Masks In King Lear Essay Research Paper

Masks In King Lear Essay, Research Paper

The Role of the Mask in King Lear

What is a mask. The dictionary defines a mask as “anything that disguises or conceals.” Characters in King Lear use masks throughout the play. The masks are used for two main functions: to conceal one’s true plans and actions and to provide a protective disguise. Goneril, Regan, and Edmund, corrupt individuals in the play, all use masks to hide their evil and vicious intents. Goneril and Regan show their father a mask of love, while hiding their goal to obtain all of his land and power. Edmund wears many masks during the play. All of which are used to gain respect, power, and possibly love. Kent and Edgar, honorable characters in the play, also have to resort to using masks. Unlike their adversaries, however, their masks are only used to serve virtuous purposes. Kent wears a mask to keep his identity unknown so that he can serve, help and protect the King. Edgar wears different masks to protect himself and bring justice to the antagonists.

Although Goneril, Regan, and Edmund never wear an actual mask or disguise, they all hide behind metaphorical masks. Goneril is the first character in The Tragedy of King Lear to exercise this method of concealing her emotions. Her father, King Lear, is growing old and has decided to divide his land between Goneril and her two sisters. Before he hands out the land, he elects to give his daughters a test of love. He asks each of his daughters to tell him just how much they love him. Goneril quickly puts on her mask of love and tells her father she loves him more than anything in the world. Goneril says, “Sir, I love you . . . Beyond what can be valued, rich or rare, No less than life, with grace, health, beauty, honor; As much as a child ev’r lov’d, or father found . . .” (1.1.54,58-9). Goneril uses her mask to disguise her true intents. She does not truly love her father. If she does possess any love for the King, it is no where close to the love she professes to him. She only wants to gain her fathers power and best land. Goneril is put onto a position where she has to use a mask. Not using her figurative mask of love would be devastating to her scheming plans. She would end up losing the entire dowry of land before she even acquired it.

Regan, the middle sister is not to be outdone by her older sister, Goneril. Regan uses an even greater mask of love and tells her father that her love is even greater than that of her sisters. She declares her love to King Lear saying, “I find she [Goneril] names my very deed of love. Only she comes to short, that I profess Myself an enemy to all other joys . . .” (1.1.71-3). Like Goneril, Regan has to use a love mask to hide her true feelings for her father because she wants to win King Lear’s best land for her dowry.

The two evil sisters’ masks of love work very favorably. Lear is overjoyed after hearing their confessions of love for him. When King Lear asks his youngest daughter, Cordelia, to describe her love for him, she refuses. She believes her father’s test of love is ridiculous and she does not want to take part in it. She tells her father, “I cannot heave my heart into my mouth. I love your Majesty According to my bond, no more no less” (1.1.91-3). Lear becomes enraged with her and disowns her. Goneril and Regan are very happy at the outcome of these events, for now they will be the sole heirs of the King’s land and occupy all of his power. Because of the sisters’ use of masks, the one daughter who truly loves the King is now disinherited and disowned. By gaining all of the King’s land and power, Goneril and Regan’s actions give lead to the tragedy of the play: King Lear losing his rightful place in his kingdom and the wrongful dishonor of Cordelia.

King Lear’s anger at Cordelia causes her also be fitted with a mask. Cordelia is the only honest and loving daughter of the King. She truly loves her father and cares for his well being. Her refusal to profess her love for King Lear leads to her wearing a mask through his eyes. Instead of Lear seeing the loving and charitable daughter he has, he sees an evil fiend. He says to Cordelia, “The barbarous Scythian, Or he that makes his generation messes To gorge his appetite, shall to my bosom Be as well neighbor’d, pitied, and reliev’d As thou my sometimes daughter” (1.1.116-120). Cordelia is fitted with a mask by the King, and not by her choice. The King’s refusal to see his daughter for who she really is, and replacing her loving personality with a mask of hate, causes his tragic downfall.

Like King Lear, Gloucester is also destined for a tragic downfall due to the masks his bastard son, Edmund wears. Gloucester is the father of two sons, Edgar and Edmund. Edgar is his legitimate son, while Edgar si his misbegotten son. Edmund is jealous of his father love for his brother. He schemes against his brother, Edgar, so that he will be the heir of his father’s wealth and gain his love and respect. Edmund says, “Well then, Legitimate Edgar, I must have you land . . . Edmund the base Shall [top] th’ legitimate. I grow, I prosper: Now, gods, stand up for bastards” (1.2.15-6,20-2). Edmund hides his deceit behind a metaphorical mask of loyalty. He writes a letter that will make his father, Gloucester, believe that the good brother, Edgar, is planning to murder him. Edmund the shows the false letter to his father who becomes enraged and tells