Shakespeare depicts the climax of Lear’s selfishness in Act 3, Scene 2, the storm. Although it could be seen as the climax of Lear’s madness, it is not. This is only the point at which all of Lear’s rage is let loose, as he screams at the heavens to do their worst. It is the climax of his selfishness because Lear refuses to accept any responsibility for his misfortune, proclaiming, “I am a man // More sinned against than sinning.”(3.2.62) At this stage Lear believes all his misfortune has been caused by his ungrateful daughters and he is not insane but merely angry. However, Shakespeare shows that Lear is starting to accept his insanity, which is the first step in order to recover the sanity he once had. Amidst the storm and Kent’s pleads of
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The final climax of King Lear’s madness is in Act 4. Scene 6, when Lear meets Gloucester and Edgar. Gloucester and Edgar are introduced to Lear’s madness right when he arrives, attempting to fight a mouse. Gloucester and Edgar watch on as Lear dances around shouting, however, Shakespeare juxtaposes this with one of Lear’s wisest soliloquies. Lear describes his upbringing and how throughout his whole life people have been feeding him lies to make him feel appreciated, which is the very cause of his unbalance early in the play. Lear describes, “They flattered me like a dog and told me I had white hairs in my beard ere the black ones were there” (4.6.115). This is exactly what Goneril and Regan did in Scene 1, but Lear was blind to it in his unbalanced state. He goes on, describing how everyone simply agreed with him to look devout, “To say “ay” and “no” to everything I said “ay” and “no” to was no good divinity”. Not only has Lear made the realization that people have been lying to him all long to flatter him, but he realizes that he is not a God, he is not immune to mistakes. “...they told me I was everything. ‘Tis a lie. I am not argue-proof”. Lear states what brought him to this conclusion: “When the rain came to wet me once and the wind to make me chatter, when the thunder would not peace at my bidding, there I found
The final climax of King Lear’s madness is in Act 4. Scene 6, when Lear meets Gloucester and Edgar. Gloucester and Edgar are introduced to Lear’s madness right when he arrives, attempting to fight a mouse. Gloucester and Edgar watch on as Lear dances around shouting, however, Shakespeare juxtaposes this with one of Lear’s wisest soliloquies. Lear describes his upbringing and how throughout his whole life people have been feeding him lies to make him feel appreciated, which is the very cause of his unbalance early in the play. Lear describes, “They flattered me like a dog and told me I had white hairs in my beard ere the black ones were there” (4.6.115). This is exactly what Goneril and Regan did in Scene 1, but Lear was blind to it in his unbalanced state. He goes on, describing how everyone simply agreed with him to look devout, “To say “ay” and “no” to everything I said “ay” and “no” to was no good divinity”. Not only has Lear made the realization that people have been lying to him all long to flatter him, but he realizes that he is not a God, he is not immune to mistakes. “...they told me I was everything. ‘Tis a lie. I am not argue-proof”. Lear states what brought him to this conclusion: “When the rain came to wet me once and the wind to make me chatter, when the thunder would not peace at my bidding, there I found