Too Much Credit to the Loony

Finally, the painful language that pierces my thought process with every "callith" and "me thinkith" is over. Not only is the book over, but I also experienced Shakespeare's usual happy ending which consists of killing off pretty much every main character (slight tone of sarcasm). After giving up on William and turning to the amazing talents of the world wide web, I was finally able to understand what was going on with the help of "No Fear Shakespeare". Once I read all the Acts in "normal" English, I found the plot line of "King Lear" to be incredibly interesting and would even go as far to say that I enjoyed it.
The closing scene seemed like a typical wrap up by Shakespeare. Of course, Cordelia had to die seeing as she was the only good-hearted character. Should have seen that coming. I found it very disagreeable that near the end, Lear was so sympathized:

"The weight of this sad time we must obey.
Speak what we feel, not what we ought to say.
The oldest hath borne most. We that are young
Shall never see so much, nor live so long." p. 310

How is it that Lear is looked at as a wise old man whose life should be thought of as a long and well traveled journey that should be looked to as an example? By the middle of the book he could have been declared legally insane! He set up a fake court trial against his daughters in some hut in the middle of a rain storm in the company of his servants and what was thought to be a crazy pheasant. I feel that his insanity was understandable seeing as his kingdom practically crumbled beneath him and his own daughters whom he loved turned against him, but to look at him as a role model? And yes, Lear did experience a lot that not many people experience on a daily basis, but everyone faces hardships in life. Albany just lost not only his wife, but both his sister-in-laws and his father-in-law in the same day. If that ever happened to someone today, I'd say that's a hell of a lot to experience. I've never even been to a funeral in my life, so even one death would be a dramatic for me. I do feel sympathy towards Lear, even though it was his pride that brought most everything on to himself. If he hadn't been so stuck on the idea that his daughters had to confess their love with words to impress him, he might not have banished Cordelia and saved him the loss of his one trustworthy daughter, his kingdom, and his sanity. I do understand the grief of his death, and the sympathy since even on his death bed he was still a crazy old man, but I don't understand how they see his life as such a success.


-purgalicious