I have made note in your question as to the actual
location of the quote. It is crucial to analyzing the quote to understand where in the
play Lear makes this observation about himself. Is he reflecting after long struggling
and learning of lessons about life, or is he reacting in a self-pitying, momentary
reaction to an immediate event?
The context of the quote
is the middle of the storm on the heath in Act III as Lear is condemning those who have
committed crimes (his daughters) and proclaiming that they be brought to justice. His
condemnation and finger pointing here is in direct contrast to later (IV, vi) with
Gloucester, when he is much more contemplative about his situation, observing
that:
See how
yond justice rails upon yond simple thief? Hark, in thine ear. Change places, and
handy-dandy, which is the justice and which is the
thief?
But here in Act III,
he is still vengeful and desires justice/punishment for the crimes he believes have been
committed against him. Later, in Acts IV and V, he sees more clearly how
interchangeable the idea of "guilt" is and also understands he himself to be a "foolish,
fond old man."
So, it seems to me that the question of
sinned and sinning is merely in the eye of the beholder, and, for Lear, it depends on
the perspective he has (or has not) about the common human nature we all share,
including being sinners.
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