Explore Shakespeare's presentation of blindness in King Lear. You must relate your discussion to relevant contextual factors and ideas from your critical reading.

There is literal and metaphorical blindness omnipresent in this play. Shakespeare presents patriarchs clinging onto power in the characters of Lear and Gloucester; their desperation ultimately resulting in self-deceit, since both men become unable to see those most loyal to them, banishing Cordelia and Edgar. This blindness is a moral one, the men are incapable of seeing reality, of seeing who is good and what is right: both are deluded and vulnerable. Jan Kott sees this vulnerability as "grotesque", particularly the scene of Gloucester's attempted leap from the stage, since the tragedy treads near to comedy since Gloucester is reduced to such a point of pity, as powerless as "flies to wanton boys". Before Gloucester leaps, he addresses the sky in exclamation, "o you mighty gods, this world I do renounce and in your sights shake patiently my great affliction off", a moment epitomising this 'grotesque' and pitiable melodrama, centred around Gloucester's blindness. Interestingly, Shakespeare writes the "sights" of the gods, their role as viewer and cruel spectator provides a painful and poignant contrast. However, in blindness, paradoxically, can profound truth be found for both Lear and Gloucester, a concept epitomised by Edgar's "reason in madness". As Lear is reduced to "unaccommodated man" in the storm, becoming aware of the "poor, bare, forked animal" which man actually is, having rejected Cordelia in blindness, being consumed by nothingness, Lear finally sees his failure of responsibility to his subjects (and family) as king. As this play was first performed on Boxing Day in 1606 in front of King James's court, the day when traditionally the rich give to the poor, perhaps Shakespeare was encouraging charitable giving and warning James about the dangers of selfish preoccupation with power. The question must therefore be posed, whether Shakespeare's presentation of blindness has a didactic function. The answer is neither black nor white, since the recognition Lear reaches of his own culpability in the storm is then punished by the death of Cordelia at the close of the play. It is the audience who then share Lear's blindness, the immoral and dark horrors of the final scene are unexpected and shocking, where there appears no redemption for Lear, and a bleak darkness which swallows the stage.