and to protect himself and in contrast to this  false we see the true madness we see the true madness developing in Lear who with his old age is losing his sense. In this moment we see these foil yet comparable characters come into contact and make a connection to effective develop as characters. This is a very clever way for Lear to use this madness and to connect the two storyline that have been developing between the two families- Lear's family and Gloucester's family.

In King Lear the foil character is there to make the main characters look better and to show of the characteristics of the main characters and allows you to see traits you might not have seen otherwise foil characters turn a very normal character into a more interesting character by simply being more boring that the that character. In this play we can clearly see Goneril and Regan's self centred violent stature shows how peaceful and unselfish Cordelia is, we see how Edgar's false madness shows how real Lear's madness is, we how Edmund's evilness and egoistic nature serves to highlight Edgar's kind and loyal nature and we also see how Oswald's controversial and malicious tendancies show how benevolent and kind Kent is. Without the use of these foil characters the characters in this play would be quite ordinary and plain but Shakespeare creates well developed characters both physically and mentally by his use of foil characters.

Pathetic Fallacy in King Lear

Pathetic Fallacy in King Lear

Pathetic fallacy is the use of weather as a representation of emotion or theme in a piece. The most notable use of pathetic fallacy in Shakespeare's King Lear is the storm in Act 3. The storm can be seen as a representation of many aspects of the play. For example; loss, chaos and rebirth.

The storm reflects Lear's loss of status and power. Before, he had everything. He was a great King with hundreds of knights at his beck and call.

Now he is powerless, lost in a storm with nowhere to go. The only people he has, before Gloucester comes to his aid, are Kent, a man he thinks he has just met, the Fool and Edgar, who he thinks is a madman. The storm shows us just how helpless and vulnerable he has made himself. As Goneril observes, “Old fools are babes again.”

It could also be seen as a physical representation of the present and future chaos in the play. Lear is losing his mind; “My wits begin to turn”. His thoughts and wishes are completely chaotic and his speech is fantastical. Add the presence of a rambling, seemingly deranged Edgar to the mix and the noise of the situation gives an impression of how it feels to be Lear. This scene also foreshadows the chaotic ending of the play, with the King and all the people he loved dead; his daughters, Kent and the Fool.

The storm isn't only a negative thing though. It can also symbolise rebirth as the King learns new perspective in it; “The art of our necessities is strange, And we can make vile things precious.” It is here that he begins to see the error of his ways, although he isn't fully changed until he awakes with Cordelia. The rain is reminiscent of baptism*, and Lear's lack of clothing is similar to that of a newborn, so the storm is a new beginning for Lear, as he learns pain and suffering; “Expose thyself to feel what wretches feel.” Up until now he has been served everything he needed or wanted but now he has lost his power and his standing, he needs to find a way to exist without those comforts, he needs a new life. The storm is a symbol of this transition.

The storm is in the middle of the play so it is literally a central part of everything that happens. It shows Shakespeare's genius as he puts loss, chaos and rebirth in our minds before we've seen just how badly things go. Almost everything that happens before or after the storm can be linked to it.

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*Thanks Oisín

The motif of nothingness- King Lear

The motif of nothingness begins in the first scene. King Lear orders his three daughters to express their love for him to determine the land he will give them. His insecurities and need for assurance cracks through his royal composure here. Cordelia, who is the youngest and also the favourite, is last. She is stubborn and refuses to play her fathers game. She doesn’t agree with the falseness of the empty declarations from her sisters. Lear asks her what she can say to draw a third of the kingdom, “more opulent” than her sisters. She replies “nothing”. Lear cannot believe the blatant refusal of his orders, he warns his youngest “nothing will come of nothing”.

This is a variation on the ancient Greek philosophical expression “from nothing, nothing comes”. It brings into question the idea of religion. Religion seems mainly pagan in this text but certain aspects perhaps derived from christianity for example the storm scene could be seen as a baptism. Christianity believes in creation ex nihilio (creation from nothing). It could be a reflection on Shakespeare’s view on religion and philosophy and the two in conflict.

