Mini Speech - An examination of the nature of evil in King Lear.

An examination of the nature of evil Defining the term "evil" is a difficult task. Searching for its meaning in the dictionary led me to countless other words such as 'wicked', 'harmful', 'heinous', 'black', and 'villainous'. Needless to say, I didn't find the simplistic explaination that I had hoped for. This in itself proves that the nature of evil is opened to intepretation and debate. Labelling an individual as 'evil' isn't easy, especially when it's …

…and does not fault him for the injustice he did her. Clearly, Shakespeare has crafted Cordelia as a character whose nature is entirely good, unblemished by any trace of evil throughout the entire play. Although evil will always be present and people will be the reason why it exists, good will always outweigh evil. Through the characters, Shakespeare is able to portray the nature of evil and how evil and man compose in the world.