NATURE IN “KING LEAR”:

“KING LEAR” is a play where all the aspects of Nature have been discussed. External
forces of Nature are presented as teacher of human being. A close relationship
between men and natural phenomenon is delineated in the play. As Wilson Knight says
“Humanity here is shown as kin to the earth and winds, and animals.” On the other hand
internal nature of humanity is discussed with the help of keen, profound and balanced
observation in realistic tone.

The word “Nature” has various meanings and interpretations. It has been used in
different context, for instance, microcosmic, macrocosmic, orthodox and heterodox.
With the passage of time ideas about nature have been continuously taking changing.
The Greek employed the word “Nature” for macrocosmic (outer universe). Medieval
people had the view that God created this universe where nature was favourable to
men. But with emergence of renaissance, we find a great change in the concept of
“Nature”. In neo-classical age, Pope and Johnson pointed out that God created this
world and Nature was the reflection of God. But the Romantic era revealed Nature in a
different way. Wordsworth accepted external expressions of Nature as his guardian;
mother teacher, mother and nurse.

Shakespeare in his play’ “King ‘Lear” deals nearly with every aspect of nature. The play
opens with the description of microcosmic nature (inside world). As the play opens,
Gloucester and Kent have discussion on bastardy of Edmund. Before Shakespeare,
church has described Nature as a power controlling man’s affairs and this idea was
appreciated by Elizabethan writers. In “King Lear” Shakespeare also presented the
prevailing concept of nature with a. maturity and perfection. The “Storm Scene” is very
significant in this respect. There is storm in external paraphernalia of Nature as well as
in the internal human nature. Lear is discarded by his elder daughters and then faces a
storm on a heath which leads him to the point where he realizes himself and the reality
of life.

In “King Lear” nature is presented as a great helper of man in the evolution of the
development of personality. There are three gradual stages of improvement, uncivilized,
civilized and ideal stage. Lear and Gloucester are uncivilized because they are unable
to differentiate between appearance and reality. Lear considers Goneril and Regan as
his loyal girls because their appearance deceives him. He maltreats Cordelia because
he is unaware of the reality which is hidden in the behaviour of Cordelia. Gloucester
also takes Edmund as his faithful son and Edger as treacherous, whereas the fact is
completely against it. Then, they learn reality in the company of Nature. Now they start
realizing the fact and are moving towards the civilized stage. In the beginning of the
storm scene, Lear curses the entire world and then says:

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“I will be the pattern of all patience: I will say

Nothing.”

A little further, he accepts his committed sin to some extent

“I am a man I

More sinned against than sinning.”

No doubt, he is true in saying this but we feel that he still has not started blaming
himself. In the next scene, he is on completely civilized stage.

“O’ Regan, Goneril!

Your old father, whose fank heart gave all,

O that way madness lies”.

Now he realized that it was folly to enjoy crown and leisure at the same time, to avoid
responsibilities and miseries at the same time. Then at the end Lear becomes ideal and
virtuous who wins our sympathies. Our hatred turns into love towards Lear.

In the same way, Gloucester in scene I, Act IV on the heat, accepts the reality. In the
blindness, he utters:

“I stumbled when I saw

Ah, dear son Edgar

The food of thy abused father’s wrath”

In the same way, Gloucester accepts another fact:

“As flies to wanton boys, are we to the gods

They kill us for their sport.”

Now he is humble, realistic and virtuous. He has realized man’s position. He is remote
form pride. In this way, Shakespeare has shown how a storm in the external nature
affects man’s personality. He has also described nature as a teacher in the evolution of
man’s character.

Shakespeare depicts general human nature in “King Lear” at a broad level, in a realistic
way with an admirable balance. According to Hobbes, “man is bad, malignant, egotistic
and proud.” But Hooker declares that man is benevolent and sacrificial. Shakespeare
being a realist adopts a middle way. He shows both, selfish and selfless nature in Lear’s
and Gloucester’s character. Edgar and Cordelia are virtuous, simple, innocent and
sacrificial while Kent is representative of wisdom is human nature.

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On the other hand, Goneril, Regan and Edmund stand for human nature which is
described by Hobbes. They all are selfish and selfless. They are life like character
because such people exist in every society.

As the time presented in this play is pre-Christian, Nature also stands for pagan gods.
In many places, the, characters call supernatural powers for help, calling them Nature
or gods. In his famous soliloquy, Edmond says:

“Thou, Nature, art my goddess: to thy law

My services are bound.”

While cursing Goneril, Lear invokes the powers, saying:

“Hear Nature, hear: dear goddess, hear.”

In the storm scene, Lear calls the forces of Nature as god:

“Let the great gods,

Find out their enemies now.

In short we can say that Shakespeare, by the art of characterization, has introduced his
realistic, true and balanced concept of human nature as well as external nature.