Shakespeare's King Lear is a study of brutality, not only of human beings, but also of the natural world. Evaluate this view of King Lear.

In King Lear, Shakespeare uses many literary techniques such as metaphor to paint a picture of his characters' behaviours. These techniques often use nature such as dangerous animals or extreme weather to show the brutality of a characters actions. For example, in Act 2, Scene 4, King Lear exclaims his daughter "struck me with her tongue, / Most serpent-like, upon the very heart.' This draws similarity between the pain of a serpent's bite and the brutality of his daughter's words to him.
In Act 3, Scene 4, Shakespeare draws comparison between how Lear treats his subjects and how a horrific storm treats his subjects. Lear cries 'Poor naked wretches, wheresoe’er you are, / That bide the pelting of this pitiless storm.' This suggests regret at the brutality he treats his subjects with, that the storm is a visual representation reflecting his past actions.

Answered by Nicole H. English tutor

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