This age is similar to the time period of Sir Gawain and the Green Knight when kings rule the land and knights fight to protect their king's lands. There are four main symbols in King Lear. The first symbol is the letters that the characters constantly circulate between each other. These letters symbolize the betrayal of the characters and the revenge that many of the main characters take against each other. The second symbol is eyes.
Eyes symbolize knowledge .
When the Duke of Cornwall gouges out the Earl of Gloucester's eyes, he is trying to force out the knowledge that the Earl of Gloucester is hiding from the Duke of Cornwall. The next symbol is the weather. The weather depicts the turmoil of the characters. When King Lear is in self pity and on the verge of insanity, the weather is stormy and threatening. The final symbol is the flowers.