Clouded Vision

5 Pages 1368 Words

Clouded Vision

In Shakespeare’s classic tragedy, King Lear, the issue of sight and its significance to clouded vision is a recurring theme.
William Shakespeare’s main means of portraying this theme is though the characters of Lear and Gloucester. Although Lear can physically see, he is blinded in the way that he lacks insight, and understanding. In another sense, Gloucester becomes physically blind but gains the type of vision that Lear lacks. It is evident from King Lear and Gloucester that clear vision is not drawn solely from physical sight. Lear’s failure to understand this was his principal cause of his demise, while Gloucester learns to achieve clear vision, and consequently avoids a similar fate to that of Lear’s.
Lear proves Shakespeare’s theme of clouded vision by demonstrating that although you have physical sight it does not guarantee you clear sight. Gloucester proves this theme by demonstrating clouded vision, despite the total lack of physical sight. I will first start with proving my point with Lear and then will move on with Gloucester, by using several quotes from William Shakespeare’s tragedy King Lear.
Throughout most of King Lear, Lear’s vision is clouded by his lack of insight. Since he cannot see into other people’s characters, he can never identify them for who they truly are. Lear’s lack on insight into other people, ruins his relationship with his most beloved daughter, Cordelia. When Lear asks his daughters who loves him the most, he already thinks that Cordelia has the most love for him. However, when Cordelia says, “I love your Majesty, according to my bond, no more nor less” (I.i.94-95), Lear cannot see what these words spoken by his beloved daughter really mean. Goneril and Regan are only putting on an act. They do not truly love their father as much as they should and say that they do. When Cordelia says these words, she has her sisters’ act and she does not want to associat...