Natural vs. Unnatural in Shakespeare´s King Lear

The term supernatural was first used in 1520-30 AD. The definition of supernatural is “that which is not subject to the laws of physics, or more figuratively, that which is said to exist above and beyond nature” (“Supernatural”). The term supernatural, or unnatural, refers to paranormal, religions, and magic. Macbeth was written in 1606 and contains many of the unnatural elements listed above. In Macbeth, the supernatural plays a huge part in the play. The play is more focused on the unnatural element than the natural element. The element of unnatural is shown through the three weird sister witches, the deaths that occur in the play, and Banquo's ghost.

Nature plays the utmost largest role in this play. We can begin with the orating of nature through Lear relinquishing his crown and dividing his power among his daughters. It is here that Lear states his intentions “ to shake all cares and business from our age,”(l.l.40) in order to “ unburthened crawl towards death.”(l.l.42) Although, it was not in the intentions of King Lear to wreak havoc on his kingdom, he did so by relinquishing his crown. Therefore, subsequently leading his kingdom to an ironic flow of catastrophic events. It was impossible for Lear to stop being king due to the fact that it was his rightful position and he acknowledges this by stating:

King Lear poses many questions to its audience. Shakespeare’s conventions throughout the story hold true to the plot until Albany’s speech is interrupted by Lear’s rambling words. Upon closer examination however, it is obvious that the play’s writer meant to violate some of the conventions which he set earlier in the story through the crazed king's words. The character’s verses can be interpreted several ways, showing a different side of the conventions which Shakespeare sets. Focusing on the particular scene shows an underlying theme concerning the human race. His writing leaves the audience with a question about the story’s true meaning.

King Lear, overall, is a testimony of a literary work that somehow manages to bind us deeply into a strong sentiment of empathy or a metaphorical attachment of assumed tragic hero. Tragedy, exclusively, has consistently and substantially been proven to be the most emotionally compelling of literary works, and to most critics King Lear, although noting that it lacks in that regard in some aspects, is the most tragic of Shakespeare’s tragedies. The scenes written evoke a certain magnitude of tragedy, each one arousing emotions of fear and pity.

By developing the motif of unnatural occurrences goes along with the regicide, Shakespeare suggests that a disruption in the political order will trigger the unrest of a country.

In this play, there is a noticeable difference between the natural way in which humans want to act against what is considered natural in society. Elements of society cause the characters to be able to justify unnatural actions. Shakespeare thoroughly laces this play with the concept of humans are neither good nor evil by nature.

William Shakespeare’s King Lear is the tragic story of a king’s descent from power as the life that he had once had crumbles before him. It is a story that relies heavily on the relationships between its characters and how they change. Lear is slowly driven insane throughout the course of the play as he unintentionally rids himself of the positive relationships while relying upon negative ones. However, it is Margot Heinemann’s argument that the play not only relies on interpersonal drama, but also the politics of England in her essay, “‘Demystifying the Mystery of the State’: King Lear and the World Upside Down”. In her essay, Heinemann provides an in depth analysis of how the politics of England when the play takes place, and also when the

In King Lear, by William Shakespeare, the theme of the play is ultimately about nothing, this is seen through family ties, social standards, and the blindness of surroundings. In first scenes of King Lear, family connections turn into shambles, which in its

Within the universe, patterns of behaviour and consequences are derived from a deeply embedded cause and effect relationship. Meaning that two completely unrelated concepts can effect one another. Playwright William Shakespeare uses the dramatization of nature and human nature as a pedestal to showcase how these patterns of behaviour and consequences can be cause of a tragic downfall. This dramatization of the relation between nature and human nature in Shakespeare’s King Lear is a necessary component to emphasize the downfall of King Lear. This can be seen through the historical lens of what nature symbolically meant in Shakespeare’s time, how it enlarges a scene of identity, as well as the consequences of breaking the laws of nature.

Shakespeare's tragedy King Lear can be interpreted in many ways and many responses. The imprecision’s and complication of the play has led

Throughout the duration of King Lear, there is a reoccurrence of the words “nature”, “natural”, and “unnatural”. Nature, in general, takes on a significant role in one of Shakespeare’s most famous tragedies. The metaphorical subject of nature plays out as a backdrop in King Lear. The figurative nature of Lear’s conflict with his undeserving daughters parallels that of the literal raging storm he faces as he is thrown out of both daughter’s homes. Each of the characters, Lear, Edmund, and Gloucester, at some point in the story call on nature in some form or another.

This quote is coming from Cordelia in the first scene of the first act. Lear has just called his three daughters in and is dividing up his kingdom. The daughters are telling Lear how much they love him in order to influence the decision on dividing the kingdom. Regan and Goneril both lie and say that they love him more than words can express but Cordelia doesn't lie and tells the truth. In this quote, she says, “Lear you have raised me and loved me and I’m returning the favor. I love you just as I should, I obey you, I love you and I honor you. Hopefully, when I get married I will give you my husband and half of my love.” This quote is showing that in King Lear, Shakespeare uses characters to represent something greater. In the story, there are a few main characters that are big metaphors one being King Lear representing madness and insanity. A second being Goneril representing greed and lastly, Gloucester used to show the metaphors of people not opening their eyes to what's actually going on. All these metaphors have an important lesson to them that can be applied into the

The theme of Chaos has been used within the play to reflect the societal values of Elizabethan England. King Lear was written just after Queen Elizabeth I’s death in 1603, when King James I was crowned. King James quickly became an unpopular ruler, as he would not listen to other’s opinions, and made very harsh decisions, similar to King Lear himself. “How in one house, should many people under two commands hold amity? ‘Tis hard, almost impossible.” (Act 2 Scene 4) Regan is asking Lear how his knights and her servants can get along when they have two authority figures, using the chaos that Lear’s knights have caused as an excuse to dismiss them and claim the last of Lear’s power. This power struggle ties in with the Elizabethan concept of the Chain of Being. The chain itself is a hierarchy linking all of God’s creations, starting at the top of the chain with God, then the angels, then the Monarch, who is viewed as God’s

It might be useful to view nature as `the natural order of the world' (and, perhaps, the universe). When one goes against the natural order, chaos will follow. Shakespeare has made this point clear in "Troilus and Cressida" where Ulysses predicts that once "the specialty of rule hath been neglected disaster will follow, for take but degree away, untune that string, and hark what discord follows" (I.iii). But what are the natural orders that were upset in King Lear? First, and foremost, King Lear divided his kingdom and stepped down from the throne. A king of divine

gone mad from exposure to the storm and the anguish he has suffered at the hands