In the tragedy of King Lear, William Shakespeare drags his audience through a horrific tragedy to get to the heart of the truth. Violence, pain, betrayal and finally death befall almost all the characters, good or bad. This elimination of pleasantries is fundamental to the meaning of the work. Shakespeare implores his audience to shed the false coverings created by an artificial society. These constraints include language, dress, and other artificial institutions such as wealth and royalty. The show shows us how these created controls collapse in the face of nature. Ultimately, there is nothing stronger than blood, the very essence of a human being. However, the public has also witnessed the blood bond ruined by intoxicating forces such as greed and power. Since even the deepest truths can be hidden by man's false boundaries, the role of recognition becomes one of the strengths of the work. Recognition is a form of enlightened sight, which is one of the clear themes of the work. It takes a kind of inner vision to see through the artificial and understand the real. Recognition requires both seeing and knowing. The show closely examines this relationship, between what is seen and what is true, ultimately turning to intuition as a crucial foundation. Through the struggle to find one's fundamental identity beneath all of society's labels, Shakespeare demonstrates that no true knowledge comes without understanding the self. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an original essay To know the truth is to see through its many illusions, its masks. The destruction of commonplace manners is deeply rooted in Shakespeare's treatment of language. It cannot be said that he is only attacking language, since the work itself is a web of cleverly interwoven words. Instead, it shows how the power of words can become dangerous when their purpose, as a representation of something deeper, is forgotten. The opening scene sets up the entire plot with a play on words, where Lear asks for flattery from his daughters to prove their love. A dichotomy immediately develops: love is the essential and affectionate words serve man as its minor representation. Although Cordelia's language is more basic, her truth is pure. When she says «I love Your Majesty according to my bond, neither more nor less» (II, l.92) she perhaps seems too frank and unnecessarily frank. The public is falling into a trap, beginning its own struggle to recognize what is real. It may seem that Cordelia is selfish in refusing to simply flatter her father. His loving sisters seem to obey their father, thus respecting him according to society's standards. This is exactly the kind of assumption that we, as an imperfect human audience, are accustomed to making. It is therefore the kind of opportunity that Shakespeare takes to make his point. Immediately the dangers of language begin to appear. Lear's decision to banish Cordelia is obviously rash, and the distrust inspired by Cordelia's stubborn refusal shifts attention to the King who places so much in the superficial world of words. A king whose identity requires adulation is clearly lacking in crucial insights. This is the first step towards growing discomfort, a tone of uncertainty that will turn into absolute madness to teach us a lesson. We must ask ourselves: Is Cordelia so wrong in denying language as truth? The work proceeds to demonstrate that it is not. One way the work deconstructs language is by showing us where it fails in different cases. Some of the most touching momentsof the work are those who deliberately and literally deny the power of words. When the Gentleman returns after delivering the tragic news to Cordelia, he tells Kent of his tears and grief (IV.iii). In a tone of awe, he explains "It seemed she was a queen / By her passion, which, very rebellious, / Tried to be king over her" (IV.iii, ll.14-16). Here, Cordelia is in control of a "queen" of her emotions, but remains honestly subject to them, allowing them to manifest. She willingly shows her interiority, this cautious "passion" that we have seen dominate her in the past. When Kent asks "Didn't you ask her verbal questions?" (IV.iii, l.23) the Gentleman's description proves it to be beyond the realm of words: "True, once or twice she uttered the name of/'father'/panting, as if her heart were pressing; /She cried out : "Sisters, sisters! Shame on the ladies, sisters!/Kent! father! sisters! what a storm I have at night" (IV.iii, ll.24-29). Cordelia's pain is extraordinarily real because it evades the boundaries of language by rejecting form. Here there are no complete sentences, but single words and fragments that reflect the disintegration of Lear's kingdom. His emotion is too pure to be bound by grammatical formalities, by the useless rules created by society to guide communication. This is one of the expositions of Shakespeare's essential through the breakdown of the formal The idea of ​​language as an illusion of truth becomes a theme as it expands to include many characters and instances in the work Cordelia may be the most consistent or obvious rebel in the struggle for the essential, but she is certainly not the only character illuminates this conflict through. his use of words There are references to unspeakable things, such as the Gentleman's remark that Lear's state is "A most pitiful sight in the meanest wretch, / Spoken of in a king ll.204-205." ) or the Fool warns of dangerous times "When the Priests are more in words than in matter" (III.iv, l.81). These passing illusions into a world beyond words, or the inadequacy of words in serious matters, are half-hidden signals, silently leading the audience to a certain conclusion. There are other signals, subtle hints in the language that serve the larger purpose of betraying one's inherent transparency. One method seen throughout the work is the use of repetition. The moments when Lear cries "Now, now, now, now" (IV.vi, l.172), "Never, never, never, never, never" (V.iii, l.309), or "No, no, no, no" (V.iii, l.8), are some of these repetitions, all of which occur in the latter stages of his madness, when he has realized the truth of his situation. This not only shows us another character who overcomes formal language into an enlightened state, but allows Shakespeare to comment on the nature of what is achieved through this abandonment of form. Single words repeated many times impress their limited nature on our minds. The redundancy certainly shows a simplistic quality that is beneath the emotional weight. But it also shows that man instinctively ignores his own rules in moments of truth. Language is a double-edged sword in its limitations and its potential for power. The intense influence of language works in dangerous ways when it becomes more important than its own point. Beyond the initial dilemma created by Lear's reliance on courtly flattery, a series of dangerous and dishonest letters set several injustices in motion. Goneril and Regan constantly send letters, containing plots of betrayal against their father and each other (Edmund creates a false letter to defame Edgar, ultimately causing his exile. This opening scene is preceded by an interesting soliloquy, which serves to immediately draw the public's attention to thepower of words All of Edmund's vindictive hatred clearly stems from the label society has assigned to him, as he asks "Why bastard? Why mean? / When my size is as compact, / My mind as generous and my shape equally true,/As a matter of an honest lady?/Why do they brand us/With meanness? Edmund's frustration is something universal in humanity, since everyone is placed in categories that must be limiting for the themselves nature of categories consequently trumps language itself proving itself wise), Lear himself is equally "foolish". He warns Lear that "All your other titles you have given away, with which you were born" (I.iv, ll.149- 151).This is in line with Edmund's plight that a "bastard" deserves to be accepted into society despite the name that precedes him. The consequences of letting one's titles (mere words) become their reality manifest themselves in behavior of Lear and Edmund. The flattery that has made Lear too confident in his power leads to Cordelia's exile, which is the first in a chain of tragic events. Shakespeare shows us the other side of the coin, as the hatred harbored in Edmund triggers the parallel plot by avenging the word that condemns him. Other artificial constraints are widely noted in the work, accompanying the critique of language in this broader commentary on man. inability to perceive the ultimate truth. Shakespeare often includes clothing as a motif. Like language, it is a layer that comes between humans, affecting their ability to recognize what is truly in front of them. Therefore, seeing him peeled is a crucial return to pure human being. Just like the first scene, where love is the truth and flattery its cheap representation, clothing is an artificial construction that has gained too much power. This is perhaps most poignant in Lear's desire to tear off his clothes as he begins the process of seeing clearly. He is in the depths of madness when he tells a naked Edgar “Thou art the thing itself” (III.iv, l.106), speaking quite directly to this question of ultimate truth. “The thing itself” refers to a pure reality that has been hidden, just as the naked body is covered by clothing. Lear continues to refer to this essential “thing” in the lines that follow this intuition. He wildly decides that "the misfit man is no more than an animal / so poor, naked, bifurcated as if it were art. Away, away, lenders! Come, / unbutton here," as the stage directions warn that he is "ripping off his clothes " (III.iv, ll.106-109). The image of a great king tearing his clothes in search of the truth is full of meaning for all present. We sit and watch, carrying the same human bodies beneath our clothes, abused as external signifiers of classifications such as rank and wealth. The return to nakedness recalls the innocence of the Garden of Eden, before the fall, when the truth was not masked by basic human concepts such as shame or lust. As nudity is embraced, the façade of clothing becomes an object aligned with the Lear of Act I, the man deceived by the customs of his court. Evil characters get caught up in the controversy between nature and clothing. An example is a description of the devious Oswald, when Kent tells him "Thou cowardly rascal, Nature denies in thee: she hath made thee to measure" (II.ii, ll.54-55). What seems like a clever saying is yet another subtle hint on Shakespeare's part. When Lear realizes the truth about Goneril and Regan, he exclaims, "Allow nature no more than nature needs,/Man's life is as good as a beast's. Thou art a lady;/If only warming werewonderful, / Why, nature needeth not what you wear splendid, / That scarcely keeps you warm" (III.i, 267-270). This is a crucial moment in Lear's growing understanding of truth. repetition of "nature" signals a crucial epiphany. Nature becomes synonymous with truth, as it is compared with the two deceptive daughters is also the speech that corresponds to the beginning of the storm, the supreme symbol of nature's power over humanity .The famous storm of Act III is crucial to emphasize the importance of breaking free from artificial controls. Running out in the rain is a recognizable rebellion against reason and experience. Lear must challenge what he has learned in the false world to find new terms of identification. He realizes that he has been living with false comforts far beyond simple flattery, and begins to discover the injustices of the world when he sacrifices his life. physical comfort. In one of many revelatory moments, he sees the importance of compassion , which is actually a form of recognition: "Take medicine, pump, / Expose yourself to feel what the wretched feel, / That you may shake their superflux, / And show the heavens more