In this scene we see Gloucester, at his very bleakest, his kind character has been pushed to the very limit of endurance and cannot bear the misery any longer. The extent of his torment is evident by his desire to commit suicide; he wants to be taken to Dover to where the cliff, 'who's bending head/looks fearfully in the confined deep.' This pessimistic view of the world is justified, and his change of outlook on the world is due to his ironically clearer vision of the world. He can now see the world for what it is, without his eyes, his insight to life has become clearer than when he had his vision when he was blinded by status and wealth; 'I stumbled when I saw.' Gloucester now sees the Gods as sadistic rulers who control man's fate; 'As flies to wanton boys are we to the Gods;/They kill us for their sport.' His anguish and misery has left him in a philosophical mood, for the first time seeing truth; he is almost fixated with it. Ironically, he is unaware that he has been given what he asked for 'might I live to see thee in my touch (Edmund).' Gloucester's once clouded judgment is now much more intelligent, if not accurate. This reflects a subtle theme that runs through the play. The good characters who are wealthy seem to have clouded judgment, but when stripped bare of their status and money, the truth is uncovered both metaphorically and literally. This is true for Edgar, Gloucester, and Lear. This seems to suggest that status and wealth are factors that cause the downfall of man. It is when they lose their exteriors, that they can see things for what they really are. Gloucester's losses have left him with nothing but the truth; something that would be extremely valuable to most, but to Gloucester who has lost everything it is too late. Gloucester calls for the 'superfluous and lust-dieted man', 'to undo excess', in order for him to see. Gloucester's communist attitude states 'distribution should undo excess/And each man has enou...