King Lear: Dual Duties
What does duty to someone truly mean? The literal definition of duty is "a moral or legal obligation"(Merriam-Webster 1). This means that duty may be considered the morals or values of an individual. In King Lear by Shakespeare, duty is portrayed in contrasting levels, with Edmund and Edgar to show how important loyalty is to live a long and successful life.
Edmund's duty is very minimalistic in King Lear. Edmund, only thinking of himself, rarely fulfills his duty to his father, or to himself in general. When Edmund told Gloucester "It is his hand, my lord, but I hope his hear is not in the contents", Edmund knew very well that this was not doing his duty towards his brother(SparkNotes 1.2.65). Family is supposed to …show more content…
Edmund exists to promote loyalty by committing to his obligations. When Gloucester calls his son an "unnatural, detested, brutish villain", Edgar goes into hiding because he know his father is angered at him.(SparkNotes 1.2.73) Shakespeare makes Edgar go into hiding because he wants to illustrate the Edgar is still loyal to his father. If Edgar had been disloyal, he might have confronted Gloucester and tried to kill him, but Shakespeare makes Edgar hide to show that one should not fight with their family, even if there is conflict. Edgar performing his duty to his father is a way of promoting Edgar's moral principles. When Gloucester mentions that Edgar was "the food of thy father's wrath", Gloucester feels guilt, but Edmund feels better about himself, knowing that he knows he was not in the wrong. Edgar knew he had performed his duty accordingly, and was being rewarded with his father's regret. Shakespeare wants people to know that if they are doing the right thing, then favorable things will occur. Later on when Edgar is disguised as Poor Tom, he states "and yet I must", implying that he must trudge onward, for the sake of his father(SparkNotes 4.1.60). Edgar doesn't like to be in disguise, but he is performing a duty to his father. Edgar is loyal to his father this way, in that he won't give up on him. Later in guiding his father, Edgar tells his father he is "within a foot Of th' extreme …show more content…
Shakespeare used duty to explain how duty lead to loyalty, and how important loyalty is to being a human. Those who lacked duty, received less rewards, or greater punishments, while those who committed to their duty typically faired better. Shakespeare wanted to hint at a way to be successful in life, by contrasting levels of duty, and he certainly showed that throughout the
What does duty to someone truly mean? The literal definition of duty is "a moral or legal obligation"(Merriam-Webster 1). This means that duty may be considered the morals or values of an individual. In King Lear by Shakespeare, duty is portrayed in contrasting levels, with Edmund and Edgar to show how important loyalty is to live a long and successful life.
Edmund's duty is very minimalistic in King Lear. Edmund, only thinking of himself, rarely fulfills his duty to his father, or to himself in general. When Edmund told Gloucester "It is his hand, my lord, but I hope his hear is not in the contents", Edmund knew very well that this was not doing his duty towards his brother(SparkNotes 1.2.65). Family is supposed to …show more content…
Edmund exists to promote loyalty by committing to his obligations. When Gloucester calls his son an "unnatural, detested, brutish villain", Edgar goes into hiding because he know his father is angered at him.(SparkNotes 1.2.73) Shakespeare makes Edgar go into hiding because he wants to illustrate the Edgar is still loyal to his father. If Edgar had been disloyal, he might have confronted Gloucester and tried to kill him, but Shakespeare makes Edgar hide to show that one should not fight with their family, even if there is conflict. Edgar performing his duty to his father is a way of promoting Edgar's moral principles. When Gloucester mentions that Edgar was "the food of thy father's wrath", Gloucester feels guilt, but Edmund feels better about himself, knowing that he knows he was not in the wrong. Edgar knew he had performed his duty accordingly, and was being rewarded with his father's regret. Shakespeare wants people to know that if they are doing the right thing, then favorable things will occur. Later on when Edgar is disguised as Poor Tom, he states "and yet I must", implying that he must trudge onward, for the sake of his father(SparkNotes 4.1.60). Edgar doesn't like to be in disguise, but he is performing a duty to his father. Edgar is loyal to his father this way, in that he won't give up on him. Later in guiding his father, Edgar tells his father he is "within a foot Of th' extreme …show more content…
Shakespeare used duty to explain how duty lead to loyalty, and how important loyalty is to being a human. Those who lacked duty, received less rewards, or greater punishments, while those who committed to their duty typically faired better. Shakespeare wanted to hint at a way to be successful in life, by contrasting levels of duty, and he certainly showed that throughout the