king lear is it a tragedy

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Tragedy is defined in Websters New Collegiate Dictionary as:

1) a medieval narrative poem or tale typically describing the downfall

of a great man, 2) a serious drama typically describing a conflict

between the protagonist and a superior force (as destiny) and having a

sorrowful or disastrous conclusion that excites pity or terror. The

play of King Lear is one of William Shakespears great tragic pieces,

it is not only seen as a tragedy in itself, but also a play that

includes two tragic heroes and four villains. I felt that a tragic

hero must not be all good or all bad, but just by misfortune he is

deprived of something very valuable to him by error of judgment.

 We must be able to identify ourselves with the tragic hero if

he is to inspire fear, for we must feel that what happens to him could

happen to us. If Lear was completely evil, we would not be fearful of

what happens to him: he would merely be repulsive. But Lear does

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inspire fear because, like us, he is not completely upright, nor is

he completely wicked. He is foolish and arrogant, it is true, but

later he is also humble and compassionate. He is wrathful, but at

times, patient. Because of his good qualities, we experience pity for

him and feel that he does not deserve the severity of his punishment.

 His actions are not occasioned by any corruption or depravity in him,

but by an error in judgment, which, however, does arise from a defect

of character. Lear has a "tragic flaw" - ...

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