Good and Evil King Lear
“In King Lear good does not vanquish evil: it is evil that destroys itself”
Shakespeare’s tragedy “King Lear” discusses many notions the most important being the relationship between good and evil and the constant battle of the opposites; their dependency and the origin of wickedness, as well as the fact that something good can never “destroy” anything all play a key role in the question of if it is evil that destroys itself. The following essay will deliberate these ideas and compare good and evil throughout the play to show the self-destruction evil caused for itself.
Throughout the entire play of “King Lear” there are many acts of goodness as well as acts of wickedness that represent the two ideas of virtue versus deviltry that depend on each other. Without the good there could not be any evil and the same goes for evil because without the opposite they could not be compared and therefore not be identified as being either good or bad. King Lear would never have realized the horrible mistake he made when he claimed that “nothing will come of nothing” (Act 1, Scene 1), would it not have been for Cordelia’s vicious sisters that drove evil too far and made their father go mad. Their evil behavior towards their father can be seen in Act 1 Scene 3 where Goneril instructs a servant to be rude and less courteous to Lear. “Put on what weary negligence you please, you and your fellows: I’d have it come to question” she says, ordering the servant to show Lear no respect which highlights her evil intentions. Only Lear’s craziness makes him see his truthful daughter and also who deceived him. If Regan and Goneril were not evil, Lear would have never noticed his neglect and he could not have seen the truth and his daughter’s real intentions. However, if Regan and Goneril were to have been good, there would not have been a misconception at the distribution of the kingdom which would have led to Lear choosing his favorite daughter over the two others and Regan and Goneril
Shakespeare’s tragedy “King Lear” discusses many notions the most important being the relationship between good and evil and the constant battle of the opposites; their dependency and the origin of wickedness, as well as the fact that something good can never “destroy” anything all play a key role in the question of if it is evil that destroys itself. The following essay will deliberate these ideas and compare good and evil throughout the play to show the self-destruction evil caused for itself.
Throughout the entire play of “King Lear” there are many acts of goodness as well as acts of wickedness that represent the two ideas of virtue versus deviltry that depend on each other. Without the good there could not be any evil and the same goes for evil because without the opposite they could not be compared and therefore not be identified as being either good or bad. King Lear would never have realized the horrible mistake he made when he claimed that “nothing will come of nothing” (Act 1, Scene 1), would it not have been for Cordelia’s vicious sisters that drove evil too far and made their father go mad. Their evil behavior towards their father can be seen in Act 1 Scene 3 where Goneril instructs a servant to be rude and less courteous to Lear. “Put on what weary negligence you please, you and your fellows: I’d have it come to question” she says, ordering the servant to show Lear no respect which highlights her evil intentions. Only Lear’s craziness makes him see his truthful daughter and also who deceived him. If Regan and Goneril were not evil, Lear would have never noticed his neglect and he could not have seen the truth and his daughter’s real intentions. However, if Regan and Goneril were to have been good, there would not have been a misconception at the distribution of the kingdom which would have led to Lear choosing his favorite daughter over the two others and Regan and Goneril