King Lear Essay

Drama is essentially about the struggle for power and the impact of this struggle on individuals. How does Shakespeare apply a range of literary conventions and writing techniques to explore this concept? Within Shakespeares productions the struggle for power within individuals is re inaugurateed non only in script but stage directions and writing techniques. King Lear is a tragedy, considered to be a literary masterpiece. Throughout the coinciding plots, conflicts between tragic heroes and their loyal following develop the major ideas of the play.The nature of the world, betrayal and loyalty are all themes that form the basis of these conflicts. Inevitably these themes provoke the interview to side with certain characters and arrive at modern day analogies towards specific themes in the textbook edition good battling evil is the cornerstone of the script and the inevitable struggle to regain power. Within the script Shakespeare presents characters of big(p) greed and ambition in the effort to gain power. Their struggle towards power is followed, Edmund seeking Gloucesters title and Gonerill and Regan in the hunt for Lears land and power.Initially, the interview is presented with the love test in which Lears daughters have to flatter their father into dividing the Kingdom. Consequently, Shakespeare foreshadows the repercussions of Lears actions through with(predicate) metaphor We have seen the best of our time all blaring disorders follow us disquietly to our graves we make guilty of our disasters by and influenced obedience of planetary influence. Through Gloucesters words the direction of the play becomes more and more obvious.From Act I we are presented with a struggle of power and more is foreshadowed. Manipulation is also a tool used by Shakespeare to create significant emotion within the battle of good vs. evil. The storm brewing outside the Kingdom is metaphorically what is going on inside Lears head. At this present time Lear is full of confl ict, anger and disorder much like the environment one minded like the weather, most unquietly. Shakespeare is manipulating the audience, changing their emotions in congruity to the tone of the act.Shakespeare has allowed the audience to form their own views on characters, only aft(prenominal) providing strong persuasive attributes and intentions of their power. Symbolism is the most effective device in the text indicating how ruthless characters such as Gonerill, Regan and Edmund pursue power to satisfy their needs. Gonerill especially, when described as having a wolfish visage and as being Sharp-toothed, like a vulture. Similarly, Regan is presented in the same light looked black most serpent like.On a whole, the sisters are animalistic with boarish fangs, monsters of the deep, dog hearted daughters and tigers not daughters. Conversely Shakespeare contrasts this and conveys Cordelia with saint like status, sing like birds in a cage. Cordelia is really the only figure to be repre sented positively. Through this symbol of Cordelia the audience is immediately attracted towards her. Whilst Gonerill and Regan are the epitome of evil, Cordelia by the end of the play is recognised to be the true essence of goodness.Shakespeare also provides animalistic symbolism, through Lear, whilst describing mankind. pitiable bare forked animal describing mans venerability. It also ironic in the sense, that as Lear gains a sense of being he is able to speak mankind through the power he once had. Although Gloucester is physically blinded, Lear is personified metaphorically through his inability to see the world clearly, see better, Lear. When the sub plots finally meet, Lears encounter with Gloucester is beneficial as things become visible.With careful perception, it becomes increasingly obvious that Gloucesters blinding is the physical manifestation of the mental torture Lear endures. Shakespeare includes irony after Gloucesters physical blinding, I stumbled when I saw. He fi nally acknowledges his mistakes and misjudgements about his sons. In another case this may be humorous to the audience but in fact it delivers comedy of the grotesque. The audience is deeply saddened through the irony. When Gloucester could see, he couldnt see the true colours of his sons.Conversely when he became physically blinded it was only then, that he fully understood his sons real identities. Gloucester also becomes more perceptive with his tragedy, and is almost reiterating central ideas of the play, As move to wanton Boys, are we to the Gods they kill us for their sport. He is acting as a tool for Shakespeare to display the impact of power amongst people. That mankind is dispensable. Conflict is the profound convention Shakespeare uses, giving the audience insight into the real motives of characters good or evil.From this we can determine who really is good, and who is fundamentally evil. The inevitable battle between Edmund and the hiatus of his family, Edgar and Glou cester almost drives Gloucester beyond the limits of endurance. Gloucesters overwhelming suffering both physically and mentally, take its toll, but his heart flawedburst smilingly. Similarly, Lear is put through suffering by his pelican daughters, and grows from it. Initially he is an egotistical, self-centred man which through his suffering acknowledges that fame and power are transitory.By the end of the script Lear has developed into a philosophical, fatalistic old man. Manipulation is again used by Shakespeare but in an ironic sense, as power is destroyed, harmony is developed. As Lear reconciles with Cordelia, the background music represents Lears state of mind. Music is the art of combining vocal and instrumental sound to produce harmony and express emotion. The calmness of the music represents Lears psychological state and peace of mind, my own tears do scald like molten lead. This is ironic as Shakespeare has transformed Lear much the same as the weather.In the dark gloomy storm, Lear was fragile, compared to spring the sign of new life where he is returned to tranquillity. Shakespeare personifies the struggle for power and its convoluted effect. The script is transformed into another belongings with the use of writing techniques and literary conventions. Irony has been the cornerstone in which the central ideas of the play have been shaped, providing the reader with timeless life lesions. King Lear is a text that advocates the struggle for power and how this impacts individuals. Individuals must be aware of the addictive nature of power and be wary of its destructive ability.