"King Lear alone among these plays has a distinct double action. Besides this, it is impossible, I think, from the point of view of construction, to regard the hero as the leading figure"

Andrew Coyle Bradley, a distinguished Shakespearean scholar, provides a thought-provoking point of view on "King Lear" with his interpretative commentary. His remark about "King Lear alone among these plays has a distinct double action" highlights the distinct structural intricacy within Shakespeare's catastrophe. What Bradley refers to as a "double action" is the parallel plotlines that drive the narrative. On one hand, there is Lear's familial catastrophe involving his daughters-- Goneril, Regan, and Cordelia. On the other hand, there is the subplot of Gloucester and his sons, Edgar and Edmund. These linked stories show and amplify the styles of betrayal, loyalty, and redemption, vital to the play's impact.

Bradley's observation about the "difficult" job of relating to King Lear as the main hero, from a building standpoint, difficulties traditional views of heroism. Typically, the hero is the leading figure whose journey underscores the play's thematic essence. Nevertheless, in "King Lear", the existence of similarly engaging subplots dilutes a particular concentrate on Lear himself. Instead, the narrative's richness emerges from its ensemble of terrible figures, each contributing to the unfolding drama. This welcoming complexity expands our understanding of catastrophe, representing it as a shared human experience rather than the domain of a sole lead character.

Thus, Bradley advises readers to reconsider traditional interpretations of theatrical protagonists. Lear, while seemingly the character around whom the main plot revolves, acts as part of a greater tapestry of interwoven fates. This "double action" represents not just a parallel structure but an elaborate style that mirrors life's complex nature, where no single individual's story exists in seclusion.

Bradley's insight into "King Lear" illuminates Shakespeare's creative intentions. By transcending the conventional mold of hero-centric stories, Shakespeare weaves a more profound exploration of humanity's detailed relationships, reflecting how personal and familial dynamics form our understanding of identity and morality.