The characters of a story are what make up the story, the plot, the themes, the parallels all revolve around them and their condition. In every story, lay or novel, most of the characters go through a certain step-by-step process of self development, illustrated by the themes, which contributes greatly to the story as a whole, by concluding it or highlight the moral of the story and the messages the author is trying to convey. Such character development is very evident in Shakespeare's "King Lear"
             In "King Lear" the central character, King Lear himself goes through a process of self-development as the tragedy of Lear begins to unfold in the very beginning of the play. The themes surrounding this characters development are self-knowledge; the recurring images of sight and blindness, identity and consciousness and the variety of literary techniques used by Shakespeare to portray these themes are imagery, symbolism and irony.
             In the very first act the audience is introduces to Lear as a raging vain man, who is unable to see the truth and honesty in Cordelia's love, his youngest daughter who refuses to flatter her father in his court simply because she does not want to make a public display of her love and feels that she cannot express it in words-"I cannot heave my heart into my mouth." Lear is also unable to "see" the insincerity and hypocrisy in the love of his other two daughters, Goneril and Regan. When the Earl of Kent sees this he recognizes the truth in Cordelia's love and implores Lear to "see better." In other words, he was asking Lear to look beyond his vanity, monarchical arrogance and inner pride and be able to identify the truth. Kent beseeching Lear to "see better," introduces the audience to his metaphorical blindness.
             The character of Lear starts deteriorating after he hands over his kingdom to his daughters and expels Cordelia from the kingdom. It is ironic how everyone except Lear sees the truth of the matte...