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King Lear - Evil
In the King Lear play, Shakespeare creates many conditions in which
humans live in the world. The main characters in the play are used to
portray Shakespeare's ideas. One of these ideas which Shakespeare is
trying to portray is evil between the characters and in the world which are
emphasized throughout the play. The evil, created by humans, is outweighed
by good in the world of King Lear. Evil was created by humans who
decided to do wrong to others. Duke of Albany, said that all evil people
will be justly punished (ACT V, iii, 303). Albany indicated that it is the
people who caused evil and people decided to do evil, not gods. Lear
believes that since Edgar is out on the heath he must have given everything
to his daughters as well (ACT III, iv, 62ff). Since he believes that Edgar
gave everything to evil Lear must believe that people are the cause of evil.
It were Lear's daughters who decided to do wrong to Lear and it was Lear's
fault in giving away all of his land. Si ughters are the humans in the
play, it is the humans who caused the evil and Lear believes that humans
were the ones who created evil. Edgar, is another character in the play
who believes that evil is caused by humans and not the gods. Edgar said,
"The gods are just, and of our peasant vices make instruments to plague us"
(ACT V, iii, 169). Edgar clearly says that the gods are right and it is
the people who are responsible for promoting evil in the world. It is us
who make the instruments necessary for evil to spread and plague the world.
In the world of King Lear many characters believe evil was caused by the
people and not by the gods.
Even though evil was created by humans good will always exist. After
King Lear was captured he showed that even if evil exists, good will always
be present. Lear speaks about love with Cordelia in the prison cell and
how they will still have each other despite of the evil around them (ACT V,
iii, 8). On another occasion Lear also says that despite all the evil in
the world the raw nature, which is good, is still unharmed (ACT IV, iv, 90-
92). Lear discovers nature's beauty by playing with the mice and listening
to the signing birds. While all the evil is at its peak and everything
seems to be lost, the raw nature in the play is unharmed. The good exists
even while the evil dominates the world.
Good will not only exist if evil dominates, good will also outweigh
evil eventually. The war which was lost by Cordelia and Lear, the good
side, showed evil win (ACT V, ii). However, good over powered it after the
war by Duke of Albany. The good in the play first was diminished to almost
nothing but in the end more good was able to defeat evil in the play. When
the two sisters began fighting between each other evil began fighting
against evil (ACT V, i and iii). Eventually, because of that fighting
between evil, good was able to over power evil. When the evil seemed
strong and good almost non-existent, evil managed to fight itself and give
good a chance to get stronger. At the end of the play evil was completely
defeated and good once again dominated the world in the play.
Although evil will always be present and people will be the reason why
it exists, good will always outweigh evil. Through the characters,
Shakespeare is able to portray how evil and man compose in the world. The
evil will always exist but good will always win and dominate in the world
of King Lear.
ADDITIONAL FEATURED ESSAYS
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The Fool In King Lear
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