Kit A. Nadado English 382 Response Paper Blindness seems to be a common theme in Shakespeares King Lear.

The characters of the play are afflicted by a certain blindness of the mind and heart that disables good judgment and the ability to discern the truth. In their blindness, these characters are led on by cunning forces with subversive motives into ruin. One of those characters is the Earl of Gloucester. Undeniably, Gloucester proves himself to be most loyal and valiant for King Lear. However, while he is brave and loyal, he is also afflicted with a kind of blindness. Gloucester, because of his gullibility and tendency to overlook his own faults, is emotionally blind to reason which clouds his judgment and causes him to blame the supernatural for his challenges. Gloucesters gullibility, a type of emotional blindness, leads to rash actions and poor judgment. Gloucester possesses a nature described by Edmund as credulous (1.2.83), a tendency to be nave, leading him into rash and irrational actions. Gloucesters gullibility seems to have precedence over relationships as trust for Edgar is disregarded and is immediately lost the moment Edmund reveals his deceit. Gloucester reacted otherwise of a father, that so tenderly and entirely loves [Edgar] (1.2.98-99) he professes to be, and he instead curses his son as Abhorred villain! Unnatural, detested, brutish, villain (1.2.78) the very moment the plot of rebellion was revealed. Gloucester at this time is quick to conclude and too slow to be rational. He forgets any affection and trust shared with Edgar in the past and instead believes a short conversation with Edmund. The father to son relationship that is developed for years is ignored to give way for a brief, unconfirmed news of rebellion. This gullibility, a kind of emotional blindness, strips Gloucester from any rationality and clouds his judgment, making him emotionally blind to any possibility of deceit. Gloucester is not only blind emotionally but blind to his own faults, blaming the supernatural instead of himself. Throughout the play, Gloucester has always directed blame to the supernatural for his follies. Upon Edmunds deception, Gloucester blames the late eclipses in the sun and moon (1.2.106) as the main cause for the bond cracked twixt son and father (1.2.112) and not his rash decision. In another instance, after Cornwall gouges his eyes, Gloucester blames his fate to the gods who toys with men As flies to wanton boys (4.1.36). Gloucesters tendency to blame the supernatural, in a sense, is a form of misplaced pride. He diverts attention from his own foolish choices and decisions and directs them to the supernatural. Edmund sorely criticizes Gloucesters blindness to his own faults, calling Gloucester a fool by heavenly compulsion (1.2.125), blaming the heavens for his own foolishness. Edmund recognizes Gloucesters act as an admirable evasion (1.2.129) against blame. This tendency can also be a mark of his inability to accept faults that results to his troubles, although he eventually overcomes this hindrance in the succeeding acts. Gloucesters inability to acknowledge his own faults and his tendency to blame the supernatural is indeed a form of blindness. Gloucesters blindness to deceit and to his own faults, although they may seem minor, have led him into the path of ruin. His gullibility and his finger pointing habit have proved to be disastrous. He is blind as he practices these qualities and he becomes vulnerable to control and deceit.