Tragedy. Shakespeare, William. King Lear. n.d. Literature Essay

Tragedy
Shakespeare’s tragedies are not only interesting but they are also full of important life lessons. In three of his plays, Othello, Macbeth, and King Lear, Shakespeare portrays the main characters’ downfall from glory. Although the prominences of the protagonists are admirable at the beginning of the plays, they engage in despicable acts that eventually lead them to their downfall and death. This essay explains why King Lear is the most tragic of the three plays and goes on to discuss why Othello also qualifies a tragedy.
King Lear is the most tragic of Shakespeare’s tragedies because when he decides to divide his kingdom among his daughters, he sets in motion a series of catastrophic events that not only splits his family but also contributes to its demise. The play is painful and when Cordelia, his favorite daughter fails to flatter him with sweet words like the older daughters, Regan and Goneril, he gets infuriated and decides to disown her. “Here I disclaim all my paternal care /Propinquity and property of blood” (Shakespeare, 1.1. 114-115). This decision, along with giving the kingdom to Regan and Goneril turns out to be disastrous as the two daughters betray him. The protagonist is too blind and arrogant to see that true love was from his youngest daughter. The tragedy is reinforced when Regan and Goneril plan to kill their father. At this point, one cannot help but sympathize with King Lear as he also goes insane. Troubles continue when he sets out with Kent to reunite with her favorite daughter after she had assembled a French army to save him. The defeat of Cordelia and the fact that he was to be killed rather than imprisoned with King Lear further reinfor...