Shakespeares King Lear - Father/Son Conflicts Caused by Inferiority Complex and Power Struggle :: essays research papers

Throughout the play King Lear, by William Shakespeare, a participation is conveyed through father and son Gloucester and Edmund. Although the cause of this contest is Gloucesters betrayal by his bastard son, Edmund, there is more to this conflict than a simple power struggle. Through intertwining plots and scandals, Edmund creates a forged letter, destructively written by his half-brother, Edgar, having to do with his made up plans to murder his father, Gloucester. Edmund surpasses this premiere betrayal and reaches the epitome of evil when he plots a come acrossst his father by purpose ways to cross Gloucester with Regan and Cornwall, further enhancing his potential inheritance and power. In this conflict, Edmund is the last cause and initiator, making his father a victim to the scandal Edmund has savagely created. The conflict between Gloucester and his contriving son contribute to King Lear by congruous a parallel between Lears problems with his own daughters. Lear finds hi mself in a similar situation, his two daughters, Regan and Goneril, also scheme to betray their father, with hopes to profit from his sack of power. The resemblance between Lears daughters and Edmund holds a purpose to enhance the lecturers perception of what conflicts the desire for more power can create. provided through conveying separate instances of incredible treason between parent and offspring can the meaning and truth within the plays key theme of betrayal be expressed. Shakespeare creates the character of Edmund to be the undefiled villain. Not only does he fight dirty to gain power, he does it through manipulation and a complete lack of a scruples end-to-end a majority of the play. Because he is the illegitimate child he plans to, if not by birth, have lands by wit. The conflict between him and Gloucester is but an inevitable effect caused by Edmunds unyielding desire to gain more than his bastard status affords. He basically rips the Earl title away, along with h is fathers eyes because of his unstoppable ambition. It is precisely this power-hungry vigor that Edmund maintains throughout the play that stirs the conflict with his father, enhancing the main plot of the betrayal of Lear by his two-faced daughters. Edmund becomes increasingly consumed with the idea of gaining power and losing the bastard status that has been tagged to him since birth.