A Complicated Relationship

King Lear was deceived by the people who he holds most dear. Goneril and Regan, who he has nourished and supported, turn their backs on Lear and leave him out in the storm to suffer. With nothing left, Lear has nowhere to direct his anger but to the raging storm. Lear shouts “Bids the wind blow the earth into the sea, or swell the curled waters ‘bove the main” (3.1.5-6).  Lear is pleading with nature to let him die. Lear further shows his anger towards his daughters’ betrayal, saying “Crack nature’s molds, all germens spill out at once that makes ungrateful men” (3.2.10-11). Lear figures that nature is the reason that Goneril and Regan are ungrateful and asks that nature creates no more ungrateful people.

            Lear then says “Nor rain, wind, thunder, fire are my daughters. I tax not you, with unkindness. I never gave you kingdom, called you children; You owe me subscriptions” (3.2.17-20). Lear admits to himself that he has no control anymore. He has lost control of his life and his power, and he realizes that he has no control over nature. However, he still harbors great animosity towards nature because he feels like nature has taken his daughters’ side in the argument.

            However, Lear also feels like nature does some good in exposing criminals. Lear warns criminals “Tremble, thou wretch, That hast within thee undivulged crimes unwhipped of justice” (3.2.54-56). Here, Lear is saying that anyone who committed a secret crime should be fearful of the storm.

Lear reveals his overarching reason for his hatred of the storm within his mind; that it reminds him of his children’s ingratitude. Lear exclaims “This tempest in my mind doth from my senses take all feeling else save what beats there. Filial ingratitude!” (3.4.15-17). An aspect of nature that Lear despises is that fact that nature can’t be escaped. This relates to his feelings, too, because he is obsessing over his situation and isn’t thinking about anything else. Lear hates the fact that he can’t escape his own head.

Lear’s encounter with Edgar gives him another revelation about nature. He realizes that since Edgar isn’t wearing clothes made out of nature, he is not indebted to nature in any way. This gives Lear the idea to take his own clothes off as well. Lear hopes that by freeing himself from nature’s debt, he will no longer feel an obligation, thus feeling a sense of freedom.