King Lear, Act III

1. Impetuous: 1 : marked by impulsive vehemence or passion
2 : marked by force and violence of movement or action
-Merriam-Webster Online

Page 57 (Act III, Scene I): "...Which the impetuous blasts, with eyeless rage,
Catch in their fury, and make nothing of;
Strives in his little world of man to outscorn
The to-and-fro conflicting wind and rain."


2. Act III begins with Kent searching for Lear in the woods. He comes upon a knight who tells him that Lear is nearby with his fool. Kent gives the knight a ring and tells him to bring it to Cordelia, as she will understand who sent it. Lear and his fool continue to wander as this happens, with Lear clearly growing madder. When Kent finally encounters the two, he urges them to take shelter. Meanwhile, Gloucester is in his castle with Edmund. The former explains his distress at the two sisters shutting their father out. He then speaks of rumors of conflict between Cornwall and Albany before stating that he wishes to go search for Lear. He tells Edmund that if Cornwall learns of his actions he will be treated as a traitor and begs him to say nothing. Edmund secretly rejoices at the opportunity to end his father's life, taking control of his estate and possessions. The narration then switches back to Kent, Lear and the fool, who run into Edgar disguised as Poor Tom. Gloucester then finds them, but does not recognize his son. Gloucester convinces everyone to go back to his castle, despite the risk that Goneril, Regan, and Cornwall pose. The men arrive at a barn, and Lear holds a mock trial with animals taking the place of his daughters. Edgar and the fool play along and behave as madmen, allowing Lear's fantasy to take place. Lear falls asleep as Gloucester runs in, telling the other men that he has overheard a threat to the king's life. They all flee, with Lear, toward Dover. Back at Gloucester's castle, Cornwall orders the capture of Gloucester. He is caught and brought before his daughters, and Cornwall rips out his eyes. Gloucester's servant steps in and kills Cornwall. Regan tells Gloucester that Edmund is the one who betrayed him, and Gloucester realizes that Edgar is his loyal and loving son.


3. As Lear descends deeper into his madness, he seems to gain an understanding and a sympathy for others that he previously lacked. There is one point where he is praying, but not for himself. Instead, his efforts are extended toward "..poor naked wretches, wheresoe’er you are, That bide the pelting of this pitiless storm” (Act III, Scene IV, Lines 29-30). This is an extreme change from the commencement of the play, in which he disowned his favorite daughter for not boosting his pride. Where he used to care only about himself, Lear can finally think of others. Lear also tries to take off his clothing in an attempt to be nearer to the beggars. He has become human where before he was always striving to be above the level of all surrounding him. Similarly, Lear finally feels remorse and sees the error of his ways. He has realized that his eldest daughters are evil, and that his youngest, Cordelia, is the one who truly loved him. By seeing this he has also seen the tremendous mistake he made in casting her out. Before he started to lose his mind, Lear would never have admitted a flaw. He saw himself as perfect, never making mistakes. It's interesting to think about whether Shakespeare intended this change to be a product of his loss of mind or whether it was more of a trade-off. Cordelia seems to be near perfection, but all other characters seem to have a flaw. Can one be flawless, or must one always have an imperfection?
Animal imagery was interesting in this section. First, the cruel daughters are referred to as "wolves" by Kent in Scene IV, Line 16. Later, Lear calls them she foxes (Act IV, Line 20). Then the trial takes place, in which Lear uses animals to represent Regan and Goneril. It is suggested that in his madness he truly believes the animals to be his daughters, giving them a real trial. This animal imagery is fascinating, suggesting the primitive and predatory instincts they display. Lear himself is referred to as an animal as well, a "bare, forked animal" (Act IV, Lines 99-100). Is the king trying to relate to his wicked daughters? Or did he see himself as the animal first, then showing that they got their tendencies from him, although in a much more vicious form?


4. Is Shakespeare suggesting that one must have a character flaw? When Lear is sane he is arrogant and selfish, yet when he loses his mind, he becomes kind-hearted and loving. Is this caused by the change, or is it put into the plot to prove a point?