The Need for External Acknowledgement

The Need for External Ack nowledgement in Shakespearean exp angiotensin converting enzyment Lear The impermanence of power and place. That man had it either, exactly however for a time. l James Baker In William Shakespearean King Lear, the dialog in the hutch between Lear and Edgar, disguised as the thin-skinned resist curt tomcat, represents the pivotal r discoverine in Learners path to repurchase do and by bureau of smonkey-disc all in all overy. Learners path to self-discovery begins when he looks a mental struggle over the loss of his royal sovereign power and the loss of his role as a father.Shakespeare hints at Learners brewing individuality operator crisis when Reagan clarifies that Learners problem is non let off his age, but also his self- personal identity. Reagan press outs Its the infirmity of his age, yet he hath ever but sl eat uperer kn aver himself (1. 1. 294-5). Later Lear questions Kent in disguise as the servant Caucus. Lear states Dost supe r C know me, fellow (1. 4. 26)? 2 Another hint of Learners impending identity crisis comes when pledge states These dispositions, which of late transport you From what you redressly are. (1. 4. 213-4) The identity crisis becomes clear when later in Act 1, Lear states Does any here know me?Why, this is not Lear. Who is it that provide split me who I am? (1. 4. 217-21) Friedman, Thomas. Power is Fleeting, Baker Reflects, The New York Times, February 2, 1990. Secretary of read James Baker describes his reaction to seeing a former unclouded House Chief of Staff from a prior administration, walking only on the street with break through any of the furnishing of power. 2 Shakespeare, William. King Lear. In The Arden Shakespeare King Lear, New York Bloomberg, 2014. All future references to the text of the play go forth refer to this edition by listing the (Act/scene/line numbers).As he divides his kingdom and abdicates his throne, Lear tries to maintain a sense of elf-identity des pite being meet by a changing political and well- devoted environment. leadtually Lear slips into hallucination as he struggles with a crisis of identity. Lear atomic number 50not decide his identity crisis until he relinquishes his out of date self and accepts a new concept of unselfish. Examining Learners dialog with silly turkey cock, illuminates Shakespearean method of communicating to the audience how and wherefore Lear steadinesss his identity crisis.More illuminating than considering Learners identity crisis through standard literary critical analysis, one can give understand Learners struggle through a philosophical lens. The philosophical ideas George Wilhelm Frederica Hedges regarding the organic law of selfless, helps explain how Shakespeare presents his theme of self- discovery in King Lear. Hegel contends that inwardness of selfless can only develop in an environment which includes outdoor(a) he maneuvery action. 3 As Lear rules the cultus, he find s himself at the peak of his psychological struggle. The ram prepares Lear to face his identity crisis.When Lear seeks shelter from the besiege in the hovel, he still holds on to a vestige of his former identity. Through his conversation with unworthy tomcat, Lear eventually emerges from the hovel enlightened and transformed with a new self-identity. Thus, through a Hegelian lens, King Lear is a play about social interaction and human record. Consistent with Hedges philosophy regarding the formation of selfless, poor people tom serves as the requirement away interaction which Lear requires to unify his natural and external selfless. This paper argues that Shakespeare uses distressing tom turkeys feint at hysteria as a means for Hegel, George Wilhelm Frederica. Phenomenology of Spirit, The zero(prenominal)ton Anthology of Theory & Criticism. 2nd deed. Deed. Vincent B. Letch, New York Norton, 2010. P. 541 . Lear to come into knowledge which enables Lear to propose his ide ntity crisis. Additionally this paper extends the argument by stating that without any interaction with a person independent of the kings former court, Lear could not achieve a new self-identity. Hedges Philosophy of Self-consciousness The philosophy of self-consciousness as show in Hedges essay Phenomenology of Spirit helps clarify how Lear resolves his identity crisis.A brief translation of Hedges ideas on selfless explain the connective to Learners self-discovery. Hegel asserts that, achieving solicitousness requires the acknowledgement of the interior selfless by an external other. Hegel states self-consciousness exists in and for itself when, and by the fact that, it so exists for another that is, it exists only in being acknowledged. 