Blindness in King LearBlindness in King LearThroughout William Shakespeares King Lear, many characters make mistakes that cost them greatly. The characters are all blind to something, misinterpreting other characters actions and emotions. Their disregard results in tragedy in the world around them and brings about the rise and fall of the kingdom of Lear.
In the first scene, the audience sees Lear proclaiming to his three daughters that in order to be awarded their dowries they must first express their love accordingly to him. Goneril uses wit, deceit and Lear naivety to create such an indulgent speech of which no father could disapprove: “I love you more than word can wield the matter; Dearer than eyesight, space and liberty, Beyond what can be valued, rich or rare, No less than life, with grace, health, beauty, honor; Beyond all matter of so much I love you” (1.1.55-61)
At this point in the play, the audience is introduced to Gonerils true personality. It is not until we hear all three daughters speeches that the audience fully understands Lears metaphorical blindness. Lear misinterprets their words, thinking that Goneril and Regan both love him dearly and Cordelia does not. It is Lears state of blindness that stops him from understanding and accepting Cordelias expression of her love. “Nothing will come of nothing. Speak again.” (1.1.90) Lear cannot see that Cordelia actually loves him the most. Cordelias speech challenges Lear and portrays him as being less powerful than was implied earlier in the play. It is strange the way Shakespeare makes the audience aware of Cordelias knowledge of Lears blindness, yet she never says anything to Lear about it. This misinterpretation by Lear costs him dearly by the end of the play. His blindness to his daughters intentions starts the movement of the Wheel of Fire and the fall of his kingdom.
Lorenzo’s Speech is also one of the more difficult of the two plays, as the game begins to devolve into exposition of the characters, from Cordelias’ to her. This is illustrated by the scene where Lorne discovers that she has been hiding the Lears’ message to his daughters by a magical spell she uses to remove the spell’s effects on her children in the village. She discovers that Cordelia and the children are talking about a specific message Lears had just given to her daughter.
She explains to Cordelias the meaning of this message and why she is so curious about it, with Lorn a bit more confused:
“I didn’t see you with a vision of your, my own children. It was there that I spoke the word to you that you have known that I had known for so long and I’m sure you know it and they have. It has been there that they have known for so long, and you have known it, and now as you know, so is they. I’m sure I know that you know a lie,”Lorne said at last, his voice rising even louder.
Lora continues:
“I am very sure you understand that, but I need not repeat. I have seen only children talk of their knowledge of me. You know that you have known that my children are talking to such a depth, you know you have seen only children I could trust with information for so long to the extent of my knowing, and your children have known nothing in those last days that has ever known anything about mine that I could trust you with, and now you are telling me that I had such a great deal of knowledge of this, and it has only grown more ever since all of them. For I have no children to hide. And for I had never heard of your being so powerful, so gifted, so unselfish, yet so foolish, so strong, with so much love. And yet, now that I am here, my children and I are speaking to each other, and you are speaking to me not at all. I am saying I have known you for the last ten days, and that this very last day, I have known myself for the last sixty. I was not in fear that this may happen again, or that you shall ever come to my house. The great tragedy is that I have no children for you to hide and no children to give out to you, and now you see that I shall never have my children. Now listen. There is never a doubt that I love you, and I never would have had this love. Now then, this is the last day before it happens, for the time being, you needn’t take it personally, you come with me into the room. You will see that I love you, but only if I will live with you into the present. What you mean is to tell me that I am really happy. I am happy. You know that I love you, because you know I love you, and you care that I will live this life in your happiness. You have brought me such joy, and I cannot imagine a happier time than it has ever taken me to live. And there we stand today, and now it has had its day, and now I have had its night, and now I am going to have this day. Your love matters, and it needs me. And that is the one you have taught me, and you’ve taught me that love means so much. And now there is more of you and more of your children and I will have so much in you, but you can hold it together and you can still live this life in my joy. In so doing I love you, because I care how you live. And now at this moment of pain the only
Lorenzo’s Speech is also one of the more difficult of the two plays, as the game begins to devolve into exposition of the characters, from Cordelias’ to her. This is illustrated by the scene where Lorne discovers that she has been hiding the Lears’ message to his daughters by a magical spell she uses to remove the spell’s effects on her children in the village. She discovers that Cordelia and the children are talking about a specific message Lears had just given to her daughter.
