King Lear - Tragic Flaw Essay example - 902 Words

â€Å"Tragic heroes are so much the highest points in their human landscape that they seem the inevitable conductors of the power about them...great trees more likely to be struck by lightning than a clump of grass. Conductors may of course be instruments as well as victims of the divine lightning.† Tragic heroes are characters of notoriety; held in high regard but are struck with misfortune through their own error. The most noble of men can succumb to their own flaws until driven to the brink of insanity, as illustrated in Shakespeare’s play, King Lear. King Lear represents all qualities of a tragic hero and in the end is ruined by his own vice, by driving himself to the point of full-blown insanity as a result of his actions. As all tragic†¦show more content†¦Lear is outraged when Cordelia does not lavish him in kind words like he had expected her too and as a result banishes her from the kingdom. This action shows the reader insight to what will be Learâ₠¬â„¢s downfall. What he does not realize just yet is that Cordelia is the only daughter that actually does love her father, but his rash judgment and arrogance blinded him from seeing this. As time passes by, Lear tries to live out the remainder of his life under the care of his two oldest daughters, who are supposed to love him the most. It is not long until they begin to abuse their â€Å"beloved† father and treat him like a piece of trash. They lock him out in the rain, order their servants to be rude to him, and make him reduce his army. It does not take long after that for Lear to realize that he had made an enormous mistake, and the Cordelia was the one that truly loved him the most. The lightening had struck when Lear’s arrogance led him to believe Cordelia would say more to show her love for him, and his tree had caught fire once his rash judgment resulted in Cordelia’s banishment. Once Lear had recognized the monstrosity of the mistake he had made and b ewildered by the betrayal of Goneril and Regan, his madness started to set in. He flees the home of his evil daughters and is left wandering through a great storm, completely consumed in his insanity. The French army, led by Cordelia, is on its way to Britain to save her father’s kingdom from herShow MoreRelatedSuperheroes, Despite Their Different Powers, All Possess1581 Words   |  7 Pagesmaintenance of strong morals. Similarly, King Lear, the tragic hero in William Shakespeare’s play, King Lear, possesses characteristics that define him as a tragic hero, as stated by Aristotle in Poetics via A.C. Bradley’s The Shakespearean Tragic Hero. King Lear is a character of high social status, and he possesses exceptional qualities that make him a well-respected king; however, throughout the play’s events, he suffers tremendously in an unusual manner. In addition, Lear, despite being a â€Å"good† characterRead MoreKing Lear as a Tragic Hero997 Words   |  4 PagesThe play of King Lear is a tragedy like many of Shakespeare’s plays, and many of them deal with the tragic hero that end up meeting their demise thanks to their tragic flaw. The tragic hero of this play is King Lear, and he is a man that is a ruler of the kingdom of Britain in the 8th century B.C. He is a very old man surrounded by grave responsibilities, which are taking care of the land and taking care of the citizens of the kingdom. Lear the tragic hero must feel suffering and contrast those goodRead MoreIs King Lear A Tragic Hero Essay1358 Words   |  6 PagesKing Lear, one of William Shakespeare s greatest tragedies, depicts a society in grim circumstances. As with all tragedies, there exists a tragic hero [1] , one who possesses a fatal flaw that initiates the tragedy and all the sufferings that follow. In this play, the tragic hero is undoubtedly the title character, King Lear. The plot is driven by the power and consequence of losses, more specifically , the losses of Lear. In the course the play, King Lear, because of his flaws, loses his authorityRead MoreThe Tragic Hero Of King Lear1310 Words   |  6 PagesKing Lear, one of William Shakespeare’s greatest tragedies, depicts a society in uninviting circumstances. Tragedy is depicted by the downfall of a noble hero, usually through a combination of arrogance and fate. The tragic hero s wish to achieve a goal encounters limits, those of human inability, the gods, or nature. As with all tragedies, there exists a tragic hero, one who possesses a calamitous flaw that establishes the tragedy and all the sufferings that follow. In this play, the tragic heroRead MoreThe Tragic Hero Of King Lear1277 Words   |  6 Pagesthere is no salvation for the tragic hero or any sign of optimism in the conclusion. This bleak portrayal of King Lear, through his losses, makes him the ultimate tragic hero, and the play an ultimate tragedy. In every tragedy, of course, there is a tragic hero. A person who has good intentions, but leads the story to ruin through a fatal, and uncontrollable, flaw. The plot of the book centers around the consequences of King Lear’s flaw. Throughout the play, King Lear loses his land, his honorRead More Tragedy Through Misreading in William Shakespeares King Lear975 Words   |  4 PagesTragedy Through Misreading in William Shakespeares King Lear Shakespeare’s tragedy, King Lear, portrays many important misconceptions which result in a long sequence of tragic events. The foundation of the story revolves around two characters, King Lear and Gloucester, and concentrates on their common flaw, the inability to read truth in other characters. For example, the king condemns his own daughter after he clearly misreads the truth behind her â€Å"dower,†(1.1.107) or honesty. Later, GloucesterRead MoreKing Lear : The Tragic Hero957 Words   |  4 PagesThere are many â€Å"tragic heroes† in literature in many different genres. The aspects of a tragic hero include a good man who has royalty in his blood, one tragic flaw, suffer, and then overcome their flaw once they finally open their eyes to what is really going on. Not only do tragic heroes suffer, but they cause others to suffer as well, but this can play a huge role in a work as a whole. King Lear is the tragic hero in, of course, King Lear. King Lear suffe rs from not knowing who he truly isRead MoreKing Lear: Lear the Tragic Hero1662 Words   |  7 PagesKing Lear: Lear The Tragic Hero The definition of tragedy in the Oxford dictionary is, drama of elevated theme and diction and with unhappy ending; sad event, serious accident, calamity. However, the application of this terminology in Shakespearean Tragedy is more expressive. Tragedy does not only mean death or calamity, but in fact, it refers to a series of steps which leads to the downfall of the tragic hero and eventually to his tragic death. Lear, the main character in King Lear was affirmedRead MoreWilliam Shakespeare s King Lear971 Words   |  4 PagesKing Lear Exam Question In all genres there are stereotypical elements. This academic essay will outline the importance and effect of the elements of dramatic tragedy within the given passage from King Lear, and how this is significant and develops an understanding in the audience towards the play as a whole. The passage given comes from Act 1; Scene 1 of ‘King Lear’. This initial scene is what would be called the ‘initiation of tragedy’ in this context as it supplies the tragic hero; in this caseRead MoreKing Lear and Antigone as Tragic Hero Essay1626 Words   |  7 PagesBecause Lear is capable of change, he becomes a tragic hero; because Antigone is incapable of change, she never becomes a tragic heroine. Aristotle defines a tragic hero as someone, usually a male, who â€Å"falls from a high place mainly due to their fatal flaw.† During the highest point of the tragic hero’s life, something is revealed to the protagonist causing a reversal in their fortune. This reversal of fortune is caused by the flaw in their character. Tragedy evokes catharsis, a feeling of