Sympathetic Character in Shakespeare's Play King Lear Essay Example

What does it mean to be a sympathetic character? A sympathetic character is a fictional character in a story whom the writer expects the reader to identify with and care about, if not admire. A sympathetic character is one who is driven by empathy. It also means to feel or show concern about someone who is in a bad situation. The characters Gloucester and King Lear in Shakespeare's play King Lear are both disliked by the reader at first because they come off as nasty and frigid. By the end of the play, the reader sympathizes with both of these people because of how their children have deceived them. These characters are also a great examples of tragic heroes. A tragic hero is a character in a tragedy who has moral and sympathetic characteristics but ultimately suffers or is vanquished. Something tragic, such as the sudden loss of a loved one, is terribly catastrophic. A hero is someone who has performed extraordinary feats and is regarded as a role model for others. King Lear is a tragedy centred on the principal character King Lear, the compassion generated must be aimed towards this character and his parallel Gloucester in order for the play to follow the traditional pattern of a tragedy play. Shakespeare generates pity for Lear by depicting him as a highly strong and foolish guy, intensifying the audience's sympathy when this powerful, foolish monarch evolves into an insignificant but wise man. 

Act 1 presents King Lear as a historic figure with an obvious lack of objective judgement and an obstinate attitude. With the seriousness of an absolute king. when he announced his decision to abdicate, claiming that he has "divided in three our domain and its our fast wish to shake all troubles and business from our age." He appears to be a modest man who is mindful of his own fragility, attempting to ensure the future stability of his Kingdom for the benefit of his people, noting that "future violence may be prevented now." However, it soon becomes clear that Lear's goals are anything than selfless. This Act sees the creation of the subplot, which mimics Lear's missteps through Gloucester; this is the act in which Goneril, Regan, and Edmund are revealed towards the audience as villains, highlighting Lear's misjudgment and allowing the audience to feel more sympathy when Lear realises his inconsistencies. Shakespeare's portrayal of King Lear in the first act leaves the audience with little compassion for him when his daughters begin to plot against him, since Lear appears to be fully deserving of losing power because his purpose was just to offload his burden and not to aid his daughters. As Lear obtains realisation and clarity through his rage and expresses remorse for his behaviour as a King and father, more sympathy is felt because he has changed into a good person, and good people do not deserve bad treatment, so what ends up happening to Lear at the end of the play seems to be wrong because he is transformed, and it is a tragic ending. 

Gloucester, a loyal nobelman to King Lear, is an adulterous who fathered a bastard son. Gloucester begins as a self-absorbed, unpleasant figure who has no regard for his illegitimate son. “His breeding, sir, hath been at my charge. I have so often blushed to acknowledge him that now I am brazed to it.” (1. 1. 8 – 10) When Gloucester says this, he is not only admitting that he used to be ashamed of his illegitimate son, but he is also so self-absorbed that he fails to realise how Edmund must be feeling. As a result, Gloucester is an unsympathetic figure who is more concerned with his own reputation than with his son's feelings, as seen by this early incident. Gloucester's narrative parallels Lear's in that both begin the play with no knowledge of their offspring. In many aspects, Lear and Gloucester are quite similar, particularly in their fate; they both misjudge who of their children to trust and end up receiving what they deserve before realising what they have done wrong. Shakespeare clearly meant King Lear and Gloucester to mirror one other, and comparing their personalities and fates demonstrates how closely similar they are, particularly with their sympathetic nature emerging throughout the play. Gloucester is an unsympathetic character at first, but he stays such until a sequence of tragic events occur to him. The alterations of King Lear and Gloucester throughout the play, as a result of their words and acts in reaction towards their own personal great trials, shift the reader's opinion of them from unsympathetic to sympathetic individuals.

Towards the 2 and 3 act lear becomes more of a sympathetic character. Lear resolves to split the kingdom between Regan and Goneril (Lear's other lying daughters) because they were the ones who told him they loved him beyond all else. “Hence, and avoid my sight! So be my grave serenity, as I take her father's heart from her." (1.1.127). Lear expresses his rage at Cordelia and exiles her from the realm since she did not treat him in accordance with his expectations. When Kent (Lear's most devoted servant) cautions Lear not to exile Cordelia, he ends up exiling Kent as well. Kent has shown to be one of the most faithful characters to Lear, doing whatever for him even after the King kicks him out. “Hear me, recreant! On thine allegiance… shall not be revoked.” (1. 1. 170-182). When Lear says this, it demonstrates how he is so consumed by attention and power that he even bargains in his sole true daughter and faithful servant, Kent, for a phoney kiss from his two horrible daughters. At this moment, Lear exhibits no signs of sympathy and is acting utterly irrationally. Gloucester begins as a self-absorbed, unpleasant figure who has no regard for his illegitimate son. "His breeding, sir, has been entrusted to me." I've been blushing so much to acknowledge him that I'm now resigned to it." (1. 1. 8-10).

Towards the end of the play, after Gloucester is blinded and fooled by his own son, he is rendered defenceless and begins to exhibit sympathetic tendencies. With all of his self-pity and despair, he resolves to attempt suicide. He believes he has reached the lowest moment in his life, where he begins to feel sorry for himself and considers suicide. 'Please let go of my hand.' Here's another pocketbook, buddy, with a diamond worth a poor man's take: fairies and gods bless it with thee! Leave a little further away; bid me farewell, and let me hear thee go." (4.6 28-3).