4 In defining selfless as a two-step process, Hegel asserts that the self has an congenital component consisting of a conception of selfless and an external component consisting of a recognition of that selfless by another person.Thus, Hege l asserts achieving and maintaining self- identity requires uniting the internal and external views of selfless into a singular self-identity. Hegel states the notion of this its unity in its duplication. 5 The duplication of selfless stems from a struggle for oneness which forces an interpretation in self-identity. 6 Thus, Hegel contends the resolution of an identity crisis cannot take place all in the mind of one individual. Resolving an identity crisis requires external feed buttocks. 14 Hegel, Phenomenology of Spirit, The Norton Anthology of Theory & Criticism. . 541 . 15 16 Taking a Hegelian get along to Learners identity crisis, Lear must(prenominal) interact with and receive acknowledgement from another person, whom Lear perceives as not having a connection to the Kings former selfless. As a disposed king, Learners identity crisis mains cogitate to the void created when he loses the caparison of power associated with his roles as sovereign and father. Learners loss of p olitical and family identity, creates a crisis that pushes him psychologically into unknown territory.Although not considering Shakespeare through a Hegelian lens, William Flesh in draw a bead only supports this view in arguing that Shakespeare had an interest in phenomenology. Flesh asserts In Shakespearean plays self-origination manifests itself near fully under the pressure of loss. 7 In order to resolve his identity crisis, Lear must break free from what he knows and embrace the unknown. The external feed patronise Lear receives prior to his interaction with misfortunate turkey cock, only reminds the disposed king of who he once was, not who he can now become.Lear needs a completely new external source of citation not binded to his former roles as king and father. Such an external source of acknowledgement offers Lear a means by which he can readjust his selfless. A readjustment that can only come about without a connection to his already internalized former self-identity. Lear needs an interaction which can provide a new frame of knowledge in order to develop an just new understanding of his self. A close examination of the play, reveals that Lear experiences such an interaction through his dialog with scant(p) turkey cock. The Storm Preparing Lear to Encounter piteous Tom 17 Flesh, William.Generosity and the Limits of Authority Shakespeare, Herbert, Milton. Ithaca Cornell University Press, 1992. P. 87. By the time Lear meets Poor Tom, Shakespeare has already prepped Lear for his direct interaction with a facsimile of the common man from the lowest direct within British society. In addition, Shakespeare provides the audience with a glimpse of Lear pass judgment an sign change in his selfless. The assault sets the stage for Learners pivotal encounter with Poor Tom. The storm causes Lear to accept a deterioration or emollient of his hardened selfless which he forged during his time wielding the power of an unattackable monarch.Through the sof tening of his hardened selfless, Lear prepares to establish a new self-identity. During the storm, Lear comes to understand that as King of Britain, he ignored the daily struggles faced by the mountain in Britain. In acknowledging the struggling masses, Lear takes a major step forwards in acknowledging his own humanity and toward discovering his limits as a man. Only through his inward exploration, does Lear begin to find the self he was enable to experience as a king. As one can surmise, as king, Lear remained overly stressed on the hard calculated decisions of maintaining political power and wealth.But through the extremes of the storm, Learners hardened selfless starts to soften. Initially Lear only bumps sorry for himself and seeks retaliate by challenging nature to destroy the entire world, but as the storm continues, Lear is able to develop empathy for others. In deliver the goodsing the ability to express empathy, Lear overspreads himself to the fellowship necessary to achieve self-discovery. Lear in stubbornness refuses to return to Gloucester home and enter back into investigation with his daughters. Kent tries in vain to let Lear, allow him to go back to his daughters and ask if Lear may reenter the home and get out of the cold slicked storm.Kent makes requests to Lear Gracious my lord, hard by here is a hovel close to Friendship will it lend you against the tempest Repose you there, while I to this hard house More harder than the stones whereof its raised Which even but now, demanding later you, Denied me to come in return and force Their scanted courtesy. (3. 2. 61-7) Lear stands in the rain right near Gloucester home, but he refuses to return and work through his issues with his daughters. Even the Fool requests for Lear to be reasonable and go back to his daughters to get out of the cold rain of the storm.The Fool states O, uncle, court holy water in a dry house is better than this rain-water out door. Good uncle, in and ask thy daug hters blessing. Heres a night pities neither wise men nor fools (3. 