In William Shakespeare’s play King Lear, the protagonist, King Lear, is betrayed by his two daughters, and the story ends in a tragic death. Shakespeare reveals the consequences brought about by human vanity, and the play alerts people not to live in the world of enchanting words. Shakespeare expresses a deeper message by allowing readers to witness King Lear’s changes, and by building up other dynamic characters. Specifically, these dynamic characters have important roles in the play and their experiences are closely related to its theme. Throughout the story, King Lear transforms from a strong-headed and irrational person to someone who understands the true meaning of love. He also realizes that he is living in a world of illusions, seduced by flattering words. In one night, he figures out why he incurs such a sudden change, and it is because his vanity once sealed his ears and blinded his eyes. For instance, when King Lear’s daughter, Cordelia, helps him when he is poor and powerless, he realizes that true love cannot be expressed by magnificent words, because true love is simple, and it is based on actions. By describing this change in King Lear, Shakespeare reveals to the audience the vanity of humanity and conveys not to indulge in the world of flattery. Shakespeare expresses another deep message which is that it is crucial to distinguish between the true features of things, and he does this by shaping another dynamic character: Earl of Gloucester.

The Earl of Gloucester is wealthy and highly powerful at the beginning of the play. Because of his arrogance and gullibility, he expels his son, Edgar, and is deceived by Edmund. Then, after Regan blinds Gloucester, he finally knows the truth that Edgar is innocent and he Gloucester becomes filled with guilt. He gradually lost his original arrogance during rove. He was saved and lead by his son, Edgar, however, he didn’t know the true identity of Edgar. Shakespeare used dramatic irony to raise the pity of audience to Edgar and Gloucester, meanwhile he underlines the justice and kindness of Edgar. As Gloucester changed his characteristic, one of the theme of the story shows out to the audience, which is that arrogance is the reason of being emotionally blind and gullible.

​ Edgar is another dynamic character that Shakespeare shaped in King Lear who is closely connected to the theme of the play. At the beginning of the play, he was framed easily by Edmund’s evil plan and resulted in being expelled by his father. However, after tempering on the heath, he learned to camouflage himself and in the end he successfully killed Edmund. Shakespeare underlines the change of Edgar to express his idea that it is necessary for people to distinguish lies from true words and it is crucial not to be credulous. Furthermore, Shakespeare used Edgar’s success as the end of the story in order to show the audience that only when a person jumps out of the world of lie and unreality, he can achieve success and beat the evil.

​The tragic ending of King Lear is a consequence of living in unreality. All the three main characters, King Lear, Earl of Gloucester and Edgar experienced agony because of their gullibility or vanity. William Shakespeare shows the change of these three characters in the play to show their realization of the truth, meanwhile he underlines the theme that vanity can incur troubles and the ability to recognize what is true plays an important role in people’s life.