and thestorm (the lesser of the “two evils”). Another powerful metaphor illustrated in Lear’sspeech is lines six and seven: “Thou think’st ‘tis much that this contentious storm Invades us to the skin....” The key element in this metaphor is the word “invade”, which conjures up the idea ofsomething, such as an army, taking another entity completely over. This is comparable tothe actuality that Lear’s thoughts about what his daughters have done is the single thingwhich are inherently conquering his mind. The reader is now completely able to see theeffect Lear’s daughters are having upon his mental state. Following the metaphor whichconcerns the bear and roaring sea, Lear declares, “When the mind’s free, The body’sdelicate” (lines 10-12). This illustrates the certitude that Lear would become moresusceptible to the elements if he no longer focused upon what was eating him, mentally. However, since Lear’s mind is focusing only on his daughters’ ingratitude and the grief ithas caused him, he is made impervious to the storm occurring all around him. Near the ending of his speech, Lear uses two more poetic devices: rhetoricalquestions and repetition. He opens his series of rhetorical questions with, perhaps, themost important one: “Is it not as this mouth should tear this hand for lifting food to it?” (lines 15-16). This quote seems to correlate to the clich, “Don’t bite the hand that feedsyou.” Lear has given his daughters all of his land, and yet, they show no gratitudetowards him. He has raised them and cared for them, but they repay him with ingratitude,greed, and hate. Lear continues with more rhetorical questions, which are linked by hintsof repetition: In such a night to shut me out? Pour on; I will endure. In such a night asthis?” (lines 18-19). Again, it is evident that Lear is able to ...
