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Abstract: Creative comparison of the biblical figure of Joseph and the character of Edgar in Shakespeare's King Lear, in light of the Báb’s and Bahá'u'lláh's Writings. Notes: Article mirrored from journal.bahaistudies.ca/online/article/view/259. See also the complete issue [PDF]. |
Genesis in King Lear:
Joseph's Many-Colored Coat Suits Shakespeare
by Tom Lysaght
published in Journal of Bahá'í Studies, 29:3, pages 83-96Ottawa: Association for Bahá'í Studies North America, 2019
About: “If we tire of the saints, Shakespeare is our city of refuge.” — Ralph Waldo EmersonA luminary of five religions, Joseph of Egypt looms larger than life. Bahá’u’lláh even likens Himself to “the Divine Joseph” (Gleanings 103:4). However, Joseph’s gradual unveiling as a minor prophet also renders him humanly relatable in ways a Manifestation of God can never be. In the West, Shakespeare and the Bible have each served as paths to knowledge, and their union a way to wisdom. That assertion proves especially true upon comparing Joseph’s odyssey of becoming with Edgar’s in King Lear. Both the prophet and the fictional character, each brother-betrayed, transform unjust adversity into psychological and spiritual growth. They each attain an exemplary sovereignty of self over and above their separate temporal kingships. A comparison of the two aff ords a deeper appreciation of Joseph’s prominent place in scripture, particularly in the Writings of Bahá’u’lláh.
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