Anger In King Lear

H.G. Bohn suggests, “Anger begins with folly, and ends with repentance”. The theme concerning anger is quite prevalent throughout the play, King Lear by William Shakespeare. These habitual scenes are correlated with the characters such as Gloucester, Edmund, and King Lear. The lack of sense can quickly evolve into a rage, spiralling into regret due to realization. Beginning with a common flaw is what sparks the anger. Subsequently, as anger being the top priority for one, rash decisions are put forth. Finally, this period of temper diminishes leaving remorse in replace. Due to the inability of perception, one will experience a period of rage thus resulting in regret.

To begin, the common flaw of lack of perception of one can easily develop

Shortly after Gloucester will experience regret for putting the search and death sentence out for his son, Edgar was forced to remain in solitary and impersonate a bedlam beggar. For instance, after returning home to his father Gloucester declares, “O my follies! Then Edgar was abused. / Kind gods, forgive me that, and prosper him!” (3.7.92-93). Once Gloucester has come to the conclusion of his poor judgement he understands how he has wronged his legitimate son, Edgar. Gloucester then asks for forgiveness but soon after faces death due to the pure shock of the reveal of Edgar as the bedlam beggar. Equally important, Edmund is the cause of his own demise, but experiences no remorse. In particular, Albany announces, “The gods defend her! Bear him hence awhile” [Edmund is borne off] (5.3.256). After all, Edmund has done to accomplish what once belonged to Edgar, his poor decisions caught up with him. Ultimately, Edmund is at fault for his own demise due to his anger misguiding his choices. At the same time, King Lear himself, experiences regret similarly to Gloucester. Soon after Lear witnesses his deceased daughter, Cordelia, he says, “I might have saved her; now she’s gone for ever!” (5.3.270). After awakening Lear has left the stage of insanity and anger and comes to the realization that he has wronged Cordelia, in the same sense that Gloucester has to Edgar. Regret engulfs Lear and soon also faces death due to heartache. Consequently, regret and even demise were the outcome of rash decision making originating from