King Lear; Vision & Blindness Flashcards
(14 cards)
What are the 3 types of Vision & Blindness that occur in “King Lear”?
- Metaphorical Blindness
- Eyes as indicators of personality
- Literal Blinding
Why and How is Vision and Blindness used throught “King Lear”?
Vision and Blindness are both used by Shakespeare to explore truth, self-awareness, and moral insight on both literal and metaphorical levels. It illustrates how characters can be physically able to see yet blind to the truth, while others, though physically blind, may gain inner clarity.
Actually blindings occur and threats in the form of “eye-plucking” and epiphonys mentioning sight and blindness are a common feature of this play.
What are 3 quotes that showcase Metaphorical Blindness?
- When Kent tells Lear to See better and asks to be let remain The true blank of thine eye.
- When Lear tell Gloucester that I remember thine eyes well enough.
- When Gloucester declared I stumbled when I saw.
Give some context to the quotes See better & The true blank of thine eye
At the start of the play blindness is used as a metaphor for Lear’s poor judgement. When Kent tells lear to See better and asks to be let remaing The true blank of thine eye, he is referring to the fact that the King can’t see the truth of his daughters greed.
Give some context to the quote I remember thine eyes well enough.
When Lear meets the Blinded Gloucester at the countryside near Dover, Lear notices Gloucesters blinding and berates himself for his own previous blindness to reality: I remember thine eyes well enough. This quote highlights Lears new-found self-awareness. Ironically it took Gloucester being blinded and Lear to go mad to start to perceieve the true nature of reality.
Give some context to the quote I stumbled when I saw.
At the start of act 4, Gloucester begins to realise that he was blind to reality when he failed to recognise Edgar’s loyalty. Ironically it is only when blinded by Cornwall he realises this fact. As he put it: I stumbled when I saw, stating that it took blindness for him to truly be able to see.
What are 3 quotes that showcase Eyes as indicator of Personality?
- Cordelia’s heavenly eyes
- Goneril’s Her eyes are fierce
- Regan’s eyes that do comfort and not burn
Give some context to the quote heavenly eyes.
Lear desrcribes Cordelia as having heavenly eyes from which holy water pours.Such language reinforces the image the image of Cordelia as am angelic force of goodness and truth.
Give some context to the quote Her eyes are fierce.
Lear tells Goneril that her eyes are fierce. Here he is depicting Gonerils personality through the portrayal of her eyes, indicating a ruthless, shrewdness.
Give some context to the quote do comfort and not burn.
Lear tells Regan that her eyes do comfort and not burn, unfortunately this is a delusion as her eyes are every bit as fierce and shrewd as Gonerils.
What are 3 quotes that showcase Blindness?
- Lear calling on nature to Strike her young bones… into her scornful eyes!
- Lear filled with despair says that Old fond eyes, beweep this cause again, I’ll pluck ye out’.
- Gloucester upon having his eyes plucked out commenting that all is dark and comfortless.
Give some context to the quote Strike her young bones… into her scornful eyes!.
At Albany’s Palace, Lear calls upon nature to strike Goneril as punishment for her ingratitude: Strike her young bones… into her scornful eyes. Here he remarks that Gonerils eyes are full of scorn and he calls on natures wrath to pluck them out.
Give some context to the quote Old fond eyes, beweep this cause again, I’ll pluck ye out’.
At Albany’s Palace, Lear after calling upon nature to trike Gonerils eyes trys to hold back his tears by threatening to blind himself: Old fond eyes, beweep this cause again, I’ll pluck ye out.
Give some context to the quote dark and comfortless.
At Gloucester’s Castle, Gloucester in response to having his eyes plucked out by Cornwall enters a deep despair. In response he declares all is dark and comfortless. This is by far the most violent scene in the play.
