| Shakespeare has integrated his quest towards ingratitude into King Lear and Timon of Athens.Easily succumbing to glib compliments but infuriated by outright faithful words,Lear,Gloucester and Timon have to confront the sharp shifts of their fortunes.A further exploration of their tragedies will shed light on their restraints of sight and perception.Moreover,a limited knowledge of man and of human nature also brings about their gullibility of these apparently faithful flatterers who bear sinister intentions as well as their disregard of the virtuous ones who endeavor to deliver truths.Illuminated by Foucault’s theory of episteme,this thesis intends to demonstrate that same words and actions will lead to different interpretations when characters vary from one to another.The three are restrained in the spurious impressions and never attempt to unveil the real motivations of lies,which echo the Classical episteme.As the spokesmen of the Renaissance episteme,those sycophants,including Goneril,Regan,Edmond in Lear and flattering lords in Timon,take advantage of the limits of language to conceal their selfishness and ulterior ambition and to deceive the three vulnerable men.Dominated by the same episteme,the representatives of integrity,ranging from Cordelia,Kent,Edgar to Flavius,strive to expose the true colors of those self-centered toadies and to display their unswerving devotion with unembellished words.However,owing to obstinate vanity and ignorance of the protagonists,their efforts are unavailing.Apart from Introduction and Conclusion,the main body of this thesis consists of three parts among which Chapter One aims to reveal the false appearance of the obsequious.Hiding their ulterior motives in mind,they pretend to be subservient and loyal in hopes of gaining monetary advantage or seizing power.Notwithstanding their hypocrisy,these heroes reject to explore the real intentions behind slick lies,which foreshadows their subsequent tragedies.Chapter Two concentrates on the faithful figures who are reluctant to delude the protagonists with ingratiating words or to create an illusion woven by expedient expressions.Instead of catering to the heroes,they prefer proving their steadfast devotion with persuasive actions.Nevertheless,the ways they present truths are exceedingly straightforward,which offends the authority of key figures.Accordingly,their revelations,beyond the inner cognitions of the three,become unacceptable to Lear,Gloucester and Timon.Chapter Three initially revolves around Fool,Poor Tom and Apemantus who are capable of seeing through the spurious impressions as bystanders.Usually speaking in a chain of riddles,allegories,or seemingly mad words,they do not break the taboos of those heroes.A bunch of physical and mental torments also spark self-examination among the protagonists.Additionally,assimilated by those lucid observers,they come to shatter the shackle of previous conceptions and recognize their ignorance.Overall,based on the anatomies of three groups of characters who adopt distinct attitudes when they interact with heroes,this thesis intends to demonstrate the transformations of the three.Accompanied by the devoutly loyal ones,Lear and Gloucester ultimately admit their misconducts and confront their misfortunes courageously.By making a serious examination of themselves and others,they successfully deepen their knowledge of man.Nevertheless,comparison with two somewhat victorious old men is pessimistic in interpreting Timon’s final choice.Recognizing greed and hypocrisy in human nature,he completely cuts off his connection with man and society.Eventually,he degenerates from a generous philanthropist to an isolated misanthrope without making reconciliation. |
