As flies to wanton boys are we to the gods;
They kill us for their sport.
In this passage, Gloucester articulates his thoughts while traversing the desolate heath, having been blinded by Cornwall and Regan (4.1.37–38). These words vividly convey his profound despair, which propels him towards a desire for his own demise. Furthermore, they underscore a central theme of the play: the inquiry into the existence of justice within the cosmos.
Gloucester’s philosophical contemplation at this juncture paints a bleak perspective. He posits that there is a conspicuous absence of order, or at the very least, a dearth of benevolent order, within the universe. Moreover, he asserts that humanity lacks the capacity to impose its moral principles upon the rigid and unforgiving laws governing the world. Instead of divine justice, he contends that the universe is a mere playground for malevolent and inscrutable deities who seem to endorse cruelty and derive pleasure from human suffering.
In numerous ways, the unfolding events in the play seem to validate Gloucester’s grim worldview. The virtuous and the wicked alike meet their demise, and there is no discernible rationale provided for the pervasive and agonizing suffering that permeates the narrative.