King Lear: Conspiracy In Nakedness And Dress
Nakedness and dress in Shakespeare's King Lear, represented the status of a
character. Many scenes use clothing to show one characters dominance over
another. The more opulent the clothing, the higher the status, or the lack of
clothing, the lower the status. A few characters go through many wardrobes.
Lear and Edgar, both start the beginning of the play wearing expensive,
luxurious clothing, but each at different times wear less glorious clothing or
even no clothing at all.
Lear who is the most powerful and authoritive character in the beginning of
the play, is also the best outfitted. Lear during the play, soils his clothing
in storms, heaths, battles, and other harsh ...
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to
be nobody.
Edgar, legitimate son to the Earl of Gloucester, is well dressed, not as
much as Lear, but still above commoners. Edgar is believed to be plotting to
annihilate his own father. So every one is after someone named "Edgar", who is
a well dressed noble. In order to protect himself, Edgar becomes no one. He
becomes nobody by shedding his noble garments, and disguises himself by, "My
face I'll grime with filth,/ Blanket my loins, elf all my hair in knots,/ And
with presented nakedness outface..." Now Edgar is nobody, and there is nobody
looking for nobody.
Edgar, wanting revenge on his bother, must take the status of somebody, so
he becomes a lunatic. Still needing protection, but also needing to be somebody,
Edgar chooses a person near nobody. The person he chooses is given in the line,
" Poor Turlygod! poor Tom!/ That's something yet! Edgar I nothing am." Edgar
becomes Tom of Bedlam, an insane lunatic. Now that Edgar is somebody, he can
once again ...
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"King Lear: Conspiracy In Nakedness And Dress." Essayworld.com. Essayworld.com, 20 Aug. 2006. Web. 23 Dec. 2024. <http://www.essayworld.com/essays/King-Lear-Conspiracy-In-Nakedness-Dress/51066>
"King Lear: Conspiracy In Nakedness And Dress." Essayworld.com. August 20, 2006. Accessed December 23, 2024. http://www.essayworld.com/essays/King-Lear-Conspiracy-In-Nakedness-Dress/51066.
"King Lear: Conspiracy In Nakedness And Dress." Essayworld.com. August 20, 2006. Accessed December 23, 2024. http://www.essayworld.com/essays/King-Lear-Conspiracy-In-Nakedness-Dress/51066.
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