William Shakespeare'

Responsibility is an intrinsic component of social life that applies in certain situations because, as individuals, everyone is required to be responsible for a specific role in their authority. As a result, duty is defined as the totality of the responsibilities that come with occupying a specific role (Bivin). As a result, duty is an inherent component of being expected to carry out particular tasks that one is required to perform. It is a frequent aspect of modern life, and since many writers take inspiration from everyday experiences, they prefer to describe many such positions in their characters. William Shakespeare is one of the most accomplished authors of literature who embodied this feature in the book “King Lear” as many of the characters are tasked with given roles. King Lear, Gloucester, Edgar, Edmund and Kent all embrace their roles and act in the expected fashion with the idea of embracing their responsibilities changing their roles.King Lear is the protagonist in the novel and bets exemplifies the character who takes up his role as he was required. As the king of Britain, he was needed to divide the realm among his children as it was customary for a person holding the position and retiring, as it is seen, he embraces the roles and accepts it as it is seen later that he decides to give two of her order daughters their shares. he says, “Tell me, my daughters— Since now we will divest us both of rule, Interest of territory, cares of state—Which of you shall we say doth love us most, that we our largest bounty may extend/Where nature doth with merit challenge” (Shakespeare 22). The idea of embracing his role changes his nature because in the end, he was being judged to be unfair to his youngest daughter.Gloucester is another key character in the novel that embodies the aspect of responsibility from his actions. He becomes victim of his illegitimate son’s move to create hate between him and his legitimate son Edgar. The element of his role comes when he curses the move because as expected, it is the expectation of the parent to ensure the adherence to morality. Gloucester exclaims, “Edgar.' Hum? Conspiracy? Sleep till I waked him, you should enjoy half his revenue.' My son Edgar! Had he a hand to write this? A heart and brain to breed it in? —When came this to you? Who brought it?” (Shakespeare 34). From this, it is seen that Gloucester does not evade his responsibility and in the end, he disowns his legitimate son and thus changes to a bad character. Edgar is Gloucester’s legitimate son who is also seen to be clueless person. He became victim of Edmund’s tricks and is disowned by his father for being supposedly wicked. He decides that the only way was to become a poor beggar, which in this case is the expectation from a disobedient person. He says, “My name is Edgar, and thy father's son. The gods are just, and of our pleasant vices. Make instruments to plague us” (Shakespeare 45). It is thus seen that he does not avoid the role of a disobedient son as he becomes a beggar as he thinks it is punishment. Edmund also depicts the relevance of this features of literature in the manner he manipulated his father. As he is not legitimate, it is his responsibility to regain his position and be seen. It is on these ground that he tricks Gloucester by making his brother appear to be mortal so that he is perceived to be good. He states, “And my invention thrives, Edmund the base. Shall top the legitimate. I grow, I prosper” (Shakespeare 56). He does not deny his role and in the end, it changes his nature because he is perceived as the better son.Kent, Lear’s servant, also executed his responsibility by trying all he can to regain the lost trust in Lear. He is fired but proceeds to convince the king to hire him back after a disagreement about disowning Cordelia. He does not avoid his responsibility in the play. He says, “Sir, I am too old to learn. Call not your stocks for me. I serve the king, On whose employment I was sent to you” (Shakespeare 33). From this, therefore, it is seen that Kent does not lose hope and it changes his nature and status. He gets Lear convinced that he is indispensable and is hire back. In summary, it is seen that the play embodies several key instances where the characters are required to take over their roles as required. King Lear, Gloucester, Edgar Edmund, and Kent are all characters who partake their responsibilities as each does not run away from it. In the end, the ability to behave in the expected manner changes the whole scene of the play and creates a new understanding of the nature of the characters involved.Works CitedBivin, T. “Responsibility and Accountability.” (2010): n. pag. Web.Shakespeare, William. King Lear. Julius Caesar, 1985. Print.