Belonging And Self-Destruction In Shakespeare's King

1015 Words5 Pages
Good morning/afternoon Yr 11 and Ms Pugh, today I will discuss with you about the topic of belonging, and how it can be both fulfilling and self-destructive. Belonging is a crucial human emotional need that is defined as the desire to connect and bond with others. Many individuals find that belonging can provide a sense of fulfilment alongside satisfaction, whilst individuals that struggle with belonging may result in a self-destructive behaviour that ultimately leads to the characters downfall. The picture book “I am Thomas” by Libby Gleeson and the tragic play “King Lear” by Shakespeare are significantly valued texts that have identified this concept and reveal how belonging can be influenced and provide feelings of fulfilment and self-destruction.…show more content…
In the play “King Lear”, Goneril falls victim to self-destruction over her profound love for Edmund. In Act 5, scene 1, Goneril states. Here, Shakespeare places an aside to the viewers in order to reveal Goneril’s fatal flaw of a desire to belong with Edmund and her romantic jealousy of Regan’s intimate relationship with him, generating tension and anticipation in the audience. Additionally, the metaphoric use of “sister should loosen him” reveals Goneril’s fear of Regan’s ability to induce destruction in her relationship with Edmund, similar to society’s capability to create harm in “I am Thomas”. We can see that this fear, accompanied by Goneril’s fatal flaw of desire and jealousy, brings turmoil to both herself and society, as she would “rather lose the battle” than not belong with Edmund. Later in the play, Goneril’s damaging flaw ultimately results in her downfall through poisoning Regan out of jealousy and her own eventual suicide as she comes to terms with what she has done. As demonstrated, the possession of a fatal flaw and a profound desire to belong can expose individuals to
Show More
Related

  • Lady Macbeth And Iago's Use Of Manipulation In Othello

    1182 Words  | 5 Pages

    In William Shakespeare’s tragedies Macbeth and Othello, the manipulation of Lady Macbeth and Iago, is the key to the downfall of the plays’ tragic heroes. In Shakespeare’s Macbeth, after Macbeth shares with his wife the predictions of three witches her lust for power becomes great and manipulates her husband into killing King Duncan which also leads to destruction of Macbeth. Meanwhile, in Shakespeare’s Othello, Iago, the antagonist vows his revenge against Othello for not promoting him to second

    Read More

More about Belonging And Self-Destruction In Shakespeare's King

Open Document