Shakespeare’s tragedy, King Lear, is a deep investigation of the intricacies of human nature, power, and madness. According to Ben Amor, this play offers a psychoanalytic platform, especially through the representation of madness, conflicts, and desires (57). Psychoanalytic theory is relevant in literary analysis, where it can be used in examining the motivations of characters, their hidden desires, and the symbolic elements of a text. Freud’s psychoanalytic theory seeks to probe deeply into the human psyche, emphasizing the importance of the unconscious mind and how unconscious desires and conflicts drive behavior (Ellmann, 5). Notably, the theory incorporates the unconscious, the Oedipus complex, repression, and other symbolisms. Therefore, this essay will use the psychoanalytic lens to analyze “King Lear” by focusing on the text. Through examining the conflicts, characters, dream sequences, and symbols, it will discover the subconscious mind, hidden desires as well as the
Characters and Conflicts
Exploring King Lear’s journey toward madness through the psychoanalytic paradigm reveals a maze of unconscious desires and buried conflicts. Lear’s inconsistency, especially with his irrational partition of his kingdom, forms a canvas through which he expresses his internal struggle with himself (Shakespeare, 11). This forces readers to view Lear’s actions not as discrete events, but as manifestations of his subconscious urges, which, on a deeper note highlights his desire for validation and love. Ellmann notes that this is a strong psychoanalytical expression of his unconscious needs, unveiling the emotional scars hidden beneath his psychological skin (140). Additionally, Lear’s fall into madness is characterized by random actions and disorderly decisions that reflect the conflict between the conscious deeds and the secret yearnings that guide them. Thus, the psychoanalytic lens reveals a hidden story within the tragedy where the readers come to see the interplay between conscious choices and what lies beneath the human unconscious.
Furthermore, the blinding of Gloucester by Cornwall and Regan takes on significance through several elements of the psychoanalytic theory. According to Elman, Freud’s notion of the unconscious sheds light on the symbolism in various elements, including physical human nature (109). Within the narrative, the blinding of Gloucester is significant as it is not merely an act of cruelty(Shakespeare, 175). From the psychoanalytic perspective, this symbolic revelation is a powerful allegory for Gloucester’s earlier emotional blindness. In addition, Freud’s emphasis on the unconscious influencing behavior becomes clear in his physical blindness, which becomes an emblem of the results of his unconscious desires and moral shortcomings. Also, Elman suggests that the investigation of the Oedipus complex by Freud comes in handy when analyzing characters’ journeys in narratives (92). Notably, Freud’s theories on families can be seen to be at the core of Gloucester’s betrayal by his illegitimate son Edmund, which can be interpreted as an unconscious desire to be accepted and legitimated. Gloucester’s tragic irony, the yearning for a legitimate heir which made him blind towards Edmund’s deceitful machinations, resonates with Freud’s assertion that unconscious motifs direct conscious decision-making (Ben Amor, 66). The psychoanalytic perspective also highlights the repression of the unconscious in Gloucester’s story. Notably, his emotional blindness and misplaced trust can be explained as his repressed psycho-dynamic tendencies manifest destructively, in line with Freud’s claim that repressed desires underlie behavior and decision-making. In turn, this resonates with the main theme of madness’ representation within the play.
Besides, the psychoanalytic approach reveals a complicated web of unconscious psychological conflicts regarding Lear’s daughters, Goneril and Regan. The superficial tale of power relations is only a façade, with their betrayal and manipulation of their father being projections of their subconscious needs. For instance, when Lear expects hospitality from his daughter Goneril, she dismisses his followers and asks him coldly to go back to Regan, her sister (Shakespeare, 113). This exposes the conflict between the masked yearnings versus the sisters’ consciously displayed roles, which further contribute to their father’s madness. Equally, Leah’s daughters represent the universal struggle between societal roles versus the inner urges that drive human behavior.
