『리어왕』의 질서회복

Abstract

King Lear's tragic experiences dramatically represent the crucial problem of how to cope with the tragic features of human life and moral order. Man's tragic experiences can be considered either as a fruitless waste of life or as a fruitful suffering which leads to purgation of evil. As many critics have pointed out, King Lear's tragic experiences are so horrible that the audience are likely to regard them as a fatalistic waste of life. But the closer analysis of his experiences show a progress of his spiritual restoration from ignorance to awakening, from egotism to altruism. The development of the play turns on the progress of his spiritual regeneration.Lear's perception of Cordelia's death has provoked a hot discussion among the Shakespearean scholars. A. C. Bradley interprets Lear's final words on her death as an illusion, while J, Stampher refutes Bradley, and hold that Lear is fully aware of her death. In either case, however, the important point is that they both interprets Lear's final attitude toward Cordelia's death as emphasizing Lear's great suffering which has led to his restoration. These critic's arguments therefore prove that the meaning of Lear's tragic experiences lies in his order restoration, which he achieves by way of his suffering and purgation.