The Dominant Reading In Shakespeare's King Lear

The dominant reading, the way the majority interprets the text. In the case of the play ”King Lear”, by William Shakespeare, the traditional dominant reading is one of power and responsibility. Though the dominant reading is the most likely outcome from reading a text, there are many others that you can come across. These alternate readings help to make the text a relevant source of information in modern day society, whilst at the same time deepening our own personal interpretation of a text. Traditionally, the text “King Lear” is read as a play about power and responsibility. However, a psychoanalytic reading shifts into the characters and the possible hidden motives behind their conscious and unconscious actions.

Shakespeare’s play “King …show more content…
We see the first hint of his insecurity when he asks his daughters to profess how much they love him. “Which of you shall we say doth love us most?” (1.1, line 50). He believes, as their father, he will still have power over them even after he is no longer king. This is soon proven to be false as, after banishing the only daughter who spoke truth, his power is slowly but surely taken away from him throughout the play. First starting in material possessions. He voluntarily relinquishes his crown, thus becoming powerless, though he does not see it yet. Soon after his daughter's start letting off the help and his knights. Lear did not care for his subjects obedience, he wanted them their to maintain his power, his place in society. Lear unwittingly gives up his position as the patriarch of his kingdom and his family. This hamartia ultimately leads to Lear's spiral into madness. The scene of the storm truly encompasses this state. The winds that knock them off their feet, similar to the winds of change that knocked them down just scenes before. “What is the cause of thunder?” (3.4, line 139) Lear does not yet understand, he questions the gods, what is the cause of this? What is the cause of his daughter’s betrayal? Why would they treat him like this, their father? Why do the gods punish him in such a way? He hasn’t come to the same realization that Gloucester has at this point in the play. …show more content…
Gloucester acts on emotion, without thinking through the consequences of such, which is evident in the immaculate conception of his “bastard son”. He is also gullible, he believes his sons to be as trusting and open as he is. Once reading the letter, Gloucester immediately acts on emotion, the outrage and betrayal felt towards his son. He believes Edmond almost straight away, because why would Edmond lie? He has raised this boy, so shouldn’t he act the same way he does? “Loyal and natural boy, I’ll work the means to make thee capable” (2.1, line 83). Believing Edmond to be loyal to him, Gloucester decides to send word that Edmond his his son, of full birthright, and shall receive the inheritance Edgar before him would have