Question

What does the play King Lear tells us about old age?

Answer 1

In the play King Lear by William Shakespeare, old age and death are some of the important themes that emerge out. The lessons learned in old age is the most difficult and more costly. Old age is a phenomena that teach life lessons as and when it happens. In this play Shakespeare illustrates that wisdom does not necessarily come with age. Living a long time does not mean that a person will get the wisdom that he want. In the play, the character Lear struggles with his life and his future. Now the difference is that in this play Lear also thinks about his own philosophy as well as his old age and death. We have a tendency as humans to have extreme versions of ourselves when we are aging. We may appear angry and stubborn because we are in the middle of our aging. It may be only a year or two or a few years, but when we are old we may become a character that we have become to ourselves. It is common for people to feel extreme amounts of regret when they are old. The play teaches us that life is precious, we should use it wisely. It is important to remind ourselves that our past does not define who we will become, but it should serve as a guide and motivator to make smart decisions when it comes to our current choices.