The Presentation of Followers in King Lear Anonymous 12th Grade

In Shakespeare, followers will often surround central characters, sometimes remaining nameless, or seeming superfluous to the play’s development. However, such characters serve a more integral role than being ‘silent servants’ or providing comic relief. Anything more than a superficial glance at King Lear will identify the piece as a prime example of this; followers in the tragedy are layered and complex, acting not only as contemporarily mimetic social figures, but simultaneously embodying their master’s attributes and varying points on the moral spectrum. Due to their implicit depiction of hierarchical systems, followers may also be useful devices for commentaries on power structures and the various roles which may be played within them. In the case of Lear, questions are raised on the validity and function of different forms of loyalty. As Richard Strier puts it, we see a ‘distinction between virtuous disobedience and improper loyalty’, a distinction we may associate with the play’s theme of rejection of arbitrary structures. To explore the presentation of followers in King Lear, one must consider these three points: how followers may be representative of their masters, the way in which they raise questions about fidelity...