Discuss the concept of nothing as used in King Lear. Consider the themes of the play as you discuss lines such as “nothing will come of nothing, speak again.” And “the quality of nothing has no such need to hide itself.” And “I am better than thou art now. I am a fool, thou art nothing.”
Nothing becomes a double symbol for King Lear’s ignorance to the truth and inability to perceive nothing. It also symbolizes King Lear’s paranoia which is brought on by his ignorance and short shortsightedness. This is due to the fact that power under King Lear has consistently been contended, highlighting its fragility and vulnerability. Nothing also symbolizes the fear of becoming insignificant and destitute. Nothing is symbolic of a way to perceive reality where the fragility, dynamism and human nature’s obsession with power obscures.
The idea of nothing symbolizes King Lear’s paranoia. Shakespeare explores the idea of nothing by implying the common characteristic of chasing away things that people don’t understand or things that are different by having King Lear banish his favorite daughter due to his inability to comprehend the fact that she wants ‘nothing’ from him. King Lear is so unable to accept this unusual and probably new idea of not wanting the power and fortune that he has, that he becomes suspicious. Not wanting anything is seen as a strange thing in the play just as it is seen in today’s society. There is usually and exterior motive when doing something to benefit other people. Man’s desire for power, ‘for something’ makes an inherent and unchangeable truth in King Lear’s perception. Not being able to perceive nothing is one of King Lear’s fatal flaws. He says to Cordelia ‘what can you say to draw a third more opulent than your sisters?’ and all that Cordelia has to say in response is ‘nothing’ because she understands that ‘actions speak louder than words,’ but Lear is so caught up in his misunderstanding of nothing and his ignorance of the truth so he says ‘nothing will come of nothing.’ King Lear is willing to base his fortune on artificial words that are choreographed to take advantage of his wealth rather than the actions of which the words promise.
Nothing is also a symbol of fear in becoming insignificant and destitute. Gloucester asks Edmund what he has in his pocket and Edmund just replies with ‘nothing.’ This symbolizes is fear of being nothing as Edmund is trying everything in his power to become more than nothing. This is also significant to the theme of nothing as the letter is actually nothing; it’s completely false and untrue. Gloucester is set on the idea that nothing is actually something and says ‘the quality of nothing has no such need to hide itself,’ and after letter, he believes that there is something going on when in all actuality there is nothing.
‘I am better than thou art now; I am a fool, thou art nothing,’ is a significant quote as the fool is just plainly saying that King Lear is literally nothing. He has no value or significance. This is somewhat like a consequence that Lear has to deal with in return of falling for the words with no meanings of Goneril and Regan. He believed what he thought was something and in return he has become nothing. He has already given away his land to his sly daughters and literally has nothing left, not even respect. This is quite ironic coming from the fool as usually, a fool is considered to be nothing beside a King.