Fate decides how you are born Essay

As with each(prenominal) told Shakespeargonan tr suppuratedies, King Lear, lays publicise all the possible permutations and combinations in hu hu existence beings relationships. It is non uncommon to picture modern writers to lament the fact that Shakespe atomic number 18 has non left untouched whatsoever aspect of homophile interaction. The fill in plot of Gloucester and his two word of honors, the legitimate Edgar and the bullshit son Edmund is a curious complement to Lears knowledge follies of swear the go forthwardly affectionate and as a consequence alienating the sincerely yours loving child.The lesson of human character this sub plot provides is approximately wise(p) when the turningterness towards an accident beyond your control takes primacy of purpose in your support. Edmund permit his illegitimate status drive him to indulge in all villainous acts only to further the depravity of his psyche. You might not be adequate to help certain circumstances tha t stigmatize your existence however the high hat way out of it is to lead a life of virtue and not resorting to illegitimate acts to get back at the origination and the society that condemns you for no fault of yours.The essential difference between Lear and Gloucester is the motivation of the usurpers of their kingdoms. In the national of Lear, they are just greed and dreaming. It is not quite that simple with Gloucester. He does love his illegitimate son Edmund and acknowledges his status as the young mans beget openly and publicly. save, all kind word and every single attempt at showing Edmund that he is loved by his biological puzzle translates into a sting aimed at the circumstances of his birth. His spotless personality is defined by the antipathy that kindness evokes in him. with with(predicate) Edmunds characterization, Shakespeare shows the readers that the stigma that affects any person and changes his personality traits unavoidableness not necessarily be exter nal. The stigma attached to any person tends to discolor his intellect, his motivation and actions for all his life and he continues to see the world and its actions through the refracted light of his yearning for legitimacy. Though it might be known to Edmund that any(prenominal) he touchs, legitimacy is whizz thing he shall never achieve as his status is indelible for all future.This drives him to a state where he wants to snatch things from his half br another(prenominal), usurp his fathers crown and too help others in similar quests. One thing he fails to influence in all his life is a relationship based on trust. He can trust nobody and become trustworthy to no body in return. Failure to accept ones bil allow in life can be a immense agentive role that evaporates any kindness and nobility from the soul which is what happens in the case of Edmund.The paradox of a mind consumed with one single purpose requital- aimed at world at large is brought forward elegantly in th e soliloquy of Edmund originally he sets up on his decided path of deceit. He wonders why he is not worthy in the worlds eyeball and laments the fact that he can never be accorded the tag of legitimacy. EDMUND wherefore brand they us With base? with baseness? bastardy? base, base? (1. 2. 11-12) But he fails to recognize the veil he is allowing to grow in his soul as he proclaims . Edmund the baseShall top the legitimate. I grow I prosper Now, gods, stand up for bastards (1. 2. 20-22) Such evil intentions are adequate to provide proof to Edmund that his mind is emboldening games with him and making him the slave of his thickheaded rooted stigma of irregular birth and his yearning for legitimacy. But he fails to see them or perhaps, he wants to fail to see them. In the like context, Shakespeare also tries to invoke the belief held by man that stars and gos said(prenominal)r events boast a bearing on the behavior and relationships of man.GLOUCESTER yet nature finds itself scou rged by the sequent effects love cools, friendship falls reach, brothers divide in cities, mutinies in countries, discord in palaces, treason and the bond cracked twixt son and father. This villain of mine comes under the prediction.. (1. 2. 101-108) It is an attempt by a father to hang on to his last vestige of love for his son by claiming that un natural or non-regular celestial events like eclipses had something to do with his son turning against him.In private, Edmund completely rubbishes any such possibility and laughs at the weakness of his father for attributing his misfortunes to stars and nature. In support of his argument he says that his nature would have remained the same even if he had been fathered under the auspices of the luckiest celestial combination EDMUND when we are sick in fortune,often the surfeit of our own behavior,we make guilty of our disasters the sun, the moon, and the stars(1. 2. 118-120) .Tut, I should have been that I am, had the maidenliest star in the firmament twinkled on my bastardizing (1. 2. 132-134) The treachery of Edmund and his subsequent blinding at the pass of Cornwall, alienation from his son Edgar all lead to a decidedly negativist philosophical outlook in Gloucester and he tries to explain his misfortune by saying that Gods inflict pain and suffering on humans for playing period and as a pastime. He laments GLOUCESTER As flies to wanton boys, are we to the gods.They kill us for their sport. (4. 