I am a man more sinned against than sinning How accurate do you consider Lears assessment of himself to be in relation to act 1.
“I am a man more sinned against than sinning” How accurate do you consider Lears assessment of himself to be in relation to act 1.
“I am a man more sinned against than sinning” is the perfect quote to relate to King Lears characteristics and general attitude towards others.
Lear is man flawed with a tragic fate, nevertheless the overall predisposition of the play is to discount Lears failings and regard the man with sympathy, understanding and compassion. However much Shakespeare tries to magnify Lears accomplishments it is hard not to recognise his own faults.
Shakespeare shows Lears inadequacies through multiple mediums, firstly as a father through the lack perceptive qualities. Though the lack of understanding, Lear is unable to perceive good or evil within even his own daughters personalities.
We witness the first sin of Lear, the love for flattery. Secondly, instead of giving away his land to the most capable and intelligent daughter, he intends to "divide in three [his] kingdom" based on "who doth love [him] most". As king of the country and ruler of all men, he should have been wiser than to believe in the empty glowing praise of Goneril and Regan. Yet Lear is a worshipper of flattery, he thinks love comes more in words than in actions, thus he enjoys listening to those "low sounds [which] reverb no hollowness". As his pride swells up to the false proclamations, Lear fails to see the true colours of his elder daughters and has mistrusted them to be dutiful children who "love [him] more than word can wield the matter". This is a deadly mistake because the evil sisters have no intention of fulfilling their oaths to Lear; they are only after his land and fortunes.