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The role of cordelia in king lears
How Lear was deceived
How Lear was deceived
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My father may have abandoned me as his daughter, but I still love him. I am true to my emotions. My senses are clear, I see more clearly than my sisters, and the rest of this poison that has tainted this precious kingdom. I feel that my sister’s intentions are not quite as honourable as my father has once thought. My father is blinded with vanity after all, and so flattering words can fool his precious mind, that craves attention, and constant reassurance. My father is blind to what he can see in front of him I know he will realise what he has done to me, and the kingdom. I have faith that he will see the light, and that the almighty gods will guide him to his rightful self. After all this though my father should suffer for his blindness, but on the other hand he is nothing but an old fragile man, who needs love, that is skin deep and that is shown through actions and gestures, not meaningless words that have sprouted from sweet evil lies. He has been tormented so much by my sisters, and people he thought he could trust have let him down.
The so called love test that my father started was an act of utter disregard for my obvious love for him. I’m beginning to wonder if he knew all along what he was doing, but then again, I don’t know. His possible unhinged mind confuses me. I’ve done practically everything for him, so he could succeed as a King and he just pushes me aside, like everything I did for him meant nothing. I should be the one who is praised, and treated well. My sisters do not show him true love like I do. I will not play his game. The fool is the only one who is possibly sane. He sees this malicious world through my eyes, and I am glad I do not walk alone. The fool adores me so, and I believe that he will guide my...
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...ility. I have explored these themes in this monologue, by talking about Lear’s apparent blindness, even though he never loses his eyes he cannot see what he has in his life already. Which is the love for Cordelia has for him. He chooses to see with his eyes, and not his mind. He is vain, and selfish, and this is why he chooses to favour Cordelia’s sisters rather than Cordelia herself. He did not see with his mind. The different variations of sight have enabled me to look deeper into the story, and improvise what Cordelia might think about her father’s mental stability due to this.
I attempted to sound a overdramatic in this monologue as I wanted it to replicate a monologue by Shakespeare as much as I could, but be as up to date with modern English as much as possible. It is common in a tragedy that the language would be overdramatic to gain effect and empathy.
Lear becomes blinded by his flaws, leading him to make irrational decisions which ultimately cause him to go mad. After Cordelia is unable to state how much she loves her father and outdo her sisters exaggerated professions of
King Lear's hot temper and hasty decisions play a significant role in his fall from grace. His old age has caused him to behave impulsively, without any consideration for the consequences of his actions. When Lear asks his devoted daughter Cordelia to express her love for him, he becomes upset with her because she cannot put her feelings into words. He does not realize that she cares deeply for him and disowns her by saying, "Here I disclaim all my paternal care, propinquity and property of blood, and as a stranger to my heart and me hold thee from this for ever (1.1.120-123)." It is only later, when Cordelia has left him, that Lear realizes he had made a wrong decision. In another fit of rage, Lear ...
When the audience is first introduced to Lear, he is portrayed as a raging, vain old man who can not see the purity of his daughter Cordelia's love for him from the insincerity of her sisters Goneril and Regan. In his fiery rage after disowning Cordelia, Lear commands to Kent, "Out of my sight!" (1.1.156). Kent fittingly implores the aging king to "See better, Lear; and let me still remain / The true blank of thine eye" (1.1.157-8). Kent recognizes love in its most noble form in the person of Cordelia, and is able to see through the hypocrisy of Lear's other two daughters. In beseeching Lear to "[s]ee better," Kent is, in effect, asking Lear to look beyond his vanity and inward pride to see the honesty of Cordelia, who refuses...
showed itself at moments, and I always was deeply upset knowing, his father could never do
1. King Lear commands his daughters to profess their love for him, illustrating that Lear is selfish and foolish. Cordelia, King Lear’s daughter, refused to give a speech about how much she loves him, resulting in a loss of a dowry. She loves her father the way a daughter should and believes that words cannot express love. Cordelia’s morals keep her from expressing insincere praise in order to receive a portion of Lear’s kingdom, revealing that Cordelia is honest and virtuous. Cordelia mentions that her father “begot”, “bred”, and “loved” her, actions that King Lear took to raise her, and she plans to take care of him the way he did. She feels that flattering her father is unnecessary because no description can describe the love and care that
The first flaw in King Lear is his arrogance, which results in the loss of Cordelia and Kent. It is his arrogance in the first scene of the play that causes him to make bad decisions. He expects his favorite, youngest daughter to be the most worthy of his love. His pride makes him expect that Cordelia’s speech to be the one filled with the most love. Unfortunately for King Lear’s pride, Cordelia replies to his inquisition by saying, “I love your majesty/According to my bond and nothing less';(1.1.100-101). Out of pride and anger, Lear banishes Cordelia and splits the kingdom in half to the two evil sisters, Goneril and Regan. This tragic flaw prevents King Lear from seeing the truth because his arrogance overrides his judgement. Lear’s arrogance also causes him to lose his most faithful servan...