1. 37-38) He then decides to take his and asks the mad man (his son Edgar in disguise) to lead him to a cliff and let him take form from the heights to give up his life. Edgar cleverly takes him to a flat bit of land and pretends that he has let him jump, then quickly changes the way he speaks to make Gloucester believe that he has survived a fall from a great cliff because he was led by some angel seance as the mad man.Though far younger in age and having endured infamy and difficulties galore, Edgar had wisdom beyo nd his years and whenever his father falls fair game to despair, he helps him out of it by explaining the meaning of lifes journey. When Gloucester decides that he shall go no further and shall prefer rotting in the same place, Edgar tells him that mans duty is to endure and the journey can not be cut short for despair. Ageing, losing one faculties, suffering reversals are all part of life and shall not impede the journey.The success of a life well lived lies in the times that one has fallen and in fire of his fall, has managed to stand, dust himself off and started moving forward again, with hope in his sum of money that good shall overcome evil. It is well captured in Edgars entreaty to his father EDGAR What, in ill thoughts again? Men must endure Their qualifying hence, even as their coming hither Ripeness is all come on. (5. 2. 9-11) afterward several trials and tribulations Edgar finally accosts his half brother Edmund when he is invited for a duel and vanquishes him wit hout identifying himself.When there are questions all around slightly the accusations he hurled at Edmund as the chief perpetrator of cruelty and brutality against his own father Gloucester Edgar finally reveals that he is the originally noble blooded son of Gloucester and he explains the difficulties he had to endure and the compulsion of his to act like an al closely natural mad man, the attempted suicide of his father Gloucester and how he managed to save him with most implausible of stories. In the midst of all this exchange one more facet of Edmunds villainous treachery bears its evil fruit.EDMUND Yet Edmund was passion The one the other poisond for my sake, And after slew herself. (5. 3. 272-274) Edmund managed to pull strings even the love of two married ladies for him and this ends in tragedy when Goneril poisons capital of New York and subsequently kills herself. Misery and tragedy is what gos in every venture that Edmund starts out on because his heart is so corru pted with wanton revenge and retribution but it is directed not at any person but at the circumstances of his birth and his burning desire to camouflage it with a magnitude of achievements that border on fantasy.As he senses the end of his life, Edmund suffers a conscience attack and wants to do some good. He finally realizes that ambition coupled with treachery ca take one only thusly far and no further. Nobility of soul and purpose always manages to bunk the day and it is evident from the fall from grace and favor of Edmund all so suddenly in the last act of this tragic play. Just beforehand he is challenged to a duel by his half brother Edgar, he issues an order to kill Cordelia and King Lear.He also plans to pass it off as an apparent suicide. When he finally sees the mayhem he has created and the result of his treachery leading to two sisters dying, one by poison and other by her own hand, his conscience beseeches him to do at least one good deed before he is dead. He entrea ts the gathering to tear some one to stop King Lear and Cordelia being killed as per his orders. EDMUND I pant for life some good I mean to do, condescension of mine own nature. Quickly send,Be brief in it, to the palace for my writ Is on the life of Lear and on Cordelia Nay, send in time. (5. 3. 276-280) The sub plot of Gloucester launches the main villainy of Edmund on to the main stage of the play and holds his evil nature central to all misfortunes, well helped by the human infirmities of King Lears two daughters. But it also cleverly counters the numerous noble characters of the play Albany, Kent, Edgar- and the like. Evil wins several battles but ultimately loses the War. commodity suffers several trials by fire but manages to hold its own at the end. Two kings who let praise and suspicion take over their kick downstairs judgments suffer the moist implausible of consequences and in this, Shakespeare leaves a lot of lessons for all future generations. He almost seems to li st out some commandments about human nature 1. Thou shalt not fall prey to flattery King Lear 2. Thou shalt not allow suspicion to encroach your judgment but shall seek out complete facts Gloucester 3.Thou shalt not let acidulatedness pervade your soul, in acting with bitterness you invite bitter ends Edmund Apart from all these, Shakespeare seems to ask us to evaluate at every step if our intentions and actions have the desired effect on the people who are affected by it. If you love, let not the love patronize or smother the loved ones. And as one learned professor confessed to a student conversationally When in doubt about how to go about life, read Shakespeare. You might very well find the answer you need