Lear asks his daughters, the only family he has, to proclaim
their love for him. In return, Lear was to give his daughters their own piece
of the kingdom. The first two daughters, Goneril and Regan, proclaim their love
to him without any hesitation. Of course they would, if any person was to give
me a million dollars to only have me say “I love you” I would be a million
dollars richer. However, Goneril and Regan by the end of the first scene are
already plotting against their father, proving they never truly loved him. The
third daughter, Cordelia, was either too noble or too dumb to follow suite.
When Cordelia is asked to proclaim her love for her father, she ultimately
tells him that she only loves him because it is her duty as his daughter to
love him. Lear responded to his daughter’s proclamation like any disappointed
and hurt parent would. I believe her banishment is just a less harsh act then
what Lear really wanted to do or could have done.
Lear’s servant Kent was banished because he protested the
banishment of Cordelia. I believe Lear reacted the way he did because like any
old man he does not want to be questioned and ridiculed for his actions. Lear’s
reaction toward Cordelia and Kent make me wonder if the theme in this play is
that the good and innocent will suffer. Since Kent and Cordelia seem to be
portrayed as loyal characters.
However I feel that Kent and The Fool are closer to King
Lear than anyone in the play so far, even closer than his own daughters. Kent
returns to Lear even after Lear banished him and even proclaims his loyalty to
him. The Fool has even a more personal connection with Lear even though he
mocks Lear. The Fool calls Lear, Nuncle, a term that can be taken as one of endearment
or mockery. I believe Lear allows The Fool to mock him because The Fool is a
close friend and only a close friend could get away with mockery.
"I believe Lear reacted the way he did because like any old man he does not want to be questioned and ridiculed for his actions."
ReplyDeleteI really like this point! I feel as if this is a great way to begin an analysis on King Lear's character. Lear is a sensitive old man, he has a human nature just like everyone else. No one liked to be wrong or criticized and questioned, especially "wise' old men like Lear. Also, he is a king with a lot of power. He does not want to be wrong and seem foolish. He is a leader; he has people looking up to him, he cannot appear weak. He has a reputation. King Lear does not want to be see as this vulnerable old man that you described.
This point also foreshadows his future actions. It can be expected that he will lash out and act rashly more than what we have seen so far.
Monte, this is a good observation. It ties into what Mr. V was saying in class about the ambiguity of whether or not we are supposed to pity King Lear. The fact that he's an old man who isn't feeling love from his daughters is fairly worthy of pity. However, tying into your remark about his quasi-loneliness, I'm adding to the pity party that Lear has a mentally disorder.
ReplyDeleteI'm not that knowledgeable or politically correct(?) in autism (or whatever the umbrella term for the field), so I apologize in advance. Anyway, I think Lear has some sort of problem. He is an elderly man with three adult daughters and he was formerly in charge of a country. Yet, he still acts as if he was a child. Not childishly; he acts like a legitimate toddler. Lear doesn't like change. With his 100 knights, he passionately refuses any substitute or anything less. It's like that Jack Nicholson movie where he freaks out because he wants his usual waitress. Also, Lear doesn't seem to understand his social ineptness. After Regan denies him at her castle, he instantly tries to go back to Goneril, somehow disregarding(?) that he called upon her a curse of infertility. Likewise, he only reacts to the wrongness of banishing Cordelia when Regan calls him out on it.
My point is that I agree. King Lear isn't at fault because he knows not what he does. His unrestrained bad side mars his human need for love, thus earning him my pity.
Monty, I see the point you are discussing. But I disagree. I guess the best way to describe my view is that “the means do not justify the end” or Lear’s age and mental capacity do not justify his harsh actions. Yes, many elderly people are angry due the many years and changing times they have experienced. This is seen with my church’s pastor and the little old man from “Up.”
ReplyDeleteBut why should society give them a by for their temper tantrums and angry outbursts? The old should be an example of peace and wisdom, not rage and discontent. Lear has lived a prosperous life: he has money, a family and a kingdom of his own. But even with his many blessings, Lear still wants more. He demands a public display of his children’s love, the benefits of a king, but without the title, and for the permission to do as he pleases.
To me, he sounds like a selfish, teenager girl who is spoiled and believes she is a princess. She wants people to complement her, treat her as if she were a royal, and believes the world revolves around her. But in reality, she’s just a stupid girl. That is Lear to me- a stupid spoiled brat.
