King Lear is not a jolly play. In fact it is a deeply unhappy story of betrayal, deceit and revenge. I saw a powerful production of the tragedy at the Royal Exchange Theatre in Manchester last week and left wondering if Shakespeare believed there was much good in human nature.
Yet there are moments of loyal service from Lear's fool and noblemen like Kent, and there are sparks of love and forgiveness between Lear and Cordelia, the daughter he banished for refusing to flatter him. But the overwhelming sense is of humanity's insignificance and of the inherent potential in the human spirit for cruelty and destruction.
For me it is a story of the dark side of human nature, exploring greed and anger in equal measure, demonstrating almost too graphically the consequences of vanity and revenge. When Lear carries Cordelia's limp body onto the stage in the final scene we see the sorrow and pain that Lear's misjudgements have caused. His over reactions throughout the play have lead to loss and sadness.
As a leader he has betrayed not only his daughter but also his nation, reducing it to civil strife and war with France. He has betrayed his responsibilities as well as his family. The tragedy is personal and yet much more widespread. Personal ego has led to national pain. As a leader, Lear is too much about Lear, too much about his reactions, his vanity, his revenge, and it drives him to cruelty and at least partial madness. As a leader he only learns the value of humility and the importance of forgiveness and human understanding when it is too late.
