1. Eliza Young
Shakespeare
Final Paper
April 29, 2014
The Search for Self-Enlightenment in Lear:
Journey to madness and back again
King Lear portrays the blinding effects of power, and the untraditional
constructs of love. The banishment of Cordelia in act one scene one demonstrates
Lear’s belief that love can be quantified and tangible. Lear believes that similarly to
power, love is a transaction. He openly demands that in exchange for property, his
daughters must vocalize and describe their love for Lear. The idea that love can be
self-sacrificing, selfless, and unconditional is a notion that defies his understanding.
In his royal role, Lear demonstrates his idea that power and love are synonymous,
this is depicted when he state, “Which of you shall we say doth love us most/ That
we our largest bounty may extend/ Where nature doth with merit challenge” (1.1).
Lear’s understanding of true devotion and love are changed once he has lost all of
his power and property. Shakespeare defines love through unconventional dualities,
such as; Lear and his Knave; awareness and madness; love and duty; and nature and
society. Lear discovers these competing dualities through his journey through loss,
madness, reconciliation, and love.
While Lear destroys his family and court relations, his friendship with the
knave is one of the few interactions in the play that defines true love and devotion.
The relationship between Lear and the fool is peculiar, and defies the hierarchical
boundaries. The knave is the only character who can initially speak honestly with
the king without the threat of banishment. The fool is blunt, but holds the king’s best

2. interest at heart. He portrays love through devote companionship. Although he
highly disagrees with Lear’s decision to banish Cordelia, he still remains loyal. When
the knave attempts to speak truth to Lear, he states:
Have more than thou showest/ Speak less than thou
knowest/ Lend less than thou owest/ Ride more than
though goest/ Learn more than thou trowest/ Set less
than throwest/ Leave thy drink and thy whore/ And
keep in-a-door/ And thou shalt have more/ Than two
tens to a score (1.4)
The knave’s poem heeds warning to Lear to be modest in his choices, rather than
gambling his life and assets in full. However, Lear does not understand the knave’s
warning and states, “This is nothing, fool” (1.4). Lear’s statement demonstrates his
inability to understand language. Just as Regan and Gonerill’s empty devotions of
love easily fooled him, he is also unable to interpret any meaning from the fool’s
advice. Although Lear ignores the knave, he still chooses to remain close to Lear,
even through Lear’s demise of power and sanity.
The storm scene in act three scene two depicts an additional unconventional
duality in King Lear. The storm functions as a pivotal moment in the play when Lear
falls into madness, as well as becomes acutely aware of his daughters’ villainy. The
symbol of the storm functions as a baptismal message of Lear acknowledging the
failures of his past, and seeking to discover true love and devotion. First, Lear must
understand and acknowledge his daughters’ betrayal, he states:
Rumble thy bellyful! Spit, fire! Spout, rain!/ Nor rain,
wind, thunder, fire are my daughters./ I tax not you, you
elements, with unkindness./ I never gave you kingdom,
call’d you children;/ You owe me no subscription. Then
let fall/ Your horrible pleasure. Here I stand your
slave,/ A poor, infirm, weak, and despis’d old man./ But
yet I call you servile ministers,/ That will with two

3. pernicious daughters join/ You high-engender’d battles
‘gainst a head/ So old and white as this. O, ho! ‘Tis foul
(3.2).
Although Lear does demonstrate an increased awareness of his poor reality,
he attempts to re-appropriate his relationship with his daughters by saying “I never
gave you kingdom, call’d you children”. Lear’s tone dramatically alters from his
previous statement in act one scene one when he declares “Which of you shall we
say doth love us most,/ that we our largest bounty may extend” (1.1). Previously,
Lear believed his daughters would house him out of love. With the realization that
Regan and Gonerill were dishonest he re-appropriates the dynamic between him
and his daughters. Lear alters his belief that Regan and Gonerill would care for him
out of love, to the notion that they would honor him out of duty. Although Lear’s
definition of familial dynamics changes, his disownment from his daughters does
not. Lear still fails to realize that Regan and Gonerill will not care for him in any
regard.
The storm depicts another unconventional dynamic of awareness and
madness. Typically, madness is portrayed as dissociation from reality. However, for
Lear, his understanding of Regan and Gonerill’s true intentions lead him into a
depressed madness. Lear’s monologue shows that he finally understands his
daughters’ intentions were not out of love, but greed.
Lear’s abandonment of self-interest is portrayed by his return to the natural
elements. Shakespeare’s final duality of societal confines and nature is depicted in
Lear’s search for nature to extinguish the powerful control of the court. Similarly to
the storm scene, in act four scene four Lear disappears into the wilderness. The

4. doctor expresses the healing powers of nature to Cordelia when she is desperately
searching for her father. The doctor states, “There is means, madam./ Our foster-
nurse of nature is repose,/ The which he lacks. That to provoke in him/ Are many
simples operative, whose power/ Will close the eye of anguish” (4.4). The doctor
consoles Cordelia that the wildness has the power to heal, and rid Lear of his past
anguishes. Previously in act three scene two nature sought after Leer, now, he seeks
the cleansing properties of nature. Lear’s disappearance is the final step in his
journey to self-awareness. Once Lear is found, he is able to receive forgiveness from
Cordelia.
Lear’s encounter with Cordelia in act four scene seven demonstrates Lear’s
ascension from the confines of his daughters, the court, and the royal hierarchy. The
dualities Lear meets throughout the play propels him for this scene with Cordelia.
Because of his improved awareness, he is able to atone for his previous brutalities.
Upon first seeing Cordelia, Lear says, “You do me wrong to take me out o’ th’ grave./
Thou art a soul in bliss, but I am bound/ Upon a wheel of fire, that mine own tears/
Do scald like molten lead . . .You [Cordelia] are a spirit, I know. Where did you die”
(4.7). Lear’s statement portrays humility towards Cordelia. Without making excuses,
or attempting to validate his actions, Lear says, “If you have poison for me, I will
drink it” (4.7). Lear’s acceptance of his death as the only means of reconciliation
depicts the depth of his understanding of the severity of his actions against Cordelia.
Lear’s humility is met with Cordelia’s unconditional love and forgiveness.
The unconventional dualities in King Lear propel the plot to enable Lear to
reconcile with Cordelia. It is through true relationships built on trust and love that

5. allows Lear support and guidance through his misjudgments. Lear’s journey depicts
his individual necessity to escape the cultural demands of the court to discover that
love cannot be quantified. While Lear ignores the fool’s advice, it is the physical
devotion and companionship that demonstrates the fool’s true friendship and love.
In order to correct his injustice, Lear must become aware of his loss of power, and
family. Once Regan and Gonerill reveal their evil intentions, Lear begins to
transition to humility by understanding that forced power inevitably fails. Through
the loss of power, Lear is able to return to nature and discover his own purpose.
Ultimately, Lear must realize the mistakes he made in the past, and abandon his
inflated sense of self in order to seek forgiveness from Cordelia. Through loss,
madness, and reconciliation Lear is finally able to reach an enlightened level of self-
fulfillment that can only be received through unconditional love.