So for each play I am going to write a post based on a theme or idea or symbol that I found captivating in the play. For King Lear that idea is the power of language in the act of deception.
The play is constantly pushed forward by acts of deception. From Regan and Goneril, to Edmund, to Edgar, to Kent. The characters in the play that participate in deception, whether for evil purposes or for good, all have one major thing in common: their words. The way they speak and use language has more power than any other device for deception.
Regan and Goneril, for example, express their so-called love for their father in extravagant and hyperbolic terms that, once called out by Cordelia, seem ridiculous. Yet, their use of language convince Lear that they do love him deeply and leads him to give his two eldest daughters his kingdom, with nothing for Cordelia.
Now Edmund's deception is one of the most thoughtful in my mind. Edmund has thought about how to keep his charade going. He has thought about who is going to be deceived and how to keep those people away from each other. And for the most part it works brilliantly.
The deceptions that I enjoyed the most were Kent and Edgar's deceptions. They both disguise themselves, yet it is the way the speak that really deceives people. Kent speaking like a commoner and not the Duke he is. And Edgar speaking like a mad man. It is amazing. I also liked theirs more because it is for good. They are deceiving in order to protect themselves and others. It is deception, yes, but it has an admirable purpose.
