King Lear - Relationship Between Sub-Plot and the Main-Plot
             William Shakespeare's play King Lear comprises of two complex yet thematically similar plots. He has used the characters and themes of the subplot to amplify the drama and calamity of the main plot. Through the tribulations of Edgar, the cruelty of Edmund and the suffering of Gloucester we will see a connection between their plot, and the main plot and its characters.
             The characterization of the sub-plot is incredibly similar to those in the main plot. We are introduced to the characters of the subplot in Act 1 when we hear Gloucester's illegitimate son, Edmund plotting to overthrow the boundaries of nature against his father and his older legitimate brother, Edgar. This sets the snowball effect for the sub-plot's inevitable tragedy. Like the sub-plot, the characters of the main plot are introduced in the beginning act and their own snowball has started to cascade into a complete tragedy. This is revealed when Lear rejects Cordelia, the daughter that truly loves him. By the establishment of each plots unending snowball of disaster we can see a resemblance between the two. An underlying theme that will play a major part in this play is the relationship between appearance vs reality.
             The reality of his daughter's true love for Lear is exposed to him in Act 2 as Goneril and Regan start to challenge his lack of authority. Lear was fooled by his daughters' appearance of love and kindness and it was only until they revealed their true lack of respect for him does Lear begin to see the reality. Gloucester also experiences this where his apparent loving son Edmund betrays him and he sees the reality of his son's true lack of love for him. What Gloucester and Lear additionally have in common being the victims of power and manipulation, another theme that plays a part in this play.
             Edmund manipulated Gloucester's old, trusting mind and ma...