Corruption In King Lear Essay

Mark 3:25 of The Holy Bible states, "If a house is divided against itself, that house cannot stand" (The Holy Bible, New International Version, Mark 3:25). King Lear by William Shakespeare is a story that portrays this verse perfectly. Families turn against one another, from the betrayal of Lear 's daughters, Goneril and Regan, to the desire for power from Gloucester 's son, Edmund. Goneril and Regan show another level of division through their jealousy over love for the same man, Edmund. They break their sisterhood over a man that loves neither of them. Though some degree of reconciliation does occur, the statement does hold true in that when a house is divided, it falls, as the two sisters die at the hand of one another. King Lear
Gloucester, much like King Lear, misjudges his children and chooses to side with the one who is least loyal. Before he became part of King Lear 's court, Gloucester was an adulterer and conceived a son, Edmund, out of wedlock. Edmund is so angry about his illegitimate status that he becomes bitter and plots against his brother by making it look as though Edgar tries to kill him and their father. Edmund obviously longs for a higher status in the kingdom because of how people of a higher hierarchy are viewed. The irony of this is that Shakespeare writes this theme into the play as it mimics real life. "Distinctions within the aristocracy and, more importantly, between aristocrats and commoners are enforced, both on stage and in public, through performance" (Spotswood, 265). Edgar is forced to leave the kingdom so that he is not killed. But the division of this family does not stop Edgar from staying loyal to his father. Through the years, he disguises himself so he can keep in touch with his father. "In their disguises, their imaginations, and their degraded condition, they reflect the sufferings of the weakest in their society" (Selden 145). Edgar stays by his fathers