King Lear presents the audience with a bleak vision of society that is demonstrated through the dominance of nihilism to reveal a world devoid of justice, morality or any good order. This Aristotelian play depicts how a fatal flaw can catastrophically ruin a hero or heroine and lead them to their ultimate demise and induce total chaos within the society. The Tragedy of King Lear has been subjugated to various different interpretations that each offer a particularly bleak view of human existence and pessimistic prognostications. It is the social and historical circumstances that construct a composers understanding, allowing different interpretations to emerge through the ages. Through these interpretations, it allows the author to subsume new issues or concerns into their adaptation of the text according to the social values of the time and place. These various adaptations incorporate questions of justice or injustice and whether the world is indifferent to the fate of mankind.
King Lear is interpreted as an Aristotelian tragedy that highlights Lear's tragic flaw of egotism and the progression from order to disorder that foreshadows his ultimate demise from King. It is this excessive pride which provokes the initiation of the Love Test to establish the extent of his daughters love for him by questioning which of you shall we say doth love us most. This is later reinforced through the use of colourful language abounded with hyperboles through Gonerils speech- Dearer than eyesight, space and liberty.
Lears vision is marred by his poor insight and inability to predict the consequences of his actions. In addition, he condemns his relationship with his youngest daughter, Cordelia, who refuses to participate in his love contest which dramatically foreshadows her opulent bounty.
The annihilation of Lears relationship with Cordelia demonstrates a Christian perspective of the play. As Lear disregards Cordelias truthful filial bond he commits an initial sin, while he rewards his two malign sisters. Ironically, it is the motif of sight that emphasis Lears hubris and hinders his ability to distinguish who truly loves him. Kent, who has sufficient insight, attempts to intervene and dissuade Lear against his follies with see better Lear, yet Lear compounds his injustice and impatience through the banishment of Kent.
Shakespeare presents nature as a recurring idea that evinces a negative connotation and imagery to convey the bleakness of society. The relationship between nature and the characters show how the destruction of two families can occur once the law of nature is broken. This is apparent during the beginning stages of the play when Lear destroys his kinship with Cordelia as she merely describes her love in relation to their filial bond Here I disclaim all my paternal care and property of blood
Peter Brooks 1962 interpretation dramatises the development of Lear in the play according to the social and historical circumstances at the time. This was heavily influenced by Jan Kott criticism which saw Lear as a tragedy of the grotesque. The starkness of Brooks film demonstrated the dominance of nihilism and reveals a world devoid of consolation, morality or universal justice.
This interpretation, accentuates that humanity has been neglected to such an extent that human emotion and compassion have virtually been obliterated. The impact of the storm scene effectively represents a metaphorical projection of Lears inner disorder as well as the entire kingdom slipping into chaos and pandemonium. This helps to convey Brooks austere message about the nature of humanity when Lear is stripped from his pride and power. This shift from authority to impotence alienates the viewer as the camera shots swiftly ambulate from an undershot to a birds eye view to reflect Lears insanity.
In contrast, Shakespeare concentrates on epitomising Lears madness through the establishment of strong emotive language and alliteration Blow winds, and crack your cheeks
Through a Christian perspective, the storm is metaphorically described as Lears punishment, where the gods are brandishing their judgements. Once Lear paradoxically discovers humanity, his humility grows to make him more sentient to nature Pour on I will endure. During this storm scene, the audience is able to adhere to the theme of nihilism and nothingness. We witness Lear reduce himself to a basest form and through the animal imagery Lear sees himself becoming more than a bare, forked animal, stripped from pride and the bare necessities.
The most dominant theme in King Lear is that of blindness. The audience is presented with this recurring motif that arises through Lears figurative blindess and Gloucesters physical blindness. Lear depicts Shakespeares theme of clear vision by demonstrating that physical sight does not guarentee clear sight.
Shakespeare, corroborates this through Gloucesters clear vision once he was usurped from his physical sight. He is portrayed wandering on the heath after being blinded by Cornwall and Regan and speaks of his suffering and desire to commit suicide through They kill us for their sport. This emphasises the question whether there is justice in the universe, and highlight Gloucesters stark despair when he insinuates that there is no good order in society. Peter Brooks production proffers Gloucesters blinding through metaphorically blinding the audience through the cinematic technique of a blank screen to convey the nothingness and impaired vision of Gloucester.
Shakespeare offers us a particularly bleak view of human existence throughout the play, although as the audience reaches the final scenes, we are pertained with the reconciliation of an orderly world, that is, mistakes are repented and relationships are mended.
A.C Bradley valued King Lear as a play which exemplifies the Christian belief in redemption. He was an advocator of this reading, believing that Lear eventually redeems himself of the sin of disinheriting Cordelia. This idea permeates as we see Cordelia beside Lear as he returns to consciousness, waking up as an entirely transformed man. Strong Christian and biblical imagery suffuses through this scene as Lear mistakes his daughter for a soul in bliss and begins to kneel for her sanction as she asks for his. His transformation clearly expresses to the viewers that he has rediscovered his capacity to love.
As Lear and Cordelia reunite, the audience anticipates a happy ending, although this glimmer of hope surely fades as Lear enters with Cordelias corpse and any immediate ideas about divine justice vanish.
Howl, howl, howl, howl! Shes gone forever (V.iii.259261).
From his howl of grief we are confronted with the use of animal imagery along with the issue of justice, leaving the audience to question the absurd death of Lears daughter.
During the final scenes the audience is portrayed with hope and faith that relate to a Christian context through redemption and reconciliation.
Do you see this? Look on her! Look, her lips (V.iii.310-312)
These lines accentuate Lears realistic acceptance of Cordelias death to show that Lear has finally been redeemed of his sin.
It is evident, that throughout history, diverse interpretations of King Lear have been made, each valuing and accentuating different aspects of the play. The representation of a bleak vision of a bleak world remains within the text as each interpretation of the play values it uniquely, altering the way the play is received amongst audiences and critics. King Lear clearly shows that through one error of misjudgement, great consequences can emerge to create a tragic downfall. Although there was redemption between family members the world of suffering, injustice and treachery made society a nihilistic and stark atmosphere.
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