just" (III.iv, ll. 32-35). Here is a great king who finally recognizes the plight of his people by experiencing it. The storm is necessary to humiliate him, demonstrating above all the great power of nature. The artificial categories of nobility and royalty are useless in the face of essential truth. And the symbolism of water only promotes this idea of ​​going beyond these superficial limits. The cleaning suggestion is very clear. Lear's false assumptions are swept away, while Goneril and Regan take comfort in shelter (III.i). He has proven to himself and his audience that he will risk his physical self to gain understanding. As he faces the extraordinary power of nature, he is baptized into a new faith. Now he believes in the power of truth and the importance of fighting to embrace it. Lear emerges from the storm with new insights and joins the ranks of the enlightened. Those who try to see beyond the assumptions become a solid, if crazy, bunch as the show progresses. Having established clear demarcations between the essential and its distortions, Shakespeare gives some characters the ability to understand this difference. In groups of characters, the ability to recognize the truth is synonymous with honest intentions and intrinsic goodness. Cordelia, Kent, Edgar, and even Gloucester all share the vision that eliminates artificial complications. The show opens with Kent and Gloucester recognizing something is wrong in the kingdom. In the first two lines, Kent wonders "I thought the king had more influence on the Duke of Albany than on Cornwall", and Gloucester replies "It always seemed so to us; but now in the division of the kingdom, it does not appear which of the two Dukes who more appreciates" (Ii, ll.1-5). They are imbued with the gift of recognition, the ability to compare what "seemed" true to them and what "appears" before their eyes will demonstrate that Albany is there best man, thus weighing their initial perception on the side of truth. Cornelia, Kent, and Edgar all display a visionary quality, the ability to know what they see. Kent states (to the gentleman) "Lord, I know you" (III.i , l.17), just as Edgar says to Oswald “I know you well; a useful villain,” (IV.vi, l.252) and Cornelia chillingly warns her sister “I know what you are” (Ii, l.269). This ability to confidently “know” is only associated with characters who are banished from the court (Edgar's escape is a kind of exile, since he cannot return home on pain of death. This quality of heightened vision is available only to the individual who is at odds with thereasoning of the kingdom and/or embraces one's sense of self, which he knows is pure in the face of false condemnation. Just as the "good" characters always see a higher truth, the "bad" characters fall victim to the confines of their society. They are preoccupied with superficial notions of hierarchy and cannot see past even the most obvious lies. Goneril is not so much bothered by her father's mad tirades as by his contempt for the social form. He faces a man who loses his identity and continually complains: "Smite my people, / And your disorderly rabble make servants of their best" (I.iv, 255-257). Regan shows blindness in her understanding of other people. His vision is defined by his need for power, rather than any level of reality. The audience can clearly see his blindness. He calls Gloucester "wicked traitor" and in the same sentence names Edmund "too good to pity you" (IV.i, ll.88-90). Both sisters also fall into Edmund's trap, despite witnessing his potential betrayal. This is perhaps the clearest demonstration of their tendency to see the world as they want to see it, as it has been shaped for them on the planet.its surface, rather than digging deeper to find the truth. The recognition proposed by Shakespeare means much more than understanding what is before us. It shows us how seeing what's around us starts with recognizing what's inside. The characters who demonstrate that they can find the essential truth in the world are also those who know, deep down, who they are. Cordelia reveals firm self-control when Lear repeatedly questions her determination to deny flattery, in the following encounter: Lear: But goes your heart with this? Cor.: Yes, my good lord. Lear: So young, and so little tender Cor. : So young, my lord, and sincere. (ii, ll.104-107) His quick confidence in renaming “untender” as “true” betrays the certainty of self-knowledge. She shows that she knows her heart, and therefore herself. He also clearly knows that this is more important than the richness of his inheritance or the embellishment of his father's pride. Kent and Cordelia demonstrate their belief in their own morality with their ability to sacrifice. They are willing to risk their lives and suffer terrible exile to avoid compromising their secure values. This is a conscious alignment with the "essentials" of life, which goes beyond the mortal human body or the comfort of the home. Cordelia can root her disobedience in actions, in reality. He can recognize his own morality and considers it rationally with "Good my lord, / You have begotten me, raised me, loved me: I / Return those duties as they are right, / I obey, I love you and most honor you" (Ii, ll.96 -98). Moments later, Kent defends his true duty in a similar way when he states: "Royal Lear, / whom I have ever honored as my king, / loved as my father, / as my master him followed, / like my father. Their ability to see the essential truth of the world is rooted in this confident self-assurance, a quality that defends their intrinsic goodness that simultaneously turns inward and outward Shakespeare it also shows us the danger of losing sight of ourselves. Lear's journey through madness begins with imperfect recognition, an inability to know himself, and an erroneous outward movement by definition. Look for tools of self-identification, asking "Does anyone here know me? This isn't Lear./Does Lear walk like this? He talks.