Who is gloucester in king lear

When he learns the truth about Edmund his tormented desire to be reconciled with Edgar redeems him. Like Lear, Gloucester becomes increasingly generous as he suffers.

He expresses great pity for Lear in Act IV and is genuinely concerned about the dangers the old man and Poor Tom face when helping him.

While the lunatic king raves about his daughters Gloucester confesses sadly that he is 'almost mad' III. His dark thoughts play a key role in establishing and maintaining the bleak atmosphere of the second half of the play. His willingness to die perhaps points towards the carnage of Act V Scene 3, preparing us for the final tragic outcome. The reconciliation with Edgar is too much to bear.

Gloucester is punished very harshly for his misjudgements of character. For all his faults, Gloucester will probably be viewed by most audiences as a character more sinned against than sinning. This heroic behavior sets Gloucester apart from his youngest son, Edmund, who is merely an opportunist. Like Lear, Gloucester feels despair and questions a god, and like Lear, Gloucester finds his humanity in the midst of his tragedy. The blinded old man who asks that clothing be brought, so that Bedlam Tom might be covered, is a very different man from the Gloucester of Act I, who in the play's opening scene, bragged of the good sport to be had at Edmund's conception.

Instead of a thoughtless braggart, Gloucester is filled with compassion for Poor Tom. This compassion for his fellow man indicates that Gloucester regrets the behavior of his past, as he seeks to make amends by sharing with those he never noticed before the recent events.

Then, suddenly realizing his position, Gloucester adds, "or rather do thy pleasure" 4. After a lifetime of being in command, Gloucester finally has to learn how to say "please. This transformation is necessary, because the Gloucester we meet at the beginning of the play is self-satisfied and a little hypocritical.

Gloucester's weakness is women, and one of his extramarital affairs produced Edmund. Some people, including Edgar, argue that Gloucester getting blinded is payback for the sin of adultery.

It's also noteworthy that Gloucester talks dirty about Edmund's mother right in front of his son —proving that he is insensitive at best. Then Gloucester goes on to believe Edmund's story about Edgar betraying him.

He doesn't even try to speak with his other son before he assumes that what Edmund says is true. Whatever happened to faith? Finally, Gloucester seems to recognize neither Kent who was his colleague nor his own son, Edgar, when those men are in disguise. The icing on the cake is that Gloucester is a jerk to the homeless man that is really his long-suffering son. Obviously, Gloucester pays way too much attention to outer appearance and social position, and that blinds him from seeing what really matters.