Dream Sequences and Symbols
Dream sequences and symbols are essential for the psychoanalysis of the subconscious elements within characters’ minds. According to Ellmann Freudian theory, dreams are a pathway to the unconscious, containing wishes that are suppressed and unsettled problems (6). Lear’s descent into madness is characterized by vivid dreams and hallucinations that provide glimpses into the deepest fears and longings of the king. Besides, his mad rant while speaking with Kent and Fool on the heath presents a vision of him stripping bare the society conventions in a bid to touch the raw human nature (Shakespeare, 131). Thus, the storm and the heath are metaphors for the internal turmoil that Lear experiences in his mind.
Finally, the Fool, who is viewed as Lear’s subconscious wisdom, provides an extra dimension to the psychoanalytic reading. Lear’s internal turmoil and fears can be viewed in Fool’s cryptic sayings and jests, which bring to light unconscious truths about Lear that he may not want to confront directly (Shakespeare, 128-133). Notably, the Fool, using humor and irony, becomes an embodiment of what Lear has never wanted to know and what he should really know about himself, the world, and other people. In the psychoanalytic interpretation, such symbols as the storm, health, and even Lear’s splitting of the kingdom become significant. The symbols become representations of the character’s inner struggles and a landscape that helps the audience explore the depths of madness.
Character Behavior and Inner Desires
The actions of the characters in the play reveal a universal phenomenon within the human experience – the complex intertwining of purposeful decisions and hidden desires. According to Ben Amor, Lear’s madness is not just a narrative progression but also a psychoanalytic revelation of inner conflict projected out into the world (59). From his haste in dividing the kingdom to his madness, there is an external manifestation of universal internal contradictions that any person may experience when confronting the stresses of power and family relationships. Besides, a psychoanalytic interpretation of Lear’s demanding professions of love from his daughters goes beyond paternal affirmation, depicting a universal unconscious need to be loved (Ben Amor, 63). This unconscious desire is exposed in Lear as the king’s authority collapses into vulnerability. The struggle between the authoritative facade and the cracking, vulnerable self becomes evident here since it makes him fall sick with a mental illness. Hence, the inner conflict in Lear’s mind becomes a pictorial representation of the contradictions between social demands and internal soft spots.
Additionally, the Moral blindness of Gloucester represents the universal nature of psychological interactions. Speziale-Bagliacca suggests that the plucking of Gloucester’s eyes represents the confrontation between conscious moral judgments and the consequences of subconscious desires that are inseparable from human nature (33). The unfolding of the tragedy of poor Gloucester when his son betrayed him depicts the conflict between conscious choices and unconscious motivations in “King Lear,” viewed from a psychoanalytic point of view. This betrayal by Edmund, the illegitimate son, symbolizes the consequences of a lack of moral sight and trust, which is a common human experience (Shakespeare, 161). This helps to elaborate on the theme of madness through the characters’ actions’ devastating consequences and their sanity during cruelty and betrayal.
In conclusion, the psychoanalytic theory’s exploration into the representation of madness in “King Lear” unravels the subtle interplay between the conscious and the unconscious. The psychoanalytic perspective allows the audience to go beneath the narrative of the play to engage with the complexity of the human psyche. Equally, the characters’ outer actions turn into a painting where the audience gets to witness a fascinating view of madness that characterizes the tragedy. By embracing the psychoanalytic approach, the text’s secret meanings are unveiled, thus revealing the universal truths about humanity that Shakespeare carefully embedded in “King Lear.”
Works Cited
Ben Amor, Zied. From Illness to Meta-Selves in William Shakespeare’s Hamlet and King Lear: New Identities in the Time of Disease. 4315942, December 28, 2022. Social Science Research Network, https://www.ibu.edu.mk/wp-content/uploads/2020/05/IJEP-JOURNAL-VOLUME-3-ISSUE-2_2022-1-1.pdf.
Ellmann, Maud. Psychoanalytic Literary Criticism. Routledge, 2014.
Shakespeare, William. The Tragedy of King Leah. https://folger-main-site-assets.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads/2022/11/king-lear_PDF_FolgerShakespeare.pdf.
Speziale-Bagliacca, Roberto. The King & the Adulteress: A Psychoanalytical and Literary Reinterpretation of Madame Bovary and King Lear. Duke University Press, 1998.
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