King Lear - Analysis of Character Relationships and Downfalls.
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- Category: English: Shakespeare
- Date Submitted: 03/30/2008 07:49 AM
- Pages: 6
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King Lear is a play written by William Shakespeare that
focuses on the relationships of many characters, some good, some evil.
This is a great tragedy that is full of injustice at the beginning
and the restoring of justice towards the end. The good are misjudged
as evil and the evil are accepted as good. It is not until the end of
the play that the righteous people are recognized as such. There is
great treachery and deceit involved in the hierarchy of English rule.
The great mistake in this play was made by Lear when he decided to
divide up his kingdom to his three daughters. In order to determine
which share each should get, he had each of his daughters give
testimonies of love for him. Cordelia, the youngest, refused to go
overboard with her statement. When asked for her testimony, she
simply replied, "Unhappy that I am, I cannot heave my heart into my
mouth. I love your Majesty according to my bond, no more no
less."(I,i, ln 91-93) Lear becomes enraged and casts her off saying,
"Here I disclaim all my paternal care, propinquity and property of
blood, and as a stranger to my heart and me hold this from thee for
ever."(I,i, ln 113-116). Some think that Cordelia was prideful, or
even a fool in her response, but I believe she was simply being honest
and true.
Another mistake that was made in the course of the play was by
the Earl of Gloucester. After being tricked by his bastard son,
Edmund, into believing that his other son, Edgar, was plotting to kill
him, he put all his faith in Edmund, which would eventually lead to
his demise. Besides believing that Cordelia was being true and honest
to her father, I think that Lear and the Earl of Gloucester were
fools, regarding the banishments of their righteous children.
After reading this play, I found it hard to believe that
Cordelia was being anything but true in her simple proclamation of
love for her father. I can't...
focuses on the relationships of many characters, some good, some evil.
This is a great tragedy that is full of injustice at the beginning
and the restoring of justice towards the end. The good are misjudged
as evil and the evil are accepted as good. It is not until the end of
the play that the righteous people are recognized as such. There is
great treachery and deceit involved in the hierarchy of English rule.
The great mistake in this play was made by Lear when he decided to
divide up his kingdom to his three daughters. In order to determine
which share each should get, he had each of his daughters give
testimonies of love for him. Cordelia, the youngest, refused to go
overboard with her statement. When asked for her testimony, she
simply replied, "Unhappy that I am, I cannot heave my heart into my
mouth. I love your Majesty according to my bond, no more no
less."(I,i, ln 91-93) Lear becomes enraged and casts her off saying,
"Here I disclaim all my paternal care, propinquity and property of
blood, and as a stranger to my heart and me hold this from thee for
ever."(I,i, ln 113-116). Some think that Cordelia was prideful, or
even a fool in her response, but I believe she was simply being honest
and true.
Another mistake that was made in the course of the play was by
the Earl of Gloucester. After being tricked by his bastard son,
Edmund, into believing that his other son, Edgar, was plotting to kill
him, he put all his faith in Edmund, which would eventually lead to
his demise. Besides believing that Cordelia was being true and honest
to her father, I think that Lear and the Earl of Gloucester were
fools, regarding the banishments of their righteous children.
After reading this play, I found it hard to believe that
Cordelia was being anything but true in her simple proclamation of
love for her father. I can't...