"In Countries, Discord:" The Forming of Good and Just Human Societies

Abstract

Aristotle’s Nicomachean Ethics and Shakespeare’s King Lear explore the strength of human societies as founded upon individual relationships. For Aristotle, a society’s health depends on a certain degree of cohesion among the ruling elites. Without like-mindedness of purpose, a kind of political love, a country becomes divided against itself and cannot stand. In Shakespeare’s tragedy, we see the foolish King Lear abdicate his throne and attempt to pass the rule of Britain onto his daughters. However, from the start of the play there is clear division amongst the royal family, especially between Goneril, Regan, and Cordelia. As a result, we see confirmation of Aristotle’s principles concerning like-mindedness as the self-serving Goneril, Regan, and Edmund ultimately fail to establish any kind of strong kingdom in Britain. This presentation explores the relational roadblocks to forming human society as demonstrated in King Lear through the lens of Aristotle’s virtue ethics, as well as questioning the inevitability of a society's downfall.