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In both The Colour Purple and King Lear, sufferings of different kinds have led each character to become a better person as their journey of life progresses. In each characters journey, each have undergone many different sufferings, some went through physical sufferings of the body, some emotional sufferings of the soul and for some both. Although these sufferings were harsh on the characters, each have their own approach in handling them. As a consequence of the sufferings these characters went through, each individual changed in a unique way and transformed into a better person. Sufferings are not easy for any person to face, but as a result many often transforms into a better person.
In The Colour Purple by Alice Walker and in King Lear by William Shakespeare both protagonists have been put under consistent sufferings of the mind and of the soul. Other characters such as Corrine, Henrietta, Mr. , Tashi in The Colour Purple and Gloucester, Cordelia, Kent in King Lear have also been put under many sufferings. For Celie from The Colour Purple, sufferings of hers were uncountable, at a young age she was raped by her step-father repeatedly, later she was abuse by her husband which she was forced into marriage into and assaulted by his children. Despite the physical sufferings Celie was put under great amounts of emotional sufferings, such as being separate with her two new born at birth and also being separated with her only love one or over thirty years of not having any news of each other.
Being alive begin to seem like a awful sin. (Walker pg. 262) Emotional sufferings of the mind is not losing ones sanity it also includes worries, loving another and the feeling of longing to belong. For Celie she have also longed for herself to fit into in society and Celie struggles to find who she really is and to accept herself as she is. As for King Lear, the sufferings in which he went through was one in which he has brought onto himself coming from his own naivety. In the beginning King Lear out of his own naivety believed the fancy words of General and Regan and banished those were reminded him of the truth that lay under the fancy words. For the old king the greatest suffering under go was facing the betrayal of his two daughters and losing his sanity. The king would not have to face these suffering if he in the beginning was able to see what the truth really held.
Aside from emotional sufferings the king also went through physical suffering, such went his daughters left the king in the storm. Such sheets of fire, such bursts of horrid thunder, such groans of roaring wind and rain, (King Lear Act 3 Scene 2 Line 46 - 47) In the end although the King was relieved of all his sufferings the consequence of the is was death of himself and his beloved daughter Cordelia. Other characters such as Corrine also went through emotional sufferings, her suspicion of her husband and Nettie caused her to be severely ill. Henrietta was put under physical sufferings with her blood illness and the only cure for her was to eat what she disliked most and her fight to live her life to the fullest has caused her many sufferings. Mr. s suffering was one caused by him, in the end his own guilt eventually begin to eat him away slowly.
He couldnt sleep... But the worse part was having to listen to his own heart. (Walker Pg. 231) The actions in which Mr. has done long ago turns into what caused him to go through sufferings. Tashi is one character in which she had to face her own feelings and to face the feeling of being obligated to her own people. In Tashi's case these two feelings torn her apart and caused her to run away from her love. In King Lear Gloucester was like King Lear he had to face his sufferings created by the betrayal of his unfaithful son, for which he banished his faithful son.
The sufferings on Gloucester also include the pain of losing his own eyes which his unfaithful son took out. Kent's sufferings was not as serious as others, his was one of emotional sufferings he was unable to serve his master with his own identity and was forced to play the role of another character. Cordelia's sufferings were one brought on by her own father, she was put under agony and in the end her father brought death upon her. Although each character underwent different degrees of sufferings each have a different way of approach in handling, which causes them to become a better person. It is not easy for any person to handling their sufferings when one feels depressed emotionally. Celie for her in handling her sufferings both emotionally and physically, she kept hope in God and had faith in her sister that she would still be alive.
Celie writes letters to God to let her feelings escape and to help herself to understand herself as who and what she really is like. Later when she receives letters about her sister from Mr. she begins to write to her instead and that becomes her method of handling what ever she comes across in life. In watching Henrietta fight for her survival Celie becomes stronger and is able to fight for her own self. The only thing keeping me alive is watching Henrietta fight for her life. (Walker Pg. 259) Corrine on the other hand did not face her problems she hid all suspicions inside herself and results in her illness. In the end when she is too weak to do anything, she finally confesses her suspicions.
Tashi in the end decides to be obligate to her own people by going through the traditional African scarring and female circumcision, although when she hides away from her love, she is able to face the decision in which she made. In King Lear, the aged king cannot face his own faults and sufferings in the beginning and ends up with losing his sanity, in the end he is able to admit his own faults and regain his sanity. It is true that the method in which King Lear handled his suffering is different from others because through his sanity the king is able to realize his faults. Gloucester overcomes his suffering with the help of his banished son, Edgar. Edgar through words wakes Gloucester that his own faults are not one that cannot be faced.
With the help of his banished son Gloucester is able to become one that is able to face himself. Cordelia is one whom was never given the chance to handling her suffering. The death of Cordelia was one that happened so quickly that before she can react she was dead. In most of the characters, sufferings brought upon each have led each to become a better person in this journey of life. In the end all characters were able to overcome their fault and face the guilt that is in them. For Celie her hate towards Mr.
was so great that she had the thought of killing him at one point. When she was able to over come her hate, Celie learned how to love not only others but also herself. Celie is able to begin her life new, having her own business and to forget her past and become all she can be. Corrine although ends up with death, she is able to end her life in peace with out any suspicions left inside her... in the middle of the night she woke up to Samuel and said: I believe. And died any way. (Walker Pg. 194) Henrietta in the end although did not become a very good person, but her sufferings has led her to become a stronger person and she is one that knows how to fight for her life.
Tashi become a better person in the end because he is able to be in peace with her own feelings, inner emotions and to live a life that she desires with the love of her life. In King Lear the old king became a better person than he was in the beginning because the king is now able to see with not only his eye but also with his heart. His judgment has become one that is fair and not one based upon fancy words. Gloucester is one that is similar to Lear in the end he is able to see with his own eyes even though both his eyes are taken out. At times it is easy for a person to change, but it is not always easy for one to change into a better person. For those who are able to change into a better person it is most often because of experience.
In both The Colour Purple and King Lear each characters have undergone different degrees of sufferings on the emotional and physical bases and at times both sufferings were undergone. Although the sufferings were different each character had an approach that is similar. When these sufferings were over come each character ends up in being a better person that before. Sufferings are not only there to cause pain and depression to one rather it can change a person into a better person for one to continue their journey of life.
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Research essay sample on Comparing The Colour Purple And King Lear
