Throughout the plays "King Lear" and "W;t" the main characters are subjected to experiences that force them to psychologically change. Both Vivian Bearing and King Lear experience direct threats against their dignity and status. Through their experiences, Vivian and Lear are subjected to pain, isolation and are able to discover the real meaning of life because of this. However, it is not until these characters open their eyes that they are able to undergo any alteration to their character. Although both Vivian and Lear are at different points of their lives under different circumstances, they experience many of the same things and share a few similarities.
One thing that results in the psychological changes of both Lear and Vivian are the pain that they experience is pain. Lear's pain, unlike that of Vivian, is a result of his daughters" betrayal towards him. During the play, Lear stands on the heath with the storm all around him. The storm symbolizes his inner turmoil; his pain is so great that he challenges the storm to do its worst. .
Blow, winds, and crack your cheeks. Rage, blow! You cataracts and hurricanoes, spout Till you have drenched our steeples, drowned the cocks. You sulph"rous and thought-executing fires, Vaunt-couriers of oak-cleaving thunderbolts, Singe my white head. And thou, all-shaking thunder, Strike flat the thick rotundity o" th" world, Crack Nature's molds, all germains spill at once, That makes ingrateful man.
(Lear 3.2.69-70).
In this passage, Lear wishes that his life would end, his life has become too painful to bear and he sees not end to his pain. At the beginning of the play, Lear tries to conceal his pain from those around him. "I have full cause for weeping ," Lear says acknowledging the fact that his tears are come because of pain and that they are justified. " but this heart shall break into a hundred thousand flaws or ere I"ll weep" he continues.
