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"is man no more than this?" Lear, Act 3 Scene 4

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Edmund's soliloquy, Act 1 Scene 2

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King Lear, Act I, scene 2: Edmund's soliloquy, by William Shakespeare

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EDMUND Thou, nature, art my goddess; to thy law My services are bound. Wherefore should I Stand in the plague of custom, and permit The curiosity of nations to deprive me, For that I am some twelve or fourteen moon-shines Lag of a brother? Why bastard? wherefore base?

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Act 3 Scene 4 Lear begins to realise the mistakes he has made and strips all of his courtly attire

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The next 10 minutes of Trinity Theatre Company's production of "King Lear", directed by Francesca Gilpin and starring Michael Elliot in the title role. Act III, Scenes 1 and 2: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AlD49HkBR1g Act III, Scenes 5, 6 and 7: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vy_um6kOaUo

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However not all characters can be seen as acting equallly sinful as in the play there are three female characters and although two of them act sinfully one of them (Cordelia) does not and in Act 5 Scene three is described by Lear as being "...an excellent thing in woman." which contrasts with the way he descibes Goneril in  Act 2 Scene 4 by saying "...thou art my flesh, my blood, my daughter; Or rather a disease that's in my flesh, Which I must needs call mine: thou art a boil, A plague-sore...In my corrupted blood."

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The female characters in the play are one dimensional and therefore are only shown as either sinful or 'evil' or natural and 'good' in the case of Cordelia

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Since Lear has been stripped from his power by Goneril and Regan, he deploys the idea of clothes and nakedness to understand his own condition and society.  This is a bitter vision of society from the angle of the the poor and the naked:

"Plate sin with gold, / And the strong lance of justice hutless breaks; / Arm it in rags, and a pigmy's straw does pierce it." Lear, Act 4 Scene

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The play can be seen as a comment against the patriarchal society that the play is built upon. Lear gives the female characters power but demonstrates the effects that power has on them.

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There is a sense of characters in the play being equally sinful as both the male characters (like Edmund) and the female characters (like Goneril and Regan) are presented as acting sinfully.

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"Th'hast spoken right, 'tis true. The wheel is come full circle; I am here." Edmund Act 5 Scene 3

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The actions and behaviour of Edmund can be seen as legitimate and natural - his character demonstrates the Darwinian theory of survival of the fittest.

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"Robes and furr'd gowns hide all" Lear, Act 4 Scene

Clothes are used as signs as social identity, but cover up the true self

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"Your lady, sir, your lady: and her sister By her is poison'd; she confesses it." Act 5 Scene 3

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Act 3 Scene 4: Lear speaks his thoughts about human suffering and inequality:

"O, I have ta'en / Too little care of this! [...] Expose thyself to feel what wretches feel"

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"Poor naked wretches, wereso'er you are, / That bide the pelting of this pitiless storm" Lear, Act 3 Scene 4

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Edmund feels that he has been treated badly by society. His 'bastard' speech at the beginning of Act 1 Scene 2 expresses his anger towards the society that has repressed him and denied him what he feels is naturally his. "Edmund the base / Shall top th'legitimate,-: I grow, I prosper; / Now, gods, stand up for bastards!"

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"unaccomodated man is no more but such a poor, bare, forked animal as thou art. Off, off, you lendings!"" Lear, Act 3 Scene 4

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The play can be seen to be criticising the material desire for wealth especially from a Marxist stand point.