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November 8, 2012

Characters of King Lear and Macbeth

Lear's tragical deformity is revealed quickly in his speech, mixed inextricably with his god- similar qualities, while Macbeth's tragic flaw of lust for political role has not yet been alter when we see him first. We hear of him as "noble Macbeth" (Macbeth I,2,69). But when the witches chatter to Macbeth about becoming king, he is put into a separate of apparent dread, which surprises Banquo: "Good sir, why do you start, and seem to worship/ Things that do sound so fair?" (Macbeth I,3,54-55).

This seems to indicate that Macbeth, blush if only on a subconscious level, recognizes in the witches' vaticination some exposure of the overriding ambition and drive for power which simmers latent in him. It is as if he possessed something of a the self-knowledge of the gods with respect to his tragic flaw, just, as we will see, he is unable(predicate) of doing any(prenominal)thing alone exercising the flaw and bringing himself and everyone around him misery.

there is something in Macbeth which warns him against the awakening yearning in him for the throne, but he seems to be po


Shakespeare, William. Complete Works. garden City, New York: Garden City Publishing, 1936.

Lear is at least condition the opportunity to experience some sort of redemption for his sins as he begs for forgiveness from Cordelia, but it seems that his self-centeredness is still primary. He is concerned not with the damage he has produced around him, but rather with being forgiven and taken care of by his daughters as he was in the past. He has not come to any true humility, but is essentially feeling sorry for himself. His tragic flaw---self-centeredness, expressed either as superbia or riotous and even false humility---is more than pro tapnt than ever. He seems more senile than redeemed by his experience.
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As he declares to Cordelia, like a lost child and/or a wild old man: "Come, let's away to prison:/ We two simply will sing like birds i' the cage:/ When thou dost beg me blessing, I'll kneel down/ And ask of thee forgiveness: so we'll live,/ And pray, and sing, and pick out old tales, and laugh/ At gilded butterflies" (King Lear V,3,9-14).

Lear's power is divine as king and he recognizes it: "Ay, every inch a king:/ When I do stare, see how the subject quakes./ I pardon that man's life" (King Lear IV,vi,108-110). But with his pride wounded by Cordelia's failure to express her have it away in the fashion of the new(prenominal) deceitful and greedy daughters, Lear feels the emptiness of his godlike power. He is control mad by the misery his own tragic pride has brought about. He finally recognizes the true worth of his daughter Cordelia's love for him: "You do me wrong to take me out o' the grave:/ megabyte art a soul in bliss; but I am bound/ Upon a wheel of fire, that mine own tears/ Do scald like resolve lead" (King Lear IV, vii,44-47).

The god-like qualities of both Lear and Macbeth can themselves be seen as so strong that they blind the heroes to the flaws which grow out of those qualities. In opposite words, the personal power and self-confidence of Macbeth are easily modify by the
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