impetuous and irrational, a man who ‘hath ever but slenderly known himself’.

It is only when the trappings of power are removed that Lear learns the importance of equal justice for everyone in his (former) kingdom, the significance of not being blinded by appearance and rank. Only when he suffers does the audience witness Lear’s capacity for justice, mercy, devotion, courage and fortitude (to quote form the list above), but by then these qualities are relatively ineffective in their impact on wider society.

English Standard Version

King James Version

1When Saul returned from following the Philistines, he was told, Behold, David is in the wilderness of Engedi.2Then Saul took three thousand chosen men out of all Israel and went to seek David and his men in front of the Wildgoats' Rocks.3And hecame to the sheepfolds by the way, where there was a cave, and Saul went in to relieve himself. Now David and his men were sitting in the innermost parts of the cave.4And the men of David said to him, Here is the day of which the Lord said to you, Behold, I will give your enemy into your hand, and you shall do to him as it shall seem good to you. Then David arose and stealthily cut off a corner of Saul's robe.5And afterward David's heart struck him, because he had cut off a corner of Saul's robe.6He said to his men, The Lord forbid that I should do this thing to my lord, the Lord's anointed, to put out my hand against him, seeing he