Thou Art the Thing Itself: A Journey from King to Father

William Shakespeare’s 1606 The Tragedy of King Lear explores the character of a man and his change from a selfish and impatient King to a kind and forgiving Father. In the beginning of the play, King Lear has decided he would like to divide up his kingdom between his daughters so he could rest and enjoy the rest of his life. To test his daughters’ devotion, he demands them to tell him how much each of them loves him. His two daughters, Regan And Goneril, shower him with words and flattery, but his youngest daughter, Cordelia, refuses to flatter him as her greedy sisters had. Hearing this, the rash King disowned Cordelia, saying “Let it be so! Thy truth then be thy dower! … Here I disclaim all my paternal care … And as a stranger to my heart and me hold thee from this for ever.” King Lear, Act Ii 120-123.

His faithful servant, the Earl of Kent, tries to persuade him that Cordelia was the truest of his daughters, and the only sincere one. However, Lear’s quick temper and unreasonableness led him to also betray Kent. “And on the sixth day to turn thy hated back Upon our kingdom. … Away! By Jupiter, This shall not be revoked.” King Lear, Act Ii 189-193. He banishes Kent from the kingdom, and places all of his power into the hands of Goneril and Regan.

After his daughters have all of England at their disposal, they begin to strip away what little power Lear has left. First, Goneril denies him the privilege of one hundred knights, only allowing him fifty. Outraged by this, Lear goes to Regan, but she will not house all of his knights, either. Together, Goneril and Regan deny him any knights, and when he will not ask for their forgiveness, cast him out into a harsh storm.

In the midst of the storm, Lear realizes his mistake of giving power to his treacherous daughters, and also begins to care about other people. He also stumbles upon the realization that he is not all powerful and wonderful because he is a king. His first thought for another’s suffering was out in the storm, just before entering shelter. He tells his Fool “Poor fool and knave, I have one part in my heart That’s sorry yet for thee.” King Lear, Act III iv 75-76. He goes on to think of the rest of the people in the storm. He says “Poor naked wretches, wheresoe’er you are, That bide the pelting of this pitiless storm, How shall you houseless heads and unfed sides, Your looped and windowed raggedness, defend you From seasons such as these? O, I have ta’en Too little care of this!” King Lear, Act III iv 35-40. Here he shows regret that he has done nothing to help his people, whereas he would never admit a fault of his before. He also shows compassion for other people, another trait he was lacking in the beginning of the play.

Once inside the shelter, Lear meets Edgar, disguised as a mad beggar. Even though they seem to be of much different social status, the