William Shakespeare wrote the play, King Lear around 1602-1608 when he was at the height of his tragic power. Shakespeare had an acute understanding of human nature, and the ironies of life, which he portrays perfectly through the themes in the play. Lines 131-152 of Scene 6, Act 4, show the development of characters through the use of themes covering many aspects of the play. It shows both the physical and emotional blindness of characters in the play, and that the face value of things are not always the right ones - specifically with Lear and Gloucester. The insights of the passage also relate to the justice of the play, by showing how there are always consequences for ones actions. This develops the themes of reconciliation and understanding, through Lear and Gloucester, when the order is restored to them after realising their mistakes. This passage shows the themes particularly well, and inter-relates them to themselves and the play nicely.
             The passage brings Gloucester and King Lear together for the first time since Lear went mad and Gloucester was assaulted by Cornwall leaving his physically blind. This physical blindness symbolizes the metaphorical blindness that grips both himself, and Lear. They both have disloyal children and loyal children, and because of their blindness to the truth, they both banish the ones who love them most, and giving all to those who don't.
             Lear accepts the lies of Goneril and Regan, and rejects the honesty of Cordelia:
             "Let it be so; thy truth, then, be thy dower...Here I disclaim all my
             paternal care, propinquity and property of blood..." Act I, Sc i, Line 110
             Gloucester believes the lie his son Edmund tells him about his legitimate son Edgar:
             "O villain, villain! His very opinion in the letter! Abhorred villain! Unnatural,
             detested, brutish villain! Worse than brutish! Go, sirrah, seek him; I'll
             apprehend him: abominable villain! Where is h...