If we trace the motif of nothingness throughout the play the tragic end is very suitable. It seems the nothing motif was Shakespeare’s way of foreshadowing the grim and solemn end when that is what Lear is left with. 

We never really know him as a great king but we presume he was a good leader from the loyalty of his subjects for example Kent. He begins with everything. His title as king, the power and the wealth. We watch as this character’s mind warps and twists till he loses his sanity completely. During the storm scene he is a shattered shell of a person. Reduced to a cold, shivering old man taking shelter from the elements in a hovel. This highlights how he went from having everything to absolutely nothing. Everything is gone and has been stripped away from his life. We now begin to see him as an old man rather than a king. This also portrays Shakespeare’s views on material items as worthless. The things we surround ourselves with are only distractions and ultimately mean nothing. We see these wealthy characters with their luxurious clothing and possessions. All these things built up around them to hide what they really are or lack there of.
Lear retires as King. He and the fool seem to have a close relationship. The fool is the only one that can criticize and mock Lear. He tells Lear he is nothing without his crown and power. He also says that the retired Lear is a shadow of King Lear. This suggests  we are all nothing more than our status in society. This could be a possible frustration of the class system at the time. This motif is especially important in my opinion because it is layered in so many different ways and shows Shakespeare’s view on the world as bleak and vacant. I think it is used to express his fear of emptiness once everything is stripped away. Regan and Gonreil have nothing for their father once he starts becoming senile. They refer to him as old man rather than king. His two eldest betray him and he has banished Cordelia who truly loved him. 

The tragic end is particularly poignant because we watch Lear fall from such a height and so the nothingness he is left with stands in stark contrast. It is wholly devastating that this old man is left alone and insane in a world so cruelly portrayed in the text. Shakespeare explores the universal idea of everything coming to nothing in the end through this motif. The tragic nature of the play centering on this motif causes the audience to question oneself.

