King Lear Quotes Of Imagery

Imagery · Eyesight Imagery Shakespeare's King Lear is extremely full with eyesight, vision, and blindness imagery. As a matter of fact the blindness versus vision theme runs rampant throughout the story. King Lear begins his journey as a man who is 'blind' because he cannot see beyond the fake and flattering comments that his daughters Goneril and Regan throw at him. He blindly and angrily cuts his favorite daughter, Cordelia, out of her share of land. Lear's loyal servant, Kent, tries to get Lear to see the error of his ways,' Let me still remain/ the true blank of thine eye. Lear refuses to listen. Instead he goes on a 'journey' where he finds that his daughters, Goneril and Regan, are not exactly what they appear to be. He tells Regan's husband Cornwall, ' You dart your blinding flames/Into her scornful eyes' (II. ii. 168). It is only through the storm that Lear finally 'sees' who he is and the his daughter Cordelia is actually the daughter who loves him the most. The subplot of Gloucester emphasizes the blind and vision imagery even more. The 'wool' is pulled over Gloucester's own eyes when his son, Edmund, devises a plan to disgrace the legitimate son Edgar.

Gloucester's eyes are taken out by Cornwall. Ironically, it is through his blindness that he actually begins to see. GLOUCESTER. Away, get thee away! Good friend, begone. Thy comforts can do me no good at all: Thee they may hurt OLD MAN. You cannot see your way. GLOUCESTER. I have no way and therefore want no eyes; I stumbled when I saw.. (IV. i. 18) Though Gloucester is blind he finds that his son Edgar was not trying to kill him, but actually he was the most truthful son that he had. · Animal Imagery Lear constantly refers to the people in his kingdom as animals..... specially his daughter, Goneril and Regan. They are usually referred to as animals which do not have very honarable characteristics. He uses the names of animals in a demeaning way once he sees the true nature of his evil daughters. He tells Regan about her sister Goneril,' They sister's naught. O Regan, she hathed/ Sharp-toothed unkindness like a vulure, here' (II,iv. 130). Lear of Goneril 'Looked black upon me, struck me with her tongue/Most serpentlike upon the very heart' (II. iv. 165) Shakespeare directly alludes to the serpent in the Bible--a creature talented at his 'beguiling' methods.

Haven't Found an Essay You Want? Get Your Custom Essay Sample
For Only $13.90/page
Place An Order

Lear says that he has 'pelican daughters. ' Pelicans are known(like vultures) to eat and pick at carcasses lying on the beach. Goenril and Regan are picking and eating at the flesh of their father. Lear, in his madness, addresses that he is ,' a poor, bare, forked animal as thou art' (III. iv. 106) Lear refers to Regan as a cow saying, 'Then let them anatomize Regan; see what breeds about her heart' (III. vi. 75) Upon witness, of the Goneril and Regan's true natures, the Duke of Albany says, 'Tigers, not daughters, what have you performed? (IV. ii. 40) · Disease Imagery Lear continuously regards Goneril and Regan as diseases that have made him go 'mad. ' Kent regards them as, ' A plague upon your epileptic visage! '(II. ii. 80). Lear says, I prithee, daughter, do no make me mad. I will not trouble thee, my child Farewell. We'll no more meet, no more see one another. But yet thou art my flesh, my blodd, my daughter-- Or rather a disease that's in my flesh, Which I must needs call mine. Thou art a boil, A plague-sore, or embossed carbuncle In my corrupted blood...... (II. iv. 40) Lear also regards the storm as a disease. Thou think'st 'tis much that this contentious storm Invades us to the skin. So 'tis to thee. But where the greater malady is fixed The lesser is scarce felt... (III. iv. 7) · Clothing Imagery In the beggining of the story King Lear is a rich man with the most expensive wardrobe in the land. Clothing is a symbol of his wealth. Yes, he may have all he wants, but does he really have love? Money cannot buy love he soon finds out. He gives Goneril and Regan all the land(in modern-day terms--money) that they could ever have.

Ironically, it's the daughter that he does not give any 'money' to is the daughter that loves him the most. If only to go warm were gorgeous wear'st. Which scarcely keeps thee warm. But for true need-- You heavens, give me that patience, patience I need.. (II. iv. 268) In the storm Lear is stripped of the clothing that 'protected' him. He becomes 'naked 'to the world, tyring to discover truth and salvation. In the storm, Gloucester calls Lear 'the naked fellow. ' Thou wert better in a grave than to answer with my uncovered body this extremity of the skies.

Is man no more than this? Consider him well. Thou ow'st the worm of silk, the beast no hide, the sheep no wool, the cat no perfume. Ha! Here's three on's are sophisticated. Thou art the thing itself; unaccommodated man is no more but such a poor, bare, forked animal as thou art. Off, off you lendings! Come, unbutton here(III. iv. 100) The clothing imagery is also used to emphasize the appearance versus reality theme The blinded Gloucester finds his son Edgar but he does not know because Edgar is dressed as 'Poor Tom. Gloucester says, 'Bring some covering for this naked soul,/ Which I entreat to lead me' Lear does not even know who Edgar is(of, course, why would he, Lear's crazy! ) You, sir, I entertain for one of my hundred; only I do not like the fashion of your graments, You will say they are Persian, but let them be changed (III. vi. 75) Lear has been fooled by 'garments' before and he does not want to be fooled again. But Edgar, in the end, upholds the truthfulness of his character by saying, ' You're much deceived. In nothing am I changed but in my garments' (IV. vi. 9)



Haven't Found an Essay You Want? Get Your Custom Essay Sample
For Only $13.90/page
Place An Order