Blindness
In Shakespearean terms, blindness is defined in a completely different way than what you will find in Webster's Dictionary. Blindness can normally be defined as the inability of the eye to see, but according to Shakespeare, blindness is not a physical quality, but a mental flaw some people possess. Shakespeare's most dominant theme in the play King Lear is blindness. King Lear, Gloucester, and Albany are all examples used to interpret this theme. Each of these character's blindness was the cause of the bad decisions they made; decisions they will eventually come to regret.
The most blind of all was obviously, King Lear. Because of Lear's high position
in society, he was supposed to be able to distinguish the good from the bad; unfortunately, his lack of sight prevented him from doing so. Lear's first act of blindness came at the beginning of the play. First he was fooled by his two eldest daughters? lies, then, he was unable to see the truth of Cordelia's love for him. As a result, he banished her from his kingdom with these words "...for we have no such daughter, nor shall see that face of her again. Therefore be gone without our grace, our love, our benison."
(Act I, Scene I, Line 265-267). Lear's blindness also caused him to banish one of his loyal followers, Kent. Kent was able to see Cordelia's love for her father, and tried
to protect her from Lear's irrationality. After Kent was banished, he created a
disguise for himself and was hired by Lear as a servant. Lear's inability to determine his
servants identity proved once again how blind Lear actually was. Towards the end,
Lear's eyesight is almost perfect. He realized how disrespectful his two eldest daughters
really were after they locked him out of the castle during the roaring storm. Lear also
saw Cordelia for who she was and realized that her love for him was to large for words.
Unfortunately, Lear's blindness ends up costin...