The Importance Of Responsibility In King Lear

Without Edgar from William’s Shakespeare’s King Lear taking responsibility for himself and for his father, the Earl of Gloucester, he would not be able to comprehend hardship and guide both himself and his father through suffering. When his life plans to become Earl of Gloucester veer off his expected path, Edgar immerses himself in a pit of desire. He has to transform his outlook on life to take responsibility for himself and for his father before he can understand that the world is not a honest or civil place. Edgar transitions from ignorance to intelligence due to his own suffering, observing his father’s suffering, and being able to accept and take responsibility for what has happened to them. Edgar is able to move past his self-doubt …show more content…
By taking over the role as “Poor Tom,” Edgar learns that others also face difficulties. Edgar no longer has sympathy for himself but now for others. It’s at the end of the play that Edgar is fully able to take responsibility for his and his father’s actions. Instead of weeping around about his misfortune, like at the beginning of the play, Edgar accepts his hardships and has taken responsibility for them. Due to Edgar’s decision to become someone he is not, it helps him to understand the realities of life, making him a sympathetic man for others instead of himself. Without leaving up to his full potential, Edgar would have never been able to take responsibility for himself, let alone his father. Edgar transforms from a clueless and egomaniacal man to a man who understands, engages, and is in authority of his and his father’s life. Due to Edgar kindness and courage he would have never grown as an individual, continuing to dwell o his unfortunate circumstances. Edgar’s guidance for his father makes Gloucester and himself understand the importance of taking …show more content…
He has received this because he led him and his father out of misery and had revenge on his brother. If Edgar had not taken responsibility earlier on in the play, he wouldn’t have lived to confront his brother about betraying him and his father. Although Gloucester dies in the end, without the help from Edgar, Gloucester would have died a blind old man with the thought that his two sons had turned on him. Edgar shows his father that he would never betray him and will always be there for him. Edgar learns how to takes responsibility and is rightfully rewarded in the