As Shakespeare presents to us a tragic pattern of parental and filial love, in which a prosperous man is devested of power and finally recognises his "folly", empathy is induced in the audience. In "King Lear", it is noted from the beginning of the play that both Lear and Gloucester suffer from self-approbation and will consequently find revelation by enduring "the rack of this tough world". While Lear mistakenly entrusts the shallow professions of love from his "thankless" daughters - Goneril and Regan - instead of the selfless words of Cordelia, Gloucester shadows a similar ignorance by initially entrusting love in the evil Edmund, rather than Edgar, whom we consider to be a "truly" loyal "noble gentlemen".

Undeniably, both parents misjudge appearance for reality, as it is only in this way that they can "let the great gods that keep this dreadful pudder O'er [their] heads / Find out their enemies" where "all vengeance comes too short". When Lear is rejected by Goneril and Regan and stripped of his "hundred Knights and squires", he is left with "nothing" in the wilderness, besides the loyal company of Kent and the Fool, and later on, Edgar and Glouc

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nd is forced to see "feelingly". Gloucester's willingness to believe Edmund's false accusation upon Edgar enforces his foolishness. Even when Regan asks "What, did my father's godson seek your life?...", Gloucester does not respond directly, for he replies self pityingly, "O lady, lady, shame would have it hid" and later, "tis too bad, too bad!, as if he as no sense of responsibility to properly answer her question, similarily in his parenting.

ester. It appears that at this stage he senses his "folly", that he "did [Cordelia] wrong". But Lear has yet to gain full insight. Although, before entering the hovel, he realises that he has been a "man more sinned against sinning", the process of self-discovery is not complete until all truth is unveiled. As Lear realises his foolishness in bannishing Cordelia - his "joy" and the only daughter who truly loves him - we sense Lear's increasing sorrow and despair. By revealling his "sin", he is subjecting himself to punishment. Perhaps i!

Like Lear's mistake in demanding which of his children "doth love [him] most", Gloucester is also embroiled in the authentic qualities of his sons. Described as a "credulous father" by Edmund, he somewhat resembles a 'weaker Lear, in that his old age sets a gradual destruction in his power. In the scene after Edmund stages a fight with Edgar, hence encourages Gloucester's belief in Edgar's betrayal, S

Some common words found in the essay are:
Kent Lear, Lear Lear, Cordelia Lear, Edgar Gloucester, Kent Cordelia, Goneril Regan, Rage Blow, Edmund Edgar, Tom Bedlam, Lear Gloucester, goneril regan, parental blindness, filial ingratitude,
Approximate Word count = 985
Approximate Pages = 4 (250 words per page double spaced)