meets Poor Tom, and starts an unsteady, but positive-leaning transformation into truly good madness.
Inside a hovel, safe from the storm, Lear, the fool, and Kent, meet the naked Poor Tom and later, Gloucester. Lear sees wisdom in Poor Tom and his nakedness, claiming “Unaccommodated man is no more but such a poor, bare, forked animal as thou art,” (279) and then Lear, too, strips. Lear continues to talk with and refer to Poor Tom as philosopher (284). In stripping himself, Lear materializes his earlier indications of freedom, and shows that he possesses good madness. He has now started to live the philosopher’s life, unburdened and free from material items to focus on the truth. Furthermore, in speaking to Gloucester, who was recently blinded, Lear says, “What, art mad? A man may see how the world goes with no eyes” (338). Here, Lear shares his new wisdom in his good madness. He highlights the fact that when one is physically blind he can see the world as …show more content…
It also continues to force him to realize the truth that a fulfilling life is not a material one; high status is insignificant. Lear’s regret and new emphasis on love and not status is shown when he tells Cordelia, “He that parts us shall bring a brand from heaven, And fire us hence like foxes. Wipe thine eyes; The good years shall devour them, flesh and fell, Ere they shall make us weep!” (366). Here, Lear is repentant as he promises Cordelia that the only way they will part again will be through divine action. Never again will the high-status flaws of greed for power, material wealth, or praise come between them. His love for Cordelia is now equal to hers and will make the years that he presumes they will have together good. Lear and Cordelia ultimately die, but Lear dies a better person because of his good
Inside a hovel, safe from the storm, Lear, the fool, and Kent, meet the naked Poor Tom and later, Gloucester. Lear sees wisdom in Poor Tom and his nakedness, claiming “Unaccommodated man is no more but such a poor, bare, forked animal as thou art,” (279) and then Lear, too, strips. Lear continues to talk with and refer to Poor Tom as philosopher (284). In stripping himself, Lear materializes his earlier indications of freedom, and shows that he possesses good madness. He has now started to live the philosopher’s life, unburdened and free from material items to focus on the truth. Furthermore, in speaking to Gloucester, who was recently blinded, Lear says, “What, art mad? A man may see how the world goes with no eyes” (338). Here, Lear shares his new wisdom in his good madness. He highlights the fact that when one is physically blind he can see the world as …show more content…
It also continues to force him to realize the truth that a fulfilling life is not a material one; high status is insignificant. Lear’s regret and new emphasis on love and not status is shown when he tells Cordelia, “He that parts us shall bring a brand from heaven, And fire us hence like foxes. Wipe thine eyes; The good years shall devour them, flesh and fell, Ere they shall make us weep!” (366). Here, Lear is repentant as he promises Cordelia that the only way they will part again will be through divine action. Never again will the high-status flaws of greed for power, material wealth, or praise come between them. His love for Cordelia is now equal to hers and will make the years that he presumes they will have together good. Lear and Cordelia ultimately die, but Lear dies a better person because of his good