Suffering In Shakespeare

’s Plays Essay, Research Paper

Suffering In Shakespeare’s Plays

How does suffering affect one’s actions. Do different types of suffering

affect one in different ways. This paper seeks to determine how William

Shakespeare’s character’s respond to various types of suffering. Suffering can

be defined in two ways; physical suffering, in which the character is inflicted

with physical pain and trauma, and emotional suffering, where the character

suffers an emotional trauma or loss.

In The Tempest, the physically traumatized characters, are Trinculo and

Stephano. They are chased by dogs but their physical trauma has not induced any

sign of remorse or guilt. Ferdinand, on the other hand, is overcome by

emotional suffering at the “loss” of his son. In King Lear, Lear is plagued

emotionally. He feels that he has lost the love of his favorite daughter

Cordelia, and he feels the harsh hatred of his two evil daughters. At the

conclusion of the play, his sanity is restored but he has suffered tremendously

in an emotional manner at the hands of Regan and Goneril. In Othello, Brabantio

goes through emotional suffering when he must succumb to his daughter’s wishes.

Desdemona also goes through emotional suffering when she is accused by Othello

of cheating on him when he is convinced of this by Iago.

In The Tempest, the theme of purification through suffering can

clearly be seen. Prospero, in his long exile from Milan, has more than attoned

for whatever mistake he might have made while he ruled. Ferdinand must suffer

through Prospero’s hardships and laborious tests before he can win Miranda’s

hand. Most significantly, Alonso must undergo the suffering that Prospero has

designed for him before he is forgiven.

Prospero, who is the real Duke of Milan was overthrown 12 years earlier

by his younger brother Antonio. Prospero was driven out of the island along

with his daughter Miranda; the two were cast out to sea. His suffering has

occured in a physical and a non-physical way, he is deeply hurt from losing his

kingdom and from being cast out to die. Despite this, he is generous in

forgiving. He is not only in control of those around him but he punishes the

guilty and demands repentance.

When Ferdinand meets Miranda, they instantly fall in love with each

other. “I might call him…a thing divine; for nothing natural…I ever saw so

noble.” ( Tempest, I, ii, 417-419). He is perfect for her in that he is pure and

appreciates her innocence and purity. To make sure that Ferdinand is worthy to

marry Miranda, Prospero makes him endure heavy labor. “The mistress which I

serve quickens what’s dead and makes my labors pleasure.” (Tempest, III, i, 6-7)

Alonso, Sebastian, and Antonio, who are denounced as “men of sin”

(Tempest, III,, iii, 53) are driven by Ariel into a frenzy of madness. Alonso is

deeply affected, he believes the “death” of his son to be punishment and he

confesses his guilt and seeks to atone for it. He is purified through the trial

and reconciled with Prospero at the play’s end. Neither Antonio nor Sebastian,

who are equally guilty, is affected in this way. They remain impenitent. Their

incapacity for remorse is punished, Ariel suggests by a “ling’ ring perdition,

worse than any death.” ( Tempest, III, iii, 77)

Stephano, the King’s butler, and Trinculo, the jester, plot to overthrow

Prospero. Their trial and suffering take form in a physical way. They are

submerged in a horse pond and then hunted by Prospero’s dogs.

King Lear allows one to see how physical suffering can bring on

emotional suffreing. This can be seen in the two main characters of each subplot.

Lear, King of Brittain, is described as “a very foolish old man, fourscore and

upward.” His fatal flaw of rashness causes his suffering. The Earl of Gloucester

lacks Lear’s capacity for wrath but shares his fatal flaw of rashness. Like Lear,

he is made to suffer greatly by his children before he gains true insight.

Cordelia, Lear’s daughter, suffers emotional pain. She is disowned by her father

but in the end, she survives to comfort him and proves her own selflessness.

King Lear is the epitomy of suffering. “His suffering includes a sense

of guilt for misusing his past powers.” (Bloom, 80). He endures a parents worst

nightmare. First, he is outraged by his daughters lack of love for him. “Love

and be silent” (I, i, 69). “I am sure my love’s more ponderous than my tongue.”

(King Lear, I, i, 78-79). Because of this, he ends up banishing her from his

kingdom and cutting her from the inheritance. He splits the land in two leaving

her with nothing. to his dismay, Lear discovers that life with his two other

daughters is no joy. He is outraged by their cruel behavior, a “Sharp-tooth’d

unkindness” (King Lear, II, iv). Lear is thrown out by his two daughters to rage

against natures harsh elements. “To be thrown from bein

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