Blindness in "King Lear" as well as in my own life

Blindness and decision-making can be visional upon having the same resemblance. Blindness can normally be defined as the incapability of the eye to see, but according to Shakespeare, blindness in not a physical quality, but a mental flaw some people have. Decision-making, like blindness is related by the roles in which people play. Together blindness and decision-making are key elements in true caricatures of one's self. This is demonstrated in William Shakespeare's play, King Lear as well as in my own life. Even though Lear can physically see, he is mentally blind due to the fact that he lacks insight, understanding, and direction. Throughout the play, it is seen that for a variety of reasons King Lear moves from arrogance to humility and finally to wisdom. Contrast to King Lear, I experienced the ‘blind’ issue when I abandon my girlfriend due to the fact that my best friend told me she is unfaithful and dishonest.

"King Lear and the Fool in the Storm" by William D...

Goneril and Regan from King Lear

18th-century depiction of King Lear mourning over ...

Despite the fact that I didn’t have any prove I still judged my girlfriend upon my friend’s conclusion. When I realized my mistake, it was too late to change my acts. Both King Lear and Myself were blinded and that was the primary cause of the bad decision we made; decisions which we both eventually came to regret.

Lear’s first meltdown and blind issue takes place between his daughters at the very opening of the play. He comes to a decision to divide his monarchy upon his daughter’s words of flattery. The speeches used by evil Goneril and Regan, please the King, and he believes that they are loyal and loving daughters, while they only care about his power. When the youngest daughter, Cordelia says; “I cannot have my heart into my mouth,”(I, i, 87.) Lear misunderstands her natural act and believes that she is evil and disobeys the natural order. Cordelia says that she cannot flatter him falsely. Instead she says "I love your majesty according to my bond, no more no less" (I.i.92-93). After hearing that speech King decides to banish Cordelia from the Kingdom due to the fact that she refuses to behave like Renaissance women should. Their parent-child relationship is automatically destroyed. King Lear’s bond with his youngest daughter is destroyed due to the fact that he is trustworthy parent and foolishly believes the evil words of the children and misunderstands the honest daughter. On the other hand I experienced similar issue that clearly prove that I am sightless and unreasonable. When my girlfriend had serious problems at school as well as her education my friend told me that she avoided me only because she didn’t love me anymore and found someone else who could make her happier. When my girlfriend cried on the phone, and tried to explain herself and make me believe that she had a tough moral state in her life I didn’t want to listen to her and stopped talking to her for a long period of time. When I felt lonely I had my best friend Eva who made me believe that she is my true friend. She made all the stories up just to get back on my girlfriend who acted unfairly to her when they were kids. She pretended to be an angel on my right shoulder, helped me find comfort and trust in her arms, but deep inside she didn’t feel any of it. She just wanted to use me to get back on my girlfriend. Her words were very authentic and she helped me realize many things that destroyed my relationship with Natalia. Due to the fact that my so-called ‘friend’ made all the stories up, and she easily fooled me, my relationship between my girlfriend was over. As a result of our misjudgment, both King Lear and myself made destitute by the unappreciative persons.

Another evidence of Lear’s lack of sight or vision occurs when he arrives at Goneril’s castle. His daughter did not allow the King to have more then 100 knights at her castle and treated him with no respect. King got very mad but believed that the second daughter would please him and make sure that the King is pleased during his stay. When the Fool clearly warned the King that he is only a lap dog to Goneril and Regan by saying, "Truth's a dog must to kennel; he must be whipped out when the Lady Brach may stand by the fire and stink (I, i. 113)." The King still didn’t want to listen to anyone and when he got to Regan’s castle he gets really disappointed. She automatically set up the rules for him that must have been obeyed in order for him to stay at her place. Lear gets very angry and goes mad. He now realizes that the Fool had more wisdom and insight than anyone else. He is blunt, honest, and always says things the way he sees them. He might actually be considered as the voice or reality in Lear's crazy life, but unfortunately the King realizes that too late. In opposition I was blinded the same way as King Lear was. When one of my classmates whom I really disliked told me that I didn’t have any sense of mind and I am very naive I laughed at him and told him to mind his own business. He didn’t really cared about my life but by making fun of me he tried to make me realize my mistakes. When I decided to talk to my girlfriend again she didn’t answered my calls and ignored me. Since George was informed about the drama he was joking using sarcasms and saying that my girlfriend doesn’t want to talk to me, because she’s already happy with someone else and has no feelings for me. While my girlfriend was suffering from major depression I believed my best friend who turned my against my girlfriend. Once Natalia and me broke up and our relationship was finally destroyed, Eva was avoiding me and I didn’t feel that bond anymore. When I confronted her about it she was pretending like she doesn’t hear or see me. Then I realized that she’s smiling, I knew from that moment that she planed it all. Despite the fact that people with no impact on my life tried to help me realize my mistakes I still could not see it. Equally King Lear and myself were fooled by the person we really trusted and were not able to see that they are the evil ones, even though we had people who had no influence upon us who tried to make us ‘see better’.

Both King Lear and Myself were blinded which impacted our life negatively. Within Shakespeare’s play King Lear, the theme of blindness is shown through the character of King Lear. By making his decisions upon the words of flattery King Lear goes form having everything to nothing. In contrast to King Lear I trusted my friend who was two faced and didn’t listen to what others had to say. If we had learned to look with more than just our eyes, we would have avoided the drama. We both now realize that the world cannot be seen with the eye but with the heart, but unfortunately it is too late to change the past. Both Lear and myself were mentally blinded which caused our decisions to be unreasonable and regretful.

English: Title page of Shakespeare's King Lear (16...

Lear and Cordelia

Cover of Tate's The History of King Lear