Figuration of Sight in King Lear and Smell in Macbeth

Introduction

William Shakespeare is the English literature's most renowned writer. He was born in 1564 in England. He did not get further formal education other than attending grammar school. During 1590, he left behind his family and went to London to become a playwright and an actor. Eventually, Shakespeare became a very popular playwright and was also the Global Theater's part owner. His career progressed through the Elizabethan and Jacobean eras. He was a favorite in both the eras' royal family. Shakespeare and his company were granted by James, the highest compliments by presenting the 'King's Men' title upon all the members. Shakespeare retired to Stratford, renowned and wealthy. In 1616, aging fifty two, he died. Many different luminaries of literature, like Ben Jonson, claimed Shakespeare's works as brilliant and timeless. In his plays, Shakespeare has demonstrated the importance of the sensory faculty. The importance of sight, smell, hearing and touching has been significant in all his plays. This paper highlights the importance of sight in King Lear and smell in Macbeth.

King Lear

King Lear is one of the famous plays of Shakespeare and has always been subject to much critique and discussion as audiences have always responded to it in many ways. This literary work is renowned for its complexities and is a true reflection of Shakespeare's genius. This tragedy is an amalgamation of complex and colorful characters and themes, highly intense emotions and a very intricate plot full of surprising twists and turns.

The play is about political power and how it manifests itself in family dynamics. The king, out of sheer foolishness gives his authority Goneril and Regan, landing his entire empire into chaos and tumult (Adelman, pp. 55). As the two sisters indulge in their insatiable quest for power, and Edmund begins his own ascension, the entire kingdom falls into great misery and as the King's fate sees a tragic downfall, the entire country is also engulfed by civil strife and disorder. The play contains a wide range of themes running though out. They are universal in nature and have been recurrently experienced by humanity, irrespective of religion or culture. The readers and audience can connect to one or the other aspect of the play. For example, greed, lust, betrayal, insanity, thirsts for power and self-realization. In this play, sight has played an important part. However, Shakespeare sticks to the reality and also makes it apparent that there is no swift and poetic justice in nature. The good also die. As the evil are punished, so are the redeemed Lear and the pure Cordelia. However it is evident that with Lear's death, his suffering also ends. His confrontation with nature could not have made him return to normalcy (Spurgeon, pp. 46). However, Cordelia's death is troublesome as she is innocent and forgiving, right from the beginning of the play. Yet it only proves that evil and chaos destruct the perpetrators, but also at times take away many innocent ...