Worth a Thousand Words
Shakespeare’s famous eponymous play King Lear tells the sad tale of a monarch whose folly and misplaced trust cause his fall. The king is here shown standing in full royal garb, as he is in the beginning of the play before he gives his crown away to two of his daughters. This is before his decline; Lear is in perfect mental health, with the respect that he has earned as king and all of the wealth, status, and affection afforded him by his position. Another Lear, however, and a smaller one, is also present. He is falling, his clothing tattered and crown gone, and both his daughters and his once-large retinue are nowhere to be found. The king decked in more finery watches himself fall, but does nothing about it; he is passively watching his own future collapse, too proud to intervene. King Lear in Shakespeare’s work is the same way- his pride keeps him from making the best decisions and ultimately becomes synonymous with foolishness as the monarch loses his integrity, property, and family.