View of Sisters in King Lear

In King Lear the three sisters, Goneril, Cordelia and Regan, represent three different moral stances, immorality, morality and amorality. Shakespeare uses this concept to express his views on a number of different topics, these include; the contrast between sisters, the effect of favouritism on children and loyalty between sisters.
Goneril’s actions tend towards the immoral. Through her bitter deeds, she is the instigator of Lear’s rapid descent from King to beggar; turning his generosity towards her into his biggest regret, “Nothing could have subdued nature / To such a lowness but his unkind daughters.” She banishes him from her household which is a cruel warped echo of his banishment of Cordelia. This is a deed designed to taunt, ridicule and ultimately hurt Lear.
Cordelia is portrayed as the antithesis of Goneril. Her pure intentions and sentiments are sincere and innocent.  She remains a symbol of perfect morality due to her prolonged absence during play; she undoubtedly has flaws but Shakespeare choses to keep them hidden. In this sense, Cordelia is but a foil character used to illume the flaws of others.
Regan is a passive follower of Goneril, bereft moral guidance and devoid of conscience. Take out the key influences of Goneril, and Cornwall, her husband, and Regan is divested of strong characteristics. Though she is capable of committing vicious acts, she is more likely to leave it to others and there seems to be a lack of real maliciousness in her character. Her amorality allows the events of the play to flow around her, to wash over her, she creates no waves of her own, she is dragged in the current of Goneril.
There is a sea between the natures Goneril and Regan, and that of Cordelia. Cordelia is present for very little of the play, so little in fact that she appears a figure of imagination, or of folklore. Goneril, on the other hand, is imprinted on every scene in it, while Regan remains present but far from the foreground. All three have an element of power, Cordelia through France, Goneril and Regan through their households. Cordelia’s very personality is a rebellion against the influences of her older sisters, while her sisters’ personalities are a direct result of Lear’s treatment of them. Cordelia’s probity and modesty refuse to allow her follow her sisters’ insincere professions of absolute affection, her sisters hyperbolic sentiments are clearly false to everyone but Lear, “And find I am only felicitate / In your dear Highness’ love”. However, her love for Lear far outstretches any vision of love created by her sisters, she simply “cannot heave / [Her] heart into [her] mouth”.
The favouritism of Lear in regards to his daughters raises the idea of nature versus nurture.  Cordelia is a clear favourite, however he is not at all suspicious of Goneril and Regan’s words, they must not have revealed their true minds to him previously. This appears to be more of an oversight by Lear rather than anything else, as Cordelia is aware of their nature “Cordelia leaves you: I know you what you are”. The elder sisters (Goneril in particular) have been waiting for the day that they are preferred to their faultless little sister. Therefore it has been necessary for them to keep their masks on, so they can act without restriction when their opportunity comes. Lear’s preferment of Cordelia has caused the rift between the sisters, and a cloud of distrust and resentment hangs over the family.
Their shared exclusion from their father’s affection has meant Goneril and Regan are extremely close and loyal to one another. They support and trust each other completely until the final act “Must be content to think you old, and so - / But she knows what she does”. Regan the opportunity to abandon Goneril when Lear comes to her, therefore becoming the golden daughter she always wished to be, but instead she sides with her sister and expels her father. This is a rare moment in which Regan’s values come into play. The only thing that separates them is Edmund. This is interesting as for two who invest so much in status and wealth, they are beguiled by Edmund, who was born without either. Goneril poisoning Regan is an irrational act, one which she soon regrets so emphatically that she commits suicide.
In conclusion, Shakespeare expresses his view on sisters with great lucidity throughout the play, touching strongly on the concepts of the contrast between siblings, the effects of favouritism on family dynamics and loyalty between sisters.

Treatment of Men vs. Women in King Lear

In King Lear there is a stark contrast between the treatment of women and men. The society at the time of the play was a patriarchal one and this is evident in many points throughout Shakespeare's 'King Lear.'  Women were often treated as subhumans.   

We only have to read a few lines into first act of William Shakespeare's 'King Lear' to realise that there is a distinct difference between how women and men are treated in the play. It is immediately clear to us that men hold all the status and power during the time of this play as it is automatically assumed that the King's land will be given to a duke, a man, rather than his own children - simply because they are female. "...in the division of the kingdom, it appears not which of the Dukes he values most; or equalities are so weighted that curiosity in neither can make choice of either's money." Gloucester and Kent are not questioning whether the land will be given to a man; they are merely speculating about which duke will receive the land. 

Women are treated incredibly similarly to objects throughout 'King Lear'. They are given away to husbands for a dowry, very alike to how merchants exchange goods to customers for money. "What, in the least, Will you require in present dower with her...?" Burgundy and France discuss Cordelia like a product, "Will you have her? She's a dowry in herself." Women have to marry the person that their father deems suitable for them, whereas men have the power to marry whomever they please.  France talks to Cordelia as if he is claiming her as a prize " thee and thy virtues here I seize upon."  This shows that he views his marriage as something to boast about, simply another thing to add to a collection. 

There are a lot of double standards in 'King Lear' when it comes to the actions expected of a person. Men were able to be a lot more openly sexual, for example no one seems to judge Gloucester for having an illegitimate son (Edmund) and they show him the same amount of respect they would show any other man - at least at the start of the play. However women are looked down upon if they are known for having the same desires as men. Lear compares women to animals and devils, "down from the waist they are Centaurs...there's hell, there's darkness." This is just a part of one of Lear's many rants about women, which all stem from an incredibly misogynistic view point. His tirades highlight the general viewpoint at the time of the play. 

