12/08/2004

Here's the thought for today...

In King Lear (III:vii) there is a man who is such a minor character that Shakespeare has not given him even a name: he is merely "First Servant." All the characters around him-Regan, Cornwall, and Edmund-have fine long-term plans. They think they know how the story is going to end, and they are quite wrong. The servant has no such delusions. He has no notion how the play is going to go. But he understands the present scene. He sees an abomination (the blinding of old Gloucester) taking place. He will not stand it. His sword is out and pointed at his master's breast in a moment: then Regan stabs him dead from behind. That is his whole part: eight lines all told. But if it were real life and not a play, that is the part it would be best to have acted.

This C.S. Lewis quote is one we should consider carefully. Why is the servant the best part? Let me know what you think.

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

Perhaps the lack of answers is due to a flaw in the question.

blbartlett said...

Perhaps someone is over-thinking it! Seriously, Lewis is referring to the idea that each of us is small and insignificant in the grand scheme of things. Our role as such, then, is to be who we were called to be, serving our Master despite or regardless of the consequences. We all ought to be following God rather than trying to be a big, important person. Why? Because an existence of following the master is the happiest one there is.