Q: The most important characters are those who challenge us

“I am a man more sinned against than sinning” King Lear wails at his only loyal servant. He’s lost it all, how could a man who had it all, lose it all so swiftly? This is how us, the reader are challenged whilst reading William Shakespeare’s famous tragic play, ‘King Lear.’ Here we see how a role model person such as a king can slip up after being so wrathful, prideful and blind to the truth. This is particularity challenging for an Elizabethan audience because the King is the ‘be end, end all’ power outside of god. It’s confronting to see a figure that you have believed to be so powerful your whole life, all of a sudden be extremely flawed and manipulated. It’s important to be challenged bu a character because it’s a mirror into our reality, it helps us reflect on how society and humans tend to act. King Lear displays this.