Lmao Tara.
DeleteI agree with you, Lear deserves the misery he receives because he is a spoiled and selfish character. He was worried more about his honor and what others thought of him, rather than focusing on the well-being of his children. He is so caught up with the compliments and flattery of his other daughters to realize the love and adoration Cordelia has for him. I can’t help but feel sorry for him though, because he is helpless in his situation and has no chance to change the mess he got himself into.
The more I think about it, the more terrible I feel for Lear. When you think about it you don't know how long Lear was alone: his wife could have died twenty years ago or when Cordelia was born and he could have raised his daughters alone. If this were the case, I find it very sad that his daughters don't seem to truly love him (with the exception of Cordelia).
ReplyDeleteApart from his three daughters, can one really know that Kent or the fool love Lear? The fool may just enjoy mocking him. And while Kent is loyal, loyalty does not always equal love. I believe that Lear feels that he is completely alone, and that there is no one there who truly loves him. Not now anyway, with Cordelia gone and the other two betraying him and leaving him out in the storm. Its quite sad.
And Tara, did you just make fun of Monsignor Foley?? God is going to SNUFF YOU OUT!!! ...Just kidding, but you have no idea how much I laughed when I saw that.
I completely agree with Tara. King Lear is selfish, and it does not matter that he is old. He has had a full life in royalty, with riches in both money and family. It is not like he is some grumpy old man living alone and has no one to talk with, he lives in a castle with thousands of servants and his three daughters. I think would feel sorry for him if he had no one, but he is not alone.
ReplyDeleteI also do not believe that King Lear is unloved. King Lear asked his three daughters to express their love for him, and although Goneril and Regan's response may not have been genuine, I believe that Cordelia's response held some truth. She may not have gone out and said "I love you more than my own life," but she showed some true loving feelings for him, she just couldn't express it the way King Lear desired, showing his selfishness once again. “I love your Majesty according to my bond, no more nor less” (Shakespeare 13). Cordelia loves Lear and much as a daughter can love a father. Cordelia does not lie to her father’s face by swearing that she loves him more than she really does, which almost shows respect towards her father. With her response showing her love for him and her respect for her father, Cordelia demonstrates that she loves her father.
Then there is Kent who has remained loyal to the king. Now I know that Delia mentioned that loyalty does not always mean love, but I cannot help but think it does. How can one person stand up and defend another person without having some feelings toward that person? King Lear banished Kent, and yet he still returns. By coming back Kent showed that King Lear was more than some boss to him, he wanted to make sure that his King was okay, and that he was being treated the way he deserved.
The king has loved; he just wants it to be demonstrated to a grander way. Several people show their love to their King, but if it is not done to his standers his throws a fit. This is why it is difficult to feel bad for Lear, he had everything but he just asked for more, which made people turn on him. I find it hard to show sympathy to Learn when he was the one that caused all the conflicts in his life. King Lear is just selfish, always asking for more.
Alex I really like that thought , I too believe that Lear is mentally unstable and is in terrible health condition. I think it can be argued that there are signs of Lear going insane significantly early in the play. This leads me to my next point , the daughters realize that there father is mentally unstable and cannot run a kingdom furthermore himself. So why strip an insane old man bear of his servants , ridicule him and lock him out during a hurricane/volcano monster storm? Why can’t the daughters throw their insane old father a “ I love you” once in a while ? I bet it would shut him up and keep him content as well as prevent the inevitable bloodshed that is to come. This is also why I believe Kent and the Fool are the only family Lear has. They know he’s old and unstable but they do not abandon him.
DeleteThe idea that he cannot be angry and upset because he has riches and a family does not make sense to me. For one he does not have a family, I do not believe he ever had one, his wife is dead and his only family ,his children, despise him even after he gave the kingdom to them; therefore making me believe that Lear cares more about family then his actual wealth .
I do not believe Lear is throwing tantrums and having outbursts just have them. It is a cry for mercy or more so to express that there is a foul or some wrongdoing. I do not believe Lear is that selfish, for if he was I don’t think he would of gave up his kingdom, he could of just killed his daughters or kept them as slaves. How come we cannot say that the daughters are selfish? They got what they wanted from the old man and now he’s just useless begging for their love.