Essentially women did not have any control. They did not even have their own freedom, they were considered possessions - owned by their fathers or husbands. Any woman that tried to gain a little power was belittled - compared to animals, devils and other degrading things. Men had a lot more freedom and control than women did, and on the whole they were treated with far more respect than their female counterparts. 

Silence in King Lear

Silence in King Lear

  Silence is a key motif in William Shakespeare's 'King Lear'. While normally it is words and actions that drive a play, here silence and inaction are what begin this drama and lead to it's ultimate end. Character's silence and withholding of information, "Have more than thou showest, / Speak less than thou knowest" are what drives the play forward and what drives King Lear mad.
 
  Cordelia's apparent silence to the king in Act i:i opens the play and lays the foundation for all the drama to follow. Lear asks each of his three daughters (Goneril, Regan and Cordelia) to quantify their love for him in words so that he may reward him accordingly. Two of his daughters hold no genuine love for him "Those pelican daughters" and thus have no trouble fabricating love-filled phrases to please their father, "I love you more than words can wield the matter"-Goneril, "I am alone felicitate / In your dear Highness' love"-Regan. Cordelia on the other hand truly loves her father and so finds she cannot express it in words. "I'm sure my love's / More ponderous than my tongue." She decides to stay silent and when asked what she can say to outdo her sisters she says "Nothing" and that she "cannot heave / [Her] heart into [her] mouth". It is this silence and refusal to submit to his game-of-flattery that enrages Lear and causes him to banish Cordelia.
  There is a stark contrast here between Cordelia who decides to "Love, and be silent" and gets grievously punished and her two sisters who spew forth false love and get praised. The silence verses speaking here is very important as it sets up an important idea for the play; those who are honest or silent (Cordelia, Kent, The Fool) are punished and ignored while those who lie and speak up (Goneril, Regan, Edmund) make much greater progress towards their goals.

  Language and the sound of words are so important in King Lear. Shakespeare uses words and descriptions to set the stage. Consider the storm scenes on the heath; the cacophony of the words and the distress of the content make these some of the loudest scenes in the play simply through the use of language "Blow, winds, and crack your cheeks! rage! blow!". However it is also in this scene that we start to see Lear, our great protagonist, turn in towards himself and become more like his silent Cordelia. When Kent arrives in the scene Lear says "I will say nothing" and refuses to respond when Kent and The Fool ask him to retreat inside the hovel.
  This is another contrast between silence and sound only this time it is within one individual. The two sides of Lear are at war here, "this tempest in my mind". Part of him believes he is still the king while the other sees himself as "A poor, infirm, weak, and despised old man". Should he stay silent and "crawl toward death" or speak up and defend his honor? It is this inability to choose which version of himself he is that cements Lear's demise, "Who is it that can tell me who I am?".

  'King Lear' shows how effective silence is. The character who could be deemed the most silent, Cordelia (refuses to speak and then is absent for all but four scenes), is the one who progresses the play and also who contributes most to the fall and rise of Lear. The gods, also, are silent entities present throughout the play. They are called on countless times "By Jupiter, I swear..", "By..The mysteries of Hectate.." and yet there is never any "divine interference". The characters are superstitious, religious and blame the king's ill-temper on "these late eclipses" but there is never any apparent godly intervention (as we see in 'Romeo and Juliette' for example). They stay silent and let the characters run their course.  Shakespeare also dramatizes how society wants some people to be silenced. Throughout the play people try to quieten Lear and Edgar (as Poor Tom). Edgar is told by Gloucester "No words, no words: hush." and people actually plot to kill Lear - thus the ultimate silence. These two characters epitomize age and madness in the  play and they are constantly hushed by those who perceive themselves as being above them. 

  Silence is used to great dramatic effect in 'King Lear'. It is what gives the play it's acoustic ups-and-downs as well as being a focal plot point and message throughout. Are deceits and pleasing falsehoods the way to victory or should we be honest no matter what the consequences? Edgar, in the final scene gives us our answer; "Speak what we feel, not what we ought to say."