In the story of King Lear, Shakespeare uses metaphorical and literal blindness to relay how Gloucester overcomes the burdensome power inflicted upon him by the younger generation and himself. Shakespeare accomplishes this by providing examples of Gloucester’s struggle to rid himself of power through his sons, his friends, and himself. Gloucester had to overcome the emotional blindness of the love he had for his sons to have who they really are come to light. He had to perceive his friends of the younger generation with a more pessimistic attitude, in order to not be consumed by their power. Gloucester also had to challenge himself and transform himself from a pompous to a more humble old man to rid himself of his foolishness, therefore becoming
