In all of Shakespeare's tragedies, sudden changes and transformations are the catalysts for the disaster that will soon become the plot. Lear, king of England, holds great power and the status of king, but blindly gives up all this power to his daughters as a reward for their false display of love for him. This premature surrender of his throne sets off a chain reaction of events that push him through a difficult journey in search of truth and loyalty in a time when it is hard to find. Due to his selfish decisions leading to his loss of power, King Lear's blindness becomes clear vision, causing his final madness and allowing justice to take its inevitable turn on Lear, his actions, and his family. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an Original Essay At the beginning of the play, Lear quickly makes the wrong decision to give up his throne. This action is the first example of Justice taking his turn, as his selfish decision soon becomes a big problem. Fueled by his blindness, Lear banishes his former favorite truth-telling daughter and rewards his two seemingly loyal but wicked daughters with the land over which he had previously ruled. He offers his daughters pieces of his kingdom as a form of recompense for their false testimony of their love to the "great" King Lear2E "Great rivals in the love of our youngest daughter/ Long in our court have made their amorous sojourn/ And here we are to receive an answer. Tell me, my daughters/ (From now on we will both deprive ourselves of the government, of the interests of the territory, of the care of the state)/ Which of you will we say loves us more/ so that our greatest generosity can extend/where nature does with merit challenge” (Act I, sc i, 50-58), he breaks the great chain of stature we discussed in class selfish to show his psychological power over his daughters and those who follow and support him. His decision, however, calls into question the position that the gods and nature have given him the obvious lack of clarity causes him to not only lose his power, but ultimately go mad and, ultimately, be left with nothing. After the surrender of his throne, Lear begins to banish those around him who sincerely care for him. At first, his blindness is still evident and Lear feels like everyone around him is still his faithful servants, when in reality most are plotting against him. Lear soon begins to see the shift in power taking effect and becomes uncertain as to who his true supporters are and who is just using him. He takes hasty action against those who do not obey him or undermine his authority, and quickly banishes his true friend, Kent, and his faithful daughter, Cordelia. Lear is soon surrounded exclusively by superficial people, which makes him very vulnerable to attack and betrayal. Justice comes forward as King Lear's life begins to change dramatically. His sudden loss of power leaves him unable to rule over others and without a true sense of home and family. Because Lear ignored the wishes of God and those around him and made a selfish decision, he is forced to suffer madness and extreme physical loss. Lear also has multiple opportunities to reverse his decision, but instead of listening to the advice of those who try to help him, he banishes them for questioning his selfish decision. Lear's life and the lives of those around him are beginning to change and now they are notsure who he is. "Does anyone know me? This is not Lear. / Lear walks like this, talks like this? / Where are his eyes? / Or his notion grows weak, his discernment / Are lethargic - Ah! Waking? Not so. / Who can tell me who I am?" (Act I, sc. iv, 232-235). Lear's loss of power and stature leaves him struggling for someone or something to help or support him in some way. In his search for meaning, Lear finds the fool that this person becomes. The fool in King Lear becomes, ironically, one of the few characters of truth and wisdom that exist. The fool uses his riddles and sayings to shed light on the truths of history. Using his thoughtful title of “uncle” to speak to Lear, the fool offers Lear insight into the mistakes he has made and how they are affecting the people around him. Lear begins to see the negative consequences of his retirement through the actions of his daughters and their husbands. Regan intentionally tries to weaken her father's spirit and talk to him as if he were truly stupid and crazy. "O sir, thou art old/ Nature in thee stands on the very brink/ Of its bounds. Thou shouldest be governed and led/ By some discretion that discerneth thy state/ better than thyself. Therefore I beseech thee" (Act II, scene IV, 165-169). Both of his daughters try to weaken Lear by locking Kent in stocks, preventing Lear from bringing his knights into their castle, and locking Lear out in the storm. These events are all the realization for Lear that he can no longer rule like a king. "Oh, how this mother swells towards my heart!? / Hysterica passio, down, you who rise the pain! / Your element is below. Where is this daughter?" (Act II, sc. iv, 62-65). King Lear is no longer blind to the actions of those around him. Not only can Lear now clearly see the true character of his family and friends, but he begins to see how his emotions and social image are changing for the worse. This harsh confrontation with the reality of his obvious weak stature is what drives him to complete madness. “No, unnatural witches/ I will have such vengeance upon you both/ That all the world will do – such things I will do – / What they are yet I know not, but they will be / The terrors of the earth! You think I will cry./ No, I will not cry. /I have every reason to cry, but this heart/will break into a hundred thousand flaws/or before I cry, O Fool, I will go mad!” (Act II, scene iv, 320-329). All of Lear's mistakes come back to him as he becomes increasingly mad and his family begins to fall apart. Lear's decisions have caused Kent and Cordelia to say things Lear doesn't want to hear, which causes their exile. Another person to be hurt by Lear is Gloucester, who loses his height and, even more severely, his eyes. Even his own daughters who have turned against him are negatively affected. Their sudden gain in power makes them even more evil and, with it, more greedy. The sister's sudden gain in power and inherited selfishness ultimately pit them against each other, resulting in adultery and the death of both. King Lear is finally defeated by the death of his youngest daughter, Cordelia. Lear and Cordelia were reunited and Lear felt like he had finally climbed out of a hole. But because justice must interfere, Cordelia is killed and Lear is once again alone, as well as heartbroken. He grieves for his dead daughter as she dies soon after. "Scream, scream, scream! Oh, you are men of stone/If I had your tongue and your eyes, I would use them so/The vault of heaven should break. She's gone forever!/I know when one is dead , and when one lives/ She is as dead as the earth. Lend me a mirror/ If that breath of hers tarnishes or stains the stone/ Well, then she lives (Act V, Sc iii, 308-315)., 366-368).