"Unhappy that I am I cannot heave My heart into my mouth. I love your Majesty According to my bond; nor more nor less. " I.i.87-89 Cordelia's refusal to flatter her father during the love test may suggest to the audience that she is not only disobeying her father, but also committing political sui... ... middle of paper ... ..., is one of great pain and sorrow. It eventually leads Lear to madness and it is only then that he sees the true reasons behind his treatment.
He responds to Cordelia with an order, but one that is vastly different than what he has previously issued. Instead of attempting to assert his dominance for egotistical reasons, Lear is simply attempting to assuage the fears of his anxious daughter. He declares that instead of continuing to resent the actions of her sisters, Cordelia should instead focus on savoring the time the two have left together. There is a poetic quality to Lear’s speech, as he compares Cordelia and himself to “bird i' th' cage”. Lear has abandoned his previous pomp, informing Cordelia that he is prepared to “kneel down/
The afternoon was slowly fading into the evening and I had gone the whole day without the figure of my aspiration, my father. I impatiently paced the floor in front of the door like a stalking cat waiting to pounce on its prey. The thoughts of wrestling my father and hear those words of affirmation, “You got me! Mercy! I give up!” filled my head. My father was obviously faking it but there was something about his words that have such power over a young boys life. Mothers are sources of comfort and safety for a young boy but it is the father that defines the identity of a young boy, the father bestows manhood on the boy.
King Lear, by William Shakespeare, is a tragic tale of filial conflict, personal transformation, and loss. The story revolves around the King who foolishly alienates his only truly devoted daughter and realizes too late the true nature of his other two daughters. A major subplot involves the illegitimate son of Gloucester, Edmund, who plans to discredit his brother Edgar and betray their father. With these and other major characters in the play, Shakespeare clearly asserts that human nature is either entirely good, or entirely evil. Some characters experience a transformative phase, where, by some trial or ordeal, their nature is profoundly changed. We shall examine Shakespeare's stand on human nature in King Lear by looking at specific characters in the play, Cordelia who is wholly good, Edmund who is wholly evil, and Lear whose nature is transformed by the realization of his folly and his descent into madness.
Only the truth is irreconcilable with the demands of Lear’s ego. When Cordelia doesn’t say what Lear wants to hear he breaks out in anger by a violent oath, disclaiming paternal care of Cordelia: “… by the sacred radiance of the sun, The mysteries of Hecat and the night; By all the operations of the orbs From whom we do exist and cease to be” . Lear casts Cordelia from his heart referring to her as a “barbarous Scythian.” His hatred surpasses the notion of equality in love, it shows self-centred love that asks more of the other then of oneself. With Lear’s actions we can see that he can’t recognise treachery and loyalty and falsehood and truth, and no one can tell him about it. Here his lack of self-knowledge is the biggest in the play.
Lear's self-destruction begins when he stands before the court to divide his kingdom and commands his daughters to profess their love for him. Cordelia, his youngest and most favored daughter, idealistically believes that words are unnecessary in the expression of love and refuses to profess her feelings. King Lear had planned to give the most land to Cordelia and to stay with her in his old age and he states of Cordelia, "I loved her most, and thought to set my rest/ On her kind nursery" (1.1.125-126). The king does not understand the motives behind Cordelia's silence and is shocked by her unexpected reaction to his demand. He loses sight of his careful preparation for his future and in his...
Lear's vision is also marred by his lack of direction in life, and his poor foresight, his inability to predict the consequences of his actions. He cannot look far enough into the future to see the consequences of his actions. This, in addition to his lack of insight into other people, condemns his relationship with his most beloved daughter, Cordelia. When Lear asks his daughters who loves him most, he already thinks that Cordelia has the most love for him.
Lear's vision is marred by lack of direction in life, poor foresight and his inability to predict the consequences of his actions. He cannot look far enough into the future to see the consequences of his actions. This, in addition to his lack of insight into other people, condemns his relationship with his most beloved daughter, Cordelia. When Lear asks his daughters, who loves him most, he already thinks that Cordelia has the most love for him. However, when Cordelia says: "I love your Majesty according to my bond, no more nor less." (I, i, 94-95) Lear cannot see what these words really mean. Goneril and Regan are only putting on an act. They do not truly love Lear as much as they should. When Cordelia says these words, she has seen her sister's facade, and she does not want to associate her true love with their false love. Lear, however, is fooled by Goneril and Regan into thinking that they love him, while Cordelia does not. This is when Lear first shows a sign of becoming blind to those around him. He snaps and disowns her: