King Lear And Waiting For Godot Analysis

One’s desire to be recognised and moreover acknowledge the truth within relationships, circumstances and furthermore life, is of central concern in both William Shakespeare’s “King Lear” and Samuel Beckett’s “Waiting For Godot”. The drive and motivation one illustrates whilst craving recognition or validation from those surrounding them is a recurring theme in both plays, as is, the recognition of one another’s identity and the “self” in them. It is the eventual recognition of power and it’s abuse over those deemed “weaker” which further accentuates the essence of recognition and acknowledgment within both theatrical performances. Despite this, “Misrecognition” or “blindness” to what is most obvious engulfs the major characters of both theatrical performances and fuels the consequential plot. The failure to identify individuals true contentions and means is consistently …show more content…
Shakespeare’s “Lear” experiences an eventual recognition of his daughters; Goneril and Regan’s misuse of power upon himself, Gloucester and Cordeilla. This sense of recognition towards the evil which lies within his two daughters occurs as the sisters deny their father of retaining any horseman and further servants. Lear’s disbelief towards the betrayal he experiences forces him to curse Goneril and venture into a brewing storm, which is symbolic of the figurative “storm” that forms between characters within the play. Lear’s recognition of his daughters misuse of power is furthered as he discovers Regan’s treatment of his faithful servant Kent, The king view’s this as not only disrespectful to kent but to himself and with grief cries out “O, how this mother swells up toward my heart! / Hysterica Passio, down, thou climbing sorrow”. (Shakespeare’s; “King Lear” 2.4.54–55). In a parallel plot within Shakespeare’s “King Lear”, Gloucester and Edgar come to understand the abuse of power