2. 10-3) At this point in the play, Lear does not eat up the ability to be pliant to discuss the issue with his daughters. As king, Lear did not need to negotiate and compromise. By holding on to a selflessness associated with power, Lear cannot act like a common man living in a alliance with others. By staying out in the storm, Lear isolates himself both physically and mentally.Shakespeare uses the storm to highlight Learners softness to confront human nature resulting in Learners inability to live amongst others. When Lear can no long-lasting demand his wishes and force others to bend to his will, Lear storms off into an unfeigned storm. Considering King Lear through a Hegelian lens, Learners inability to thrive as a member of a community, stands clear as the reason why Lear struggles with an identity crisis. Without the social skills required to connect with an external other and gain acknowledgement for hi s new selfless, Lear is initially unable to readjust his self-identity.Initially facing the storm, Lear carcass defiant. He refuses to acknowledge that his present place in the world, no longer reflects his personal perception of his place in the world. As an unquestioning monarch, Lear lived in a world that was not the reality of most men. Now as a deposed king, Lear must face the reality of the world as do ordinary men. Such an absolute change in his life gives a shock to Learners mental stability. The storm represents a physical manifestation of the fierce change taking place in his life. The storm represents the psychological storm raging in Learners subconscious.As he dissents against his loss of power and status, so does Lear protest its physical manifestation represented by the storm. In seeking revenge, Lear assumes a king like posture in ordering nature to do his bidding. Lear states Blow winds and crack and crack your checks Rage, blow You cataracts and hurricanes, spou t Till you have drench our steeples, drown the socks Vault-courses of oak-cleaving thunderbolts, Singe my white head And thou all shaking thunder, Strike flat the thick rotundity the world resolve natures moulds, germens spill at once That make ungrateful man (3. 2. -9) Learners sound remains constant in the behavior by which he commands nature to act. Lear demonstrates that his actions are still driven by his self-identity as a correctly man capable of and in the habit of issuing commands and being obeyed. At this point in the play, Learners voice provides insight into his social interaction. Lear lacks the ability to interact well with others as he still considers himself as retaining the power of an absolute monarch. As if he were still king, Lear expects his communication with others to be relatively one sided and in his favor. In this key passage (3. . -9), Lear reveals the frustration of his identity crisis. He asks the gods for a natural disaster to make society pay for t he unjustness he suffers under the mistreatment of his daughters. Near the end of the passage, Lear strikes more than directly at woman in venting his anger with Reagan and generic. In using the landmark thick rotundity, Lear describes the world as a pregnant woman. 8 In using natures moulds, Lear describes a womans womb. Here Lear displays his misogynistic attitude which does not highlight his rage toward mankind, but actually highlights his anger toward his daughters.Learners rage toward his starters reinforces that his selfless remains trap in the same position he was at the beginning of the play. pin go across in a selfless linked to his identity as a powerful king and father, Lear seeks revenge for the threat to this self-identity. Lear seeks revenge against Reagan and Generic for his reduction in power and their rejection of him as their aged father. Lear states I am a man More sinned against than sinning. (3. 2. 58-9) Learners rage reveals that he is not yet a broken man . His over-the-top language clearly communicates his delusion as to the grand position which he still believes that he olds.Lear clearly states that he wants Reagan and Generic to feel his wrath. Lear states l will punish home (3. 4. 16). At this point in the play, what does not happen to Lear is a shift in his self-identity. A shift which his new political and family situations actually necessitate. Without an adjustment in self-identity, Lear feels himself locomote into madness. Lear states My wits begin to turn (3. 2. 68). What happens to Lear is a slide into madness as he fixates on his mistreatment at the hands of Reagan and Generic.Without a shift in self-identity Lear broods over the perceived injustice of hat Reagan and Generic have done to him, and he loses touch with reality. Lear states O, Reagan, Generic, Your old, kind father, whose frank heart gave you all 8 263. Editors note Fakes, R. A. , deed. , The Arden Shakespeare King Lear, New York Bloomberg, 2014, p. O, that way madness lies (3. 