How Is King Lear Selfish

Indeed, many characters in Shakespeare’s tragic play King Lear have come to a realization about their faults due to severe violence and cruelty. First, King Lear reflects on how he handled his duties as king when he is stripped of his status and title. Similarly, once Edmund is wounded and accepts defeat, he feels remorse and attempts to right his wrongs. Additionally, after Gloucester is blinded and the truth is revealed, he regrets his harshness to his son, Edgar. Although Lear reaches a state of frenzy and madness due to the harshness of his daughters, the circumstance provides an opportunity for critical thought.

Primarily, King Lear has an epiphany once his status is reduced by his daughters. It is true, that when Lear is king he is very prideful and selfish; he is only concerned with his own well being. After being locked out in the storm, labeled a fool, and reduced …show more content…
Despite his previous title as the bastard son of Gloucester, he gains great power towards the end of the play and leads the war against France. Unfortunately, this heightened status does not last, for Edgar arrives and declares that Edmund is “...a traitor, [and is] false to [the] gods, [his] brother, and [his] father…” (lines 141-142). Although severe, the accusations are true; not only does Edmund betray his brother and father to steal the family title, he also plots to kill Cordelia and Lear. After Edgar wins the duel with Edmund to protect his honour, Edmund admits to his crimes “...and more, and much more. [Declaring that only] the time will bring [the truth] out. [For] ‘tis past, and so [is he],” (lines 173-174). As a result, Edmund warns Edgar of his plot to kill Cordelia and Lear, for “some good [he] mean to do, despite of [his] own nature,” (line 257-258). As discussed above, the shame Edmund faces after his brother vanquishes his status causes him to admit his crimes and attempt to right his evil