Have you ever gotten into a fight with your parents and been punished, even though they were the ones in the wrong? Maybe you even had your bike, or computer taken away? For Edgar and Cordelia of King Lear, they had their entire homes taken. Now, can you imagine trying to forgive your parents after that? King Lear focuses on two plotlines: the titular Lear's humbling journey from pride, and the Earl of Gloucester's tumble through superstition. Overall, the play is etched in themes of betrayal, reconciliation and folly. Let us begin with the namesake of this dark comedy, King Lear himself. Lear is a proud, foolish old man with a soft spot for flattery, who decides at the start of this tragic tale to divide his kingdom between his three daughters. In order to decide how much land each daughter would receive, Lear commands each girl to declare their love for him, with the most groveling being granted the largest section. While his two wicked elder daughters pour out their hollow hearts to him, his youngest, Cordelia flat out refuses. Attempting to explain herself, Cordelia elaborates that the love Lear demands from her was like how a vassal loves his king, and so she could not in good conscience claim to love him in that way. Enraged and not listening, Lear casts his dear daughter away to France, and divides his land between his remaining conniving children. Quickly, the wicked women betray their father, mistreating him and eventually outright banishing him from his own kingdom, punishing any and all who dare support him. In a stroke of divine intervention, Cordelia finds her maddened, broken father and nurses him back to good sanity and health. The two reconcile, and it is truly heartwarming to see Lear go from a proud fool to a humble father. The other side of this play, Gloucester's, shares several major themes with its counter plot. To start, The Earl of Gloucester is as much a fool as Lear was at the beginning of his story, only with a few core divergences. As his king was proud, Gloucester was superstitious and naive. He was easily manipulated by his bastard son, Edmund, who used his father's belief in astrology to plant seeds of doubt against his eldest, Edgar, before also framing him for treason. Blindly, Gloucester trusts Edmund and turns against Edgar, who goes into hiding out of fear. Not surprising anyone, however, Edmund also betrays his father, resulting in Gloucester being blinded, stripped of his titles, and thrown into the cruel, cold streets. The blinded ex-earl wandered for a bit before stumbling into the disguised Edgar, who lifts up and invigorates his depressed father, all while keeping his true identity a secret. As mentioned before, Lear and Gloucester parallel each other in many ways. Both plotlines focus on a foolish father forcefully forsaking his own child, only to be abandoned by his other spawn. After some time of reflection and recompense, they reunite and reconcile with their lost child. Really, the biggest difference between the two lead’s arcs is that Lear's struggles with folly are centered in pride, while Gloucester's are focused on a lack of critical thinking. Although the ends of their character arcs seem happy, we must remember that this play is a tragedy. Lear dies holding Cordelia. Gloucester dies of heartbreak upon realizing who Edgar is. Strangely however, these pitiful ends are more bittersweet than depressing. After all, Cordelia and her father died after reconnecting and finding their familial love for one another again. Edgar goes on to avenge his father and reclaim the kingdom, giving this tragedy a hopeful ending. Overall, the tale of King Lear focuses on themes of folly, familial betrayal, and forgiveness. Fitting its job as a tragedy it leaves the viewer with a bittersweet taste in one's mouth, and a bit of hope left to linger in the end. Truly, readers, if your parents wrongfully punish you, remember that they are foolish humans too, and be prepared to forgive and love them regardless.
