King Lear - Good vs. Evil

 In the King Lear play, Shakespeare creates many conditions in 
which humans live in the world. The main characters in the play are 
used to portray Shakespeare's ideas. One of these ideas which 
Shakespeare is trying to portray is evil between the characters and in 
the world which are emphasized throughout the play. The evil, created 
by humans, is outweighed by good in the world of King Lear.

 Evil was created by humans who decided to do wrong to others. 
Duke of Albany, said that all evil people will be justly punished (ACT 
V, iii, 303). Albany indicated that it is the people who caused evil 
and people decided to do evil, not gods. Lear believes that since 
Edgar is out on the heath he must have given everything to his 
daughters as well (ACT III, iv, 62ff). Since he believes that Edgar 
gave everything to evil Lear must believe that people are the cause of 
evil. It were Lear's daughters who decided to do wrong to Lear and it 
was Lear's fault in giving away all of his land. Si ughters are the 
humans in the play, it is the humans who caused the evil and Lear 
believes that humans were the ones who created evil. Edgar, is another
character in the play who believes that evil is caused by humans and 
not the gods. Edgar said, "The gods are just, and of our peasant vices 
make instruments to plague us" (ACT V, iii, 169). Edgar clearly says 
that the gods are right and it is the people who are responsible for 
promoting evil in the world. It is us who make the instruments 
necessary for evil to spread and plague the world. In the world of 
King Lear many characters believe evil was caused by the people and 
not by the gods.

 Even though evil was created by humans good will always exist. 
After King Lear was captured he showed that even if evil exists, good 
will always be present. Lear speaks about love with Cordelia in the 
prison cell and how they will still have each other despite of the 
evil around them (ACT V, iii, 8). On another occasion Lear also says 
that despite all the evil in the world the raw nature, which is good, 
is still unharmed (ACT IV, iv, 90-92). Lear discovers nature's beauty 
by playing with the mice and listening to the signing birds. While all 
the evil is at its peak and everything seems to be lost, the raw 
nature in the play is unharmed. The good exists even while the evil 
dominates the world.

 Good will not only exist if evil dominates, good will also 
outweigh evil eventually. The war which was lost by Cordelia and
Lear, the good side, showed evil win (ACT V, ii). However, good over 
powered it after the war by Duke of Albany. The good in the play first 
was diminished to almost nothing but in the end more good was able to 
defeat evil in the play. When the two sisters began fighting between 
each other evil began fighting against evil (ACT V, i and iii). 
Eventually, because of that fighting between evil, good was able to 
over power evil. When the evil seemed strong and good almost 
non-existent, evil managed to fight itself and give good a chance to 
get stronger. At the end of the play evil was completely defeated and 
good once again dominated the world in the play.

 Although evil will always be present and people will be the 
reason why it exists, good will always outweigh evil. Through the
characters, Shakespeare is able to portray how evil and man compose in 
the world. The evil will always exist but good will always win and 
dominate in the world of King Lear.