King Lear Research Paper
Nature is God
William Shakespeare’s King Lear is entropic and it’s deliberately meant to represent disorder throughout the play. King Lear is prominent for its great storm that appears in Act 3 scene 2. To recognize the significance of the storm scene one must initially value the magnitude of Nature. Nature is ultimately the foundation of the whole play. Consequently, nature is a social construct. King Lear implores the question “what is Nature?” In the broadest sense, Nature refers to life in general. The word Nature is derived from the Latin word natura, literally meaning birth. Mankind first encountered Nature at the Garden of Eden. This is a location described in the Book of Genesis as being the place where the first man, Adam, and …show more content…
Disorder in King Lear initiates from Lear’s attempt to challenge the “Natural” social order by abandoning his crown to his daughters. Lear proclaims in the first scene his intentions to divide his kingdom and “crawl towards death.” “Hear me, recreant, on thine allegiance, hear me that thou hast sought to make us break our vows, which we durst never yet, and with strained pride To come betwixt our sentence and our power, which nor our nature, nor our place can bear, our potency made good take thy reward.” Soon after he abandons his power Lear banishes Kent. Ironically even after Lear abandons his power he still takes hold of divine responsibilities by banishing Kent. Although Lear does in a sense realize he is going against Nature. He is confused with his decision clarifies why he cannot or perhaps should not divide his kingdom, for it goes against both his “Nature” and his …show more content…
“Blow, winds, and crack your cheeks! rage! blow!.. Singe my white head! And thou all-shaking thunder.”(Act 3 scene 2 pg. 127) These lines in King Lear are the words of the ritual itself. Nature restores Lear back to his pure state. In addition it also changes Lear’s way of judgment on others. He becomes more sympathetic towards individuals. “No, I will be the pattern of all patience; I will say nothing” (Act 3 scene pg. 129) Nature merely exposed evils within human nature to Lear. From Nature he learns a new the lesson of patience and sympathy. Lear cries out to Kent (in disguise) “How shall your houseless heads and unfed sides, your loop'd and window'd raggedness, defend you from seasons such as these... How dost, my boy? Art Cold... Come your hovel.” Lear finally comes to the point where he is draped in
William Shakespeare’s King Lear is entropic and it’s deliberately meant to represent disorder throughout the play. King Lear is prominent for its great storm that appears in Act 3 scene 2. To recognize the significance of the storm scene one must initially value the magnitude of Nature. Nature is ultimately the foundation of the whole play. Consequently, nature is a social construct. King Lear implores the question “what is Nature?” In the broadest sense, Nature refers to life in general. The word Nature is derived from the Latin word natura, literally meaning birth. Mankind first encountered Nature at the Garden of Eden. This is a location described in the Book of Genesis as being the place where the first man, Adam, and …show more content…
Disorder in King Lear initiates from Lear’s attempt to challenge the “Natural” social order by abandoning his crown to his daughters. Lear proclaims in the first scene his intentions to divide his kingdom and “crawl towards death.” “Hear me, recreant, on thine allegiance, hear me that thou hast sought to make us break our vows, which we durst never yet, and with strained pride To come betwixt our sentence and our power, which nor our nature, nor our place can bear, our potency made good take thy reward.” Soon after he abandons his power Lear banishes Kent. Ironically even after Lear abandons his power he still takes hold of divine responsibilities by banishing Kent. Although Lear does in a sense realize he is going against Nature. He is confused with his decision clarifies why he cannot or perhaps should not divide his kingdom, for it goes against both his “Nature” and his …show more content…
“Blow, winds, and crack your cheeks! rage! blow!.. Singe my white head! And thou all-shaking thunder.”(Act 3 scene 2 pg. 127) These lines in King Lear are the words of the ritual itself. Nature restores Lear back to his pure state. In addition it also changes Lear’s way of judgment on others. He becomes more sympathetic towards individuals. “No, I will be the pattern of all patience; I will say nothing” (Act 3 scene pg. 129) Nature merely exposed evils within human nature to Lear. From Nature he learns a new the lesson of patience and sympathy. Lear cries out to Kent (in disguise) “How shall your houseless heads and unfed sides, your loop'd and window'd raggedness, defend you from seasons such as these... How dost, my boy? Art Cold... Come your hovel.” Lear finally comes to the point where he is draped in