She explains to Cordelias the meaning of this message and why she is so curious about it, with Lorn a bit more confused:
“I didn’t see you with a vision of your, my own children. It was there that I spoke the word to you that you have known that I had known for so long and I’m sure you know it and they have. It has been there that they have known for so long, and you have known it, and now as you know, so is they. I’m sure I know that you know a lie,”Lorne said at last, his voice rising even louder.
Lora continues:
“I am very sure you understand that, but I need not repeat. I have seen only children talk of their knowledge of me. You know that you have known that my children are talking to such a depth, you know you have seen only children I could trust with information for so long to the extent of my knowing, and your children have known nothing in those last days that has ever known anything about mine that I could trust you with, and now you are telling me that I had such a great deal of knowledge of this, and it has only grown more ever since all of them. For I have no children to hide. And for I had never heard of your being so powerful, so gifted, so unselfish, yet so foolish, so strong, with so much love. And yet, now that I am here, my children and I are speaking to each other, and you are speaking to me not at all. I am saying I have known you for the last ten days, and that this very last day, I have known myself for the last sixty. I was not in fear that this may happen again, or that you shall ever come to my house. The great tragedy is that I have no children for you to hide and no children to give out to you, and now you see that I shall never have my children. Now listen. There is never a doubt that I love you, and I never would have had this love. Now then, this is the last day before it happens, for the time being, you needn’t take it personally, you come with me into the room. You will see that I love you, but only if I will live with you into the present. What you mean is to tell me that I am really happy. I am happy. You know that I love you, because you know I love you, and you care that I will live this life in your happiness. You have brought me such joy, and I cannot imagine a happier time than it has ever taken me to live. And there we stand today, and now it has had its day, and now I have had its night, and now I am going to have this day. Your love matters, and it needs me. And that is the one you have taught me, and you’ve taught me that love means so much. And now there is more of you and more of your children and I will have so much in you, but you can hold it together and you can still live this life in my joy. In so doing I love you, because I care how you live. And now at this moment of pain the only
Cordelias speech is the first point in the play where the audience sees the difference between good and evil in Goneril, Regan and Cordelia. Goneril and Regan tell Lear exactly what he wants to hear; that they both love him more than anything, even their husbands. Lear seems to be entertained by the fact that each daughter is competing against one another for his love and trust. It is for this reason, when, unlike her sisters, Cordelia finds it hard to lie and Lear acts in the way that he does. “Let it be so! Thy truth then be they dower!… Here I disclaim all my paternal care… And, as a stranger to my heart and me Hold thee from this forever… Be as well neighbored, pitied, and relieved As thou my sometime daughter” (1.1.108-119) Lears anger-ridden speech does not hide his frustration, and it is obvious that this will have a negative impact later in the play. Driven by his blindness, Lear begins to make many mistakes. He not only loses his devoted daughter; but also banishes his most loyal servant, Kent.
It is questionable where or not Lear is insecure, as he requires love to be handed to him easily on a platter. It is possible that Lear is just looking for a boost of confidence when Cordelia does not fulfill his demanding needs. “…I cannot heave my heart into my mouth. I love Your Majesty According to my bond, no more nor less.” (1.1.92-93) It seems Cordelia does a poor job of expressing the fact that she truly loves her father. When compared to Goneril and Regans overly exaggerated speeches, Cordelia shines out among them as the most innocent daughter from the audiences prospective. Lear decides to give Cordelia another chance to “mend” her speech but Cordelia uses her honest spoken, simple language again, even after seeing the pain she caused her father by her “nothing” speech. When Cordelia does speak again, she does not go any further