Play "count the bodies" at the end. Who, by the end, has died. How many were "guilty" and how many were "innocent." What does this say about the concept of poetic justice?
In the end it happened to be that Edmund kills Edgar (innocent defeating guilty), Gloucester dies and he is innocent, Goneril poisons her sister Regan and then Regan commits suicide (I think they are both guilty of evil), and then Lear dies from grief at the passing of his beloved daughter Cordelia (both innocent).
At the end of the play many of the main characters were dead. Regan was killed by Goneril and then Goneril committed suicide mostly over Edmund. Edmund was challenged and killed by his half-brother Edgar. Edmund kills Cordelia by having her hanged and King Lear dies from the grief of her death. Cornwall was killed by one of Gloucester's loyal servants and Oswald was killed by Edgar. Gloucester dies in the end also. Regan, Goneril, Edmund, Oswald and Cornwall were guilty, King Lear and Gloucester were both guilty and innocent, and Cordelia was totally innocent. It should be he that lives by the sword dies by the sword but sometimes innocent people get hurt also.
At the end we have the fool and Gloucester (guilty for not seeing the truth sooner), who was hung some time during the fighting. Edmund (guilty for being @$$) dies by the hand of his brother, Edgar (innocent) in a duel.Cornwall (guilty for marring for money) dies at the hands of a loyal servent of Gloucester. Oswald (guilty for siding with the evil side) was killed. Regan dies by poison (guilty of being a bad daughter, wife, and sister) and her sister Goneril (guilty of the same) dies of stabing. Lear dies of grief (guilty of not seeing the truth and a big ego) and so does Cordelia (innocent). I see Cordelia as the martyr saint.
In the end it happened to be that Edmund kills Edgar (innocent defeating guilty), Gloucester dies and he is innocent, Goneril poisons her sister Regan and then Regan commits suicide (I think they are both guilty of evil), and then Lear dies from grief at the passing of his beloved daughter Cordelia (both innocent).
ReplyDeleteAt the end of the play many of the main characters were dead. Regan was killed by Goneril and then Goneril committed suicide mostly over Edmund. Edmund was challenged and killed by his half-brother Edgar. Edmund kills Cordelia by having her hanged and King Lear dies from the grief of her death. Cornwall was killed by one of Gloucester's loyal servants and Oswald was killed by Edgar. Gloucester dies in the end also. Regan, Goneril, Edmund, Oswald and Cornwall were guilty, King Lear and Gloucester were both guilty and innocent, and Cordelia was totally innocent. It should be he that lives by the sword dies by the sword but sometimes innocent people get hurt also.
ReplyDeleteAt the end we have the fool and Gloucester (guilty for not seeing the truth sooner), who was hung some time during the fighting. Edmund (guilty for being @$$) dies by the hand of his brother, Edgar (innocent) in a duel.Cornwall (guilty for marring for money) dies at the hands of a loyal servent of Gloucester. Oswald (guilty for siding with the evil side) was killed. Regan dies by poison (guilty of being a bad daughter, wife, and sister) and her sister Goneril (guilty of the same) dies of stabing. Lear dies of grief (guilty of not seeing the truth and a big ego) and so does Cordelia (innocent). I see Cordelia as the martyr saint.
ReplyDeleteWho doesn't die in the end except for Edgar and Albany? I'm pretty sure everyone else meets their maker.
ReplyDelete