King Lear

The Physical and Mental Eye In King Lear

There are more than 47 references to 'eyes' in King Lear - 24 of them in Act 4 alone. In the first scene Gonerill tells her father she loves him more than eyesight, Lear banishes Kent from his 'sight' and Kent warns his king to 'see better, Lear'. Sight, seeing, eyes, tears: words associated with eyes are a constant theme in the play.

Act 3 scene 7 begins with Gonerill suggesting Gloucester's eyes be plucked out. When Lear and Gloucester are reunited in Act 4 scene 6, Lear tells Gloucester 'I remember thine eyes well enough' (line 137). Lear recognises that literal sight does not equate with metaphorical sight (knowledge): 'Your eyes' he says 'are in a heavy case … yet you see how this world goes.' (lines 147-9) Gloucester agrees: 'I see it feelingly.' The blinding of Gloucester ironically allows him to see clearly for the first time, having, he says, 'stumbled when I saw'.

Seeing the Future and Seeing Character
Lear thinks he has his future well planned: 'to avoid future strife' he will now divide his kingdom between his three daughters and live in his 'retirement' with his youngest and favourite daughter, Cordelia. But because Cordelia refuses to play Lear's 'game of love', his plan fails, Cordelia is banished and the king learns too late that his elder daughters are unwilling to give their father a home. Lear is, during the 'love-test', unable to see people for what they are. He misjudges character again and again, not only that of his daughters but also of his loyal retainer, Kent. Lear is unable to see the difference between speech that is true and speech that is false. He deludes himself about the future and about who is loyal and loving toward him. Similarly, Gloucester proves unable to acknowledge that his bastard son, Edmund, is less worthy than his legitimate son, Edgar, until it is too late.

Duty and Knowing Oneself
It is conscience that tells us when we do wrong or act foolishly. Gonerill and Regan do wrong from the beginning of the play but they do not acknowledge their wrong-doings. Indeed, Gonerill sees herself as the victim of Lear's wrong-doing: 'by day and night he wrongs me' (1.3.3). Edmund, though, is aware of his lack of goodness and relishes it - he scorns his gullible brother 'on whose foolish honesty / My practices ride easy!' Both Cordelia and Kent have self-knowledge and will not deviate from what they consider the right thing to do. They also acknowledge duty. It is Lear, though, who has to make the longest and most bitter journey towards self-knowledge and clarity of sight, which happens only in madness - only then is he able to see that love cannot be judged by words but by actions. Even towards the end of the play he cannot quite face up to what his lack of foresight has put in train: he has led his country to war with France.

As king, Lear made even private dealings public but at the end, he wants to shun being seen. One person who has, throughout the play, represented the truth to Lear is his Fool. It is significant that it is after the Fool's death, Lear begins to see the truth for himself.

by Joy Leslie Gibson


			There are more than 47 references to 'eyes' in King Lear - 24 of them in Act 4 alone. In the first scene Gonerill tells her father she loves him more than eyesight, Lear banishes Kent from his 'sight' and Kent warns his king to 'see better, Lear'. Sight, seeing, eyes, tears: words associated with eyes are a constant theme in the play. Act 3 scene 7 begins with Gonerill suggesting Gloucester's eyes be plucked out. When Lear and Gloucester are reunited in Act 4 scene 6, Lear tells Gloucester 'I remember thine eyes well enough' (line 137). Lear recognises that literal sight does not equate with metaphorical sight (knowledge): 'Your eyes' he says 'are in a heavy case … yet you see how this world goes.' (lines 147-9) Gloucester agrees: 'I see it feelingly.' The blinding of Gloucester ironically allows him to see clearly for the first time, having, he says, 'stumbled when I saw'. Lear thinks he has his future well planned: 'to avoid future strife' he will now divide his kingdom between his three daughters and live in his 'retirement' with his youngest and favourite daughter, Cordelia. But because Cordelia refuses to play Lear's 'game of love', his plan fails, Cordelia is banished and the king learns too late that his elder daughters are unwilling to give their father a home. Lear is, during the 'love-test', unable to see people for what they are. He misjudges character again and again, not only that of his daughters but also of his loyal retainer, Kent. Lear is unable to see the difference between speech that is true and speech that is false. He deludes himself about the future and about who is loyal and loving toward him. Similarly, Gloucester proves unable to acknowledge that his bastard son, Edmund, is less worthy than his legitimate son, Edgar, until it is too late. It is conscience that tells us when we do wrong or act foolishly. Gonerill and Regan do wrong from the beginning of the play but they do not acknowledge their wrong-doings. Indeed, Gonerill sees herself as the victim of Lear's wrong-doing: 'by day and night he wrongs me' (1.3.3). Edmund, though, is aware of his lack of goodness and relishes it - he scorns his gullible brother 'on whose foolish honesty / My practices ride easy!' Both Cordelia and Kent have self-knowledge and will not deviate from what they consider the right thing to do. They also acknowledge duty. It is Lear, though, who has to make the longest and most bitter journey towards self-knowledge and clarity of sight, which happens only in madness - only then is he able to see that love cannot be judged by words but by actions. Even towards the end of the play he cannot quite face up to what his lack of foresight has put in train: he has led his country to war with France. As king, Lear made even private dealings public but at the end, he wants to shun being seen. One person who has, throughout the play, represented the truth to Lear is his Fool. It is significant that it is after the Fool's death, Lear begins to see the truth for himself. by Joy Leslie Gibson