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  1. Lucifer
    Lucifer better to reign in hell than to serve in heaven

    Betrayal is widespread in King Lear. Cordelia is betrayed by his father. Lear is betrayed by his two eldest daughters. Albany is betrayed by his wife Goneril. Gloucester and Edgar are betrayed by Edmund. Edgar is also betrayed by his father Gloucester. Kent is betrayed by his master Lear. In the endRead more

    Betrayal is widespread in King Lear. Cordelia is betrayed by his father. Lear is betrayed by his two eldest daughters. Albany is betrayed by his wife Goneril. Gloucester and Edgar are betrayed by Edmund.

    Edgar is also betrayed by his father Gloucester. Kent is betrayed by his master Lear. In the end, all these betrayals bring much grief to the ones perpetrating them. Both Goneril and Regan lose power and die.

    Gloucester is blinded and Edmund is killed by Edgar. King Lear learns about his error is judgment and laments the loos of Cordelia and dies sad and alone.

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In:
  1. Lucifer
    Lucifer better to reign in hell than to serve in heaven

    Many of the terrible events that occur in King Lear are foreshadowed in advance. The utter ruin of kingdom after Lear decides to divide it is foreshadowed by his declaration. Gloucester blindness is foreshadowed by multiple mentions of vision and ability of sight. Even Lear’s madness and exclusion iRead more

    Many of the terrible events that occur in King Lear are foreshadowed in advance. The utter ruin of kingdom after Lear decides to divide it is foreshadowed by his declaration.

    Gloucester blindness is foreshadowed by multiple mentions of vision and ability of sight. Even Lear’s madness and exclusion is foreshadowed when his fool imagines how good a fool his master would be.

    One unfortunate outcome that is not foreshadowed and really sneaks up for the readers is Cordelia’s death.

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In:
  1. Lucifer
    Lucifer better to reign in hell than to serve in heaven

    The two parallel stories of two families in King Lear exhibit the same theme of filial ingratitude. In both family, Lear’s and Gloucester’s, the preferred heir/s become the cause for pain for the patriarch. Lear trusts Goneril and Regan with his kingdom only to be banished and ridiculed by them. GloRead more

    The two parallel stories of two families in King Lear exhibit the same theme of filial ingratitude. In both family, Lear’s and Gloucester’s, the preferred heir/s become the cause for pain for the patriarch.

    Lear trusts Goneril and Regan with his kingdom only to be banished and ridiculed by them. Gloucester also suffers indignity at the hands of his illegitimate son Edmund who only covets his wealth and power. In both cases the noble child, Cordelia and Edgar are punished for their loyalty and compassion.

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In:
  1. Lucifer
    Lucifer better to reign in hell than to serve in heaven

    In terms of religion, King Lear lacks any definite form of organized religion. Gloucester openly flouts religious morals by glorifying his extra marital affairs. Lear himself mentions few ancient deities but shows a kind of authority over them because of his position as the king. Most noticeable forRead more

    In terms of religion, King Lear lacks any definite form of organized religion. Gloucester openly flouts religious morals by glorifying his extra marital affairs.

    Lear himself mentions few ancient deities but shows a kind of authority over them because of his position as the king. Most noticeable form of christian belief is shown through Edgar, who is pilloried and punished by his own.

    However, when he sees his father suffering, he only has compassion for him. That is a very Christian thing to do. There are also examples of rebirths or new leases of life in the play with the likes of Kent, Edgar and Gloucester, another reference to the Christian faith.

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In:
  1. Lucifer
    Lucifer better to reign in hell than to serve in heaven

    Old age and death are described as inescapable in King Lear. Any man who lives long enough has  to ‘crawl towards his end’. These are the words of King Lear and they do come true for him as he is stripped of his powers and is forced to wander into wilderness before death brings him final reverie. AgRead more

    Old age and death are described as inescapable in King Lear. Any man who lives long enough has  to ‘crawl towards his end’. These are the words of King Lear and they do come true for him as he is stripped of his powers and is forced to wander into wilderness before death brings him final reverie.

    Age does not favour any man, be it a king or a pauper. This is highlighted in the fate of King Lear and Gloucester who suffer many an ignominy and humiliation as they trudge towards their end.

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In:
  1. Lucifer
    Lucifer better to reign in hell than to serve in heaven

    These are the words uttered by Gloucester when he realizes his own error in trusting Edmund over Edgar. Through these words, he want s to express his guilt  for the terrible decisions he made when he could see (before he turned blind). Therefore, when he had vision, he could not see clear enough toRead more

    These are the words uttered by Gloucester when he realizes his own error in trusting Edmund over Edgar. Through these words, he want s to express his guilt  for the terrible decisions he made when he could see (before he turned blind).

    Therefore, when he had vision, he could not see clear enough to make the right call and trust Edgar over his scheming step brother Edmund.

    The phrase mulls over the idea that often people make horrible mistakes with open eyes which  are blinded by their arrogance or ignorance.

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In:
  1. Lucifer
    Lucifer better to reign in hell than to serve in heaven

    Shakespeare employs animal imagery throughout King Lear to lend animal characteristics (perceived) to human characters. King Lear is described as a dragon for he is consumed with fiery rage at the inability of Cordelia to flatter him with praise. Goneril’s words of empty praise are described as venoRead more

    Shakespeare employs animal imagery throughout King Lear to lend animal characteristics (perceived) to human characters. King Lear is described as a dragon for he is consumed with fiery rage at the inability of Cordelia to flatter him with praise. Goneril’s words of empty praise are described as venom of a serpent.

    Regan and Goneril’s betrayal earns them the title of pelican sisters or vultures. Once Lear reunites with Cordelia, they both desire to sing like birds but are imprisoned much like birds in a steel cage.

    In a lot of ways, humans and animals are portrayed are having the same and basic instincts that manifest in our truest nature.

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In:
  1. Lucifer
    Lucifer better to reign in hell than to serve in heaven

    In King Lear, often what seems is not what is. People put on an act to gain advantages and deceive others. Goneril and Regan pretend to love their father to earn his inheritance. Edmund does the same with his father Gloucester. Edgar and Kent both put on guises to evade their attackers and survive.Read more

    In King Lear, often what seems is not what is. People put on an act to gain advantages and deceive others. Goneril and Regan pretend to love their father to earn his inheritance. Edmund does the same with his father Gloucester. Edgar and Kent both put on guises to evade their attackers and survive.

    Edgar reconnects with his father and Kent reunites with King Lear pretending to be people thy are nit. Goneril deceives her husband Albany as he has designs to kill him and marry Edmund.

    Regan does not want to reveal her own fascination with Edmund. In the play, people are often trying to be someone they are not as long as it benefits them. The best example is Lear’s fool, who appears to be stupid even though he maybe the wisest person in the play.

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