King Lear commits several acts that are nearly unforgivable. Not only does he exile a trusted, loyal servant, he also banishes his own daughter. Cordelia, unable and unwilling to submit herself to the ridiculous game of her father, is sent off to France with his curses. His subsequent action the division of the land between his two ungrateful daughters is the final act, the final sin, and one that plunges the land into turmoil.
That King Lear sinned; there can be no doubt. Nevertheless, a sin does not exclude the possibility that there was a sufficient cause (in his mind) for the action. Examine, for instance, King Lear's decision to exile his own daughter, Cordelia.
The King is of an advanced age. Though he will not, can not, admit it, senility is advancing upon him, clouding his brain and influencing his judgement. Combined with his pride, age, and subconscious fear of encroaching mortality, Lear has a great desire for flattery, and more importantly, to have the love of his children reaffirmed before him. After the two first daughters inflate his ego, Cordelia is left in the unenviable position of trying to surpass them. She too will not, can not, bring herself to do so. This comes as a terrible blow to the king. Cordelia, the daughter he respected and loved the most, suddenly refuses to show any signs of her own affection. Fury envelops him:
"Here I disclaim all my paternal care,
Propinquity and property of blood,
And as a stranger to my heart and me
Hold thee from this for ever." (Act 1, Scene 1 Lines113-115)
He exclaims, disowning his loving daughter. Unable to balance between his need for respect and his great love for his daughter, he succumbs to the madness that has threatened to overwhelm him.
Unfortunately, Kent then steps in, far too early after Lear's proclamation. Still riding his wave of anger, King Lear can hardly accept this second violation of his power. Fuelled by the madness, he recklessly banishes the noble from his court. These actions were terrible, and a sin against both; however, in both cases, he had a reason, one that perhaps does not excuse his act, but nevertheless explains it.
His final sin, the division of the land between Goneril and Regan is, upon further examination, hardly a sin at all. It is probable that King Lear had planned ahead to this day for years, and the decision to spread his land between his daughters is not, as some would suggest, folly at all. In fact, it may well have been brilliance. Lear intended to give Cordelia one third of his kingdom, the central, more opulent third of his kingdom, and effectively use her to separate the two other daughters. This would allow Cordelia to maintain the peace. Further plans might have included "a general devolution of his authority as Cordelia grew in political aptitude. His plan is a good one, intended for the betterment of his country.
However, after Cordelia's betrayal (as he sees it), he loses sight of his plan; blinded by grief, he goes through with it, but forgets the need for the youngest daughter, allowing the two other daughters to exist side-by-side, and leading to dissidence and civil war.
However, his actions do not excuse the responses they bring from his kin and kinsmen. The sins against him the actions of his two daughters and the evilness of Edmund are far greater than those he committed himself. While he may have started the series of events that eventually consumed the land in turmoil, it were those three who propagated the chaos. King Lear is definitely much more sinned against than sinning.
So in conclusion I may say that although he may have had nothing but good intentions, his foolishness and blindness brought all the humility and hardship down upon himself.
Interpretation on whether Lear learnt his lesson is mainly up to the reader and in my eyes, Lear learnt his lesson, the hard way and even though he may be portrayed as the villain who banished Cordelia the real villains are his 2 daughters [Regan and Goneril] who started the ‘ball’ of lies, pain, hardship rolling.
Answering the question yes I do believe that Lear is a ‘Man more sinned against than sinning.’ Because Lear suffers throughout the play from humility and this in turn makes us feel sorrier for a man who was once one of the most respected and powerful figureheads in Britain and gradually has all respect, authority and sanity stripped from him. Lear loses everything. His kingdom, his Fool, his three daughters and his own life. ' Come not between the dragon and his wrath.' Unfortunately, the wrath was too strong for even the dragon himself.