4. 19-21) As the storm continues, Learners hardened selfless softens. In trying to stave off madness, Lear shifts his focus away from his craving for retribution against Reagan and Goner.No longer fixated on his desire for vengeance against his daughters, Lear finally speaks of the common people in England. Lear shifts his focus from his psychological offering to his physical harm. His physical suffering breaks down his hardened resolve to maintain his selfless unchanged by recent events. Lear states Poor bare-assed wretches, wherefores you are, That bide the pelting of this pitiless storm, How shall your housefuls heads and unfed sides Your looped and windowed raggedness, defend you From seasons such as these? (3. 4. 28-32) Cold and wet, Lear experiences the suffering and pains of the commoners root hand.His physical suffering forces Lear to hold beyond himself and feel sympathy for others. Instead of seeking retribution against his daughters, now Lear t hinks of his rime in ignoring the harsh plight of his subjects. In a current moment of introspection Lear faults his tenure as king. Removed from the people he ruled, Lear focussed more on courtly endeavors than humanity. Lear states O I have eaten in addition little care of this. (3. 4. 32-3) When focused on revenge, Learners thinks from a perspective of egoistic desire. When Lear concludes he did not govern well as king, he thinks from a perspective of compassion and a sense of community.Shakespeare has Lear come to understand the woeful naked wretches, to prepare Lear for his encounter with Poor Tom. In exposing Lear to the suffering of earthly concern when tripped away of all protection of civilization, Lear can know understand Poor Tom and develop a kinship with Poor Tom. Lear states Expose thyself to feel what wretches feel, That thou Mays shake the superglue to them And show the heavens more and. (3. 4. 34-6) Without Learners enlightenment regarding the execrable nake d wretches, Lear would not be able to develop a community with Poor Tom.The first step in preparing for an adjustment in selectivity requires a willingness to seek community. Lear cannot receive external acknowledgement for a new self-identity without first developing an openness to community. In feeling the pain of the cold storm, Lear engages his senses that all humans have in common. In connecting with his basic human senses, Lear becomes more open to enter into a community with an external other. From a Hegelian approach the storm clearly prepares Lear to adjust his self-identity. Before the storm, Learners hardened self-identity remained focused on his self-interest.As a powerful king all Lear focused on was maintaining and wielding power. Before the storm the former king remains harsh in holding onto his self-identity associated with power. At the start of the storm a zeal for revenge represents the only emotion which Lear can summon. In discovering he was remiss in not carin g for his common subjects, Lear softens and opens himself to an adjustment in his self-identity. By the end of the storm, Lear can now display the emotions of empathy and guilt. Lear is now a less rigid character and assumes a range of flexibility with his emotions.Shakespeare uses the storm not as a moment of rebirth for Learners personality, but as a moment of psychological breakdown. Only through breaking down his strong self- identity could Shakespeare prepare the character to finally resolve his identity crisis. Following Learners feting in the storm, Lear engages Poor Tom from a more malleable psychological state than the Lear who argued with Reagan and Goner. Inside the Hovel Establishing a Community Inside the hovel, Lear interacts with a person he considers his check. Lear finds himself on par with Poor Tom.Unlike the Fool, whom Lear considers one of the trappings of his former power, Lear perceives Poor Tom as a psychologically dissolute person Just like himself. In iden tifying with Poor Tom, Lear can finally gain the knowledge to free himself from constriction of his former conception of selfless. Lear redefines himself by his own humanity rather than by his former wealth, status, and privilege. Poor Tom replaces the Fool as the foil to Learners outward conversations with himself. Shakespeare uses these conversations as a means for allowing the audience access to the psychological struggle taking place deep down the mind of Lear.In other words, the drama within a drama which plays out in Learners self-conscious. The dialog between Lear and Poor Tom in the hovel does little to move the plot forward other than resolving Learners identity crisis. While he does not link King Lear to Hedges hilltops on selfless, literary critic James Carney does support this point when he asserts Shakespeare gives us a scene-? completely unmotivated in terms of its significance to the plot-?in which Lear responds viscerally to his exposure to the laterality of the ot her person. 