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The concepts of blindness and sight are not explored by Shakespeare as physical qualities, but rather mental attributes. Blindness in characters exacerbates their ability to understand, causing misjudgement which leads to chaos in the play. This recurring theme of blindness and insight is portrayed primarily through Lear and Gloucester, who demonstrate that physical sight does not assure clear insight of a situation.
There are many examples in the play of King Lear that portray this motif. These examples are usually present in the later acts of the play such as act 3 and 4 as the characters need to grow from their past ignorance and embrace the light. An example of blindness and insight is shown when Lear prayed before going to sleep when he was stuck outside during the storm. This scene shows the insight the mad man gained after encountering the storm. His insight is represented by his care for the poor creatures and homeless beggars after he realized the type situations they endure.
Lear encountered a lot of blindness in the play which is prominently shown in scene one when he let himself be fooled by Goneril and Regan as he gave up his throne for them . Other examples of blindness in the play include the banishment of Kent and the failure of Lear to see through the many disguises of Edgar (Gloucester as well) and Kent. As the play continued towards the conclusion, Lear’s sanity decreased. However, as his sanity plumber, his vision increased. Lear’s insight also grew more with the presence of Cordelia as he realizes his faults. Unfortunately, he was too late. Following Machiavelli’s quotes, great men cannot cover great sins. He was too late to fix his mistakes that he committed such as the breakdown of the Great Chain of Being and the banishment of his dear Cordelia and Kent.
Gloucester was heavily blinded by Edmund’s lies and failed to see the goodness present within his own son Edgar. After Edmund showed him the forged letter, Gloucester's rage blinded him and made him not consider for a moment if Edgar’s intentions was to take over his father’s wealth. Only until Gloucester lost his eyesight, his insight increased as he realizes the mistakes he made and the fact that he took Edgar for granted.
The tragic errors that King Lear and Gloucester make in misjudging their children constitute a form of figurative blindness—a lack of insight into the true characters of those around them. Reminding the audience of this fact, the language of the play resounds with references to eyes and seeing from the very beginning. Cornwall and Regan make these images and metaphors of (failed) vision brutally literal when they blind Gloucester in 3.7. For the remainder of the play, Gloucester serves as a kind of walking reminder of the tragic errors of blindness that he and Lear have committed. Yet, Gloucester's greater insight into the character of his two sons after he is blinded reflects an irony: literal blindness ironically produces insight. Only when Gloucester is blind can he see things for what they are.
Throughout the play, characters allude to, and call upon, the gods and the heavens watching over them. As noted above, the gods and heavens suggest order and eventual justice. However, as watchers of the action of the play, the gods also become a kind of audience, and like the audience they both see the story of what is happening more completely than the individual characters on stage and can't seem to do anything to stop it.
Kent, who unlike Lear displays a depth of insight into characters, tries to point out the ignorance of these actions, “See better Lear, and let me still remain the true blank of thine eye”. His attempts are no match for Lear’s foolishness, and in yet another display of blindness the King also banishes one of his most loyal servants. “Out of my sight!”
Doth any here know me? This is not Lear:
Doth Lear walk thus? speak thus? Where are his eyes?
Either his notion weakens, his discernings Are lethargied--Ha! waking? 'tis not so.
Who is it that can tell me who I am?
-Lear
I have no way, and therefore want no eyes;
I stumbled when I saw: full oft 'tis seen,
Our means secure us, and our mere defects
Prove our commodities. O dear son Edgar, The food of thy abused father's wrath! Might I but live to see thee in my touch, I'd say I had eyes again!
-Glouchester
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