The ability to observe clearly and precisely is vital, because trickery of many kinds can fool us into submission. William Shakespeare's play "King Lear" is one of the many plays that contain the theme of blindness and vision. This important theme is present mostly in acts one and three as it provides the play with profound meanings in life. Therefore, the concept of appearance versus reality is closely connected to blindness and vision. The characters Edmund, Gloucester, and Lear all exhibit some type of blindness that hinders their true vision to observe clearly.
             Edmund is Gloucester's illegitimate son in the play. Although Gloucester treats both Edgar and Edmund equally, Edmund still possesses anger and hatred against his father for committing adultery, thus rendering him as a bastard in the eyes of society. In Edmund's soliloquy he says, "...Edmund the base/ Shall top th' legitimate. I grow, I prosper/ Now, gods, stand up for bastards!" (Act I, sc. ii) Through this speech, it reveals that Edmund intends to replace his brother in the inheritance of their father's land. Edmund is blinded by his ambition to succeed and to rise in power so that society will no longer look down on him. Furthermore, Edmund himself displays appearance versus reality because he cleverly hides his true intentions from his father and Edgar. Nobody really suspects that the "loyal" Edmund possesses such evil intentions caused by society's blindness in accepting bastards.
             The Lord of Gloucester is one of Lear's dukes in the play. He plays a vital role because his family parallels that of King Lear's family. As Lear did not see the true love behind Cordelia, Gloucester also did not see the true Edgar as he believes in the falseness proposed by Edmund. However in act three Gloucester proclaims, "O my follies! Then Edgar was abused./ Kind gods, forgive me that, and prosper h...