9 Only through Poor Toms madness, does Lear find what he perceives as an external equal to provide acknowledgment for Learners newly formed internal definition of selfless. 19 Kerrey, James. Phenomenology and Ethics This is above all strangeness King Lear, Ethics, and the Phenomenology of Recognition in Criticism, Summer 2012, Volvo. 54, No. 3, p. 457. But, can Lear, in his own state of madness, recognize Poor Tom as a madman and consider Poor Tom his equal from who he can gain knowledge? Professor R. A. Folks, of UCLA, contends that Edgers disguise as a mad beggar does not influence Learners interaction with Poor Tom.In his introduction to The Arden Shakespeare King Lear, Folks argues Edgers masquerade as the possessed Poor Tom is pretty much confined to one scene, and has little or no effect on the mad Lear, who sees him as a learned Thebes10 (102). I reject Folklores argument mingyd on Learners initial perception of Poor Tom as being driven to madness by the neglec t of his daughters. While Lear does not consider Poor Tom as possessed by the devil, he does perceive Poor Tom as psychologically troubled. Lear states Didst thou give all to thy two daughters? And art thou come to this (3. 4. 48-9).In first seeing Poor Tom as a suffering creature shivering in the hovel without clothes, Lear projects his own problems and madness onto Poor Tom. In my view, Folks overlooks the value placed on Learners first assessment of Tom as a madman Just like himself. In his unity of effort, Shakespeare intentionally has Lear first bond with Poor Tom as one madman to another madman. Only through bonding on some level of equality an Lear become open to gaining knowledge from Poor Tom. One critic even argues that in his suffering as an outcast, the disguised Edgar may also suffer an identity crisis propellent him into madness.Emollient Bell argues that Edgers assumed madness becomes indistinguishable from the frantic despair to which he has been driven. al As the f ormer king, Lear must find a manner in which to Fakes, R. A. , deed. , Introduction in The Arden Shakespeare King Lear, New York Bloomberg, 2014, Bell, Emollient. Naked Lear, in Raritan, Spring 2004, Volvo 23, No 4, up. 55-70. P. 102. Connect with Poor Tom as a wise man. Before Lear can philosophize with Poor Tom, Lear first must consider Poor Tom as an equal. In finding an equal, Lear can end his self-imposed solitude and enter into a community.Through a community Lear can finally end his identity crisis by gaining external espousal for his selfless. In encountering a near naked man, Lear finds himself connected to Poor Toms base humanity. Poor Tom represents the true nature of humanity stripped down to the essential. Poor Tom represents the image of Lear stripped away of all the trappings of wealth and power which he had known while he was king. later his experience in he storm, Lear can identify with Poor Tom as a poor naked wretch. During his time in the hovel, Lear refers to Poor Tom as the thing itself (3. . 104). Lear refers to Poor Tom as delegate of human poverty. In his perception of Poor Tom as humankind without the varnish of society, Lear finds the common ground which allows him to establish a community with Poor Tom. A key aspect to Poor Tom representing humanity in a base form is the connection of Poor Tom to nature. Shakespeare hints at Poor Toms strong connection to nature early in the play. When Edmund discusses how world-wide influence explains his evil tendencies, he ascribes himself using the attributes of a mad beggar (1. 2. 125).Edmund states My cue is villainous melancholy, with a sigh like Tom chaos (1. 2. 135-6). By linking the mad beggar with astrology, Shakespeare indirectly hints at a link between Poor Tom and nature. When Edgar describes how he will disguise himself, the commentary invokes images of an animal. Edgar states To take the barest and most poorest shape That ever penury in disdain of man Brought near beast. My f ace Ill grime in filth, Blanket my loins, elf all my hair in knots (2. 2. 178-80) When Poor Tom describes the eating of tenuous prey, he describes himself as an animal.He states Poor Tom eats the swimming frog, the toad, the tadpole, the wall- triton (3. 4. 125-6). Linking Poor Tom to nature reinforces the character as a representation of humankind at a base level without the comforts of society. after(prenominal) experiencing the storm, Lear finds the sheer truth of the human condition in Poor Toms unvarnished appearance and vulnerable existence. Poor Tom serves as a mirror by which Lear can see his own interpretation of the world. In set ahead defining his initial perception of Poor Tom, Lear states Have his daughters brought him to this pass?