Preview

King Lear Research Paper

Satisfactory Essays
Open Document
Open Document
509 Words
Grammar
Grammar
Plagiarism
Plagiarism
Writing
Writing
Score
Score
King Lear Research Paper
KI
Jason Augusto
English 4U
Mrs. Dunn
June 13th, 2011
King Lear King Lear is a story full of greed, betrayal and the want for power. These three qualities is what leads to the disasters. King Lear is reaching the time when he is getting to old and needs to give his power and land to someone else. Lear has three daughters Goneril, Regan and Cordelia. Lear’s method on choosing one of his daughters to inherit his power and land is to recite their love for him but in a way that would be suitable for a husband/lover and not a father. Out of all sisters Cordelia is the only sincere one and expresses her love in an honest and father/daughter suitable way. The other two daughters tragedy happens due to their jealousy towards eahcother for the
…show more content…
Goneril and Regan express their “love” in a way suitable for a husband rather than a husband. When Cordelia expresses her way in a honest way and not the way her sisters had, Lear gets angry because he thinks Cordelia doesn’t love him as much as his sisters do and so he punishes her. Cordelia isn’t given a dowry for a husband so Burgundy refuses but France offers to make her his queen. King Lear gets upset at this news but doesn’t really mind because he thinks his other daughters love him most anyways. Lear and his Knights move into Goneril’s palace but he is treated rudely and not loved. “His knights grow riotous, and himself upbraids us on every trifle” (1.3.7-8). Through her actions it is obvious she doesn’t love Lear and isn’t claiming the same love she was when she wanted his land and power. Lear feels unloved and moves to Regan’s Palace but is treated exactly the same. His one daughter who showed honest love for him isn’t even living in the same country anymore due to his ignorant actions. Now Lear is without his daughters due to Cordelia moving to France, and the fake love that his two others daughters expressed that he later on

You May Also Find These Documents Helpful

  • Powerful Essays

    King Lear Research Paper

    • 2936 Words
    • 12 Pages

    The concept of a fool in Shakespearean plays is nearly as popular as the very figure of a fool used to be in Middle Ages at royal courts and some private households of aristocrats. The characters that could be described as fools appear in Shakespeare’s Twelfth Night (Feste) and As You Like It (Touchstone). And there is of course the most famous of the fools, named simply The Fool in Shakespeare’s King Lear – the one with reference to whom this essay is created.…

    • 2936 Words
    • 12 Pages
    Powerful Essays
  • Good Essays

    King Lear Essay

    • 369 Words
    • 2 Pages

    Although Edgar is not truly mad in the play King Lear by William Shakespeare, he portrays himself as a madman to the other characters in the play when disguised as Poor Tom, and when rescuing his father. Edgar uses madness and mad tactics to save Gloucester, befriend and comfort King Lear, and hide from prosecution. Edgar rescues his father while giving him hope to live and befriends King Lear as Poor Tom.…

    • 369 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Better Essays

    He asks Lear to rethink his decision, calling it rash,, and that Cordelia does not love him the least. This ends poorly for Kent, as he is then banished from the kingdom, while Cordelia, although she is now disowned, still marries the King of France, and goes to live with him. Lear’s decision to disown Cordelia turns out to be a horrible one, as she was the only one truthful about her love to her father. Without Cordelia, Lear is forced to live with one of Goneril or Regan. However, both Goneril and Regan are plotting against Lear, and end up leaving him stripped of his power and integrity. Cordelia was the only to be honest, and although it is generally a good trait to have, her honesty towards Lear is what causes her to be disowned. This shows Albany’s quote, as the family was fine before, but when Lear was “striving to better,” he made what he already had worse.…

    • 1499 Words
    • 6 Pages
    Better Essays
  • Good Essays

    King Lear Research Paper

    • 867 Words
    • 4 Pages

    One of the most notable instances of unfairness in the play is shown through Lear's banishment of Cordelia. In order to determine how much of his kingdom he should leave to each of his daughters, Lear asks each of them to tell him in words how much they love him. Goneril flatters her father, and Regan praises the king like never before, but when it comes time for Cordelia to confess her love for Lear, she cannot bring herself to do it. In these well-known lines, she states, "Unhappy that I am, I cannot heave my heart into my mouth. I love our majesty according to my bond, no more nor less." In reaction to Cordelia's refusal to act as a sycophant towards her father, Lear is caught up in a rage.…

    • 867 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Better Essays

    King Lear Research Paper

    • 1477 Words
    • 6 Pages

    In the play King Lear by William Shakespeare, King Lear is an old foolish man who suffers several flaws in the same way, he is blind to the truth, and his inability to see the truth impacts his decisions making and his poor judgment. Throughout act one and two, King Lear decisions lead to several consequences, which alter his life and the lives of those around him. A few of King Lear’s flaws which demonstrates the great deed of one man’s consequences are, his actions due to his blindness, rash decision making and exhibits a great deed of pride and arrogance.…

    • 1477 Words
    • 6 Pages
    Better Essays
  • Better Essays

    The infamous playwright, William Shakespeare’s, King Lear relays the story of a tragic hero and his family while paralleling it to the sub-plot within the tragedy. The story of these two reflecting groups of characters displays the obliteration of once potent characters’ power, and the inversion of social order. King Lear, the father of Goneril, Regan and Cordelia experiences a digressing journey comparable to that of Gloucester, the father of Edmund, his illegitimate son, and Edgar. Both Lear and Gloucester make a reprehensible decision in confiding in their children that they thought were the most honorable, but were faced with…

    • 2231 Words
    • 9 Pages
    Better Essays
  • Satisfactory Essays

    King Lear Research Paper

    • 560 Words
    • 3 Pages

    In Shakespeare's, King Lear, the Fool plays three major roles. One of these roles is of an "inner-conscience" of Lear. The Fool provides basic wisdom and reasoning for the King at much needed times. The Fool also works as amusement for Lear in times of sadness and is also one of the only people besides the Duke of Kent and Cordelia who are willing to stand up to the King.…

    • 560 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Satisfactory Essays
  • Good Essays

    King Lear Essay

    • 1494 Words
    • 6 Pages

    Female sexuality (or the lack of it) is a motif Shakespeare uncovers multiple times throughout the play. Besides Lear’s three daughters Cordelia, Regan and Goneril there are no other women in the play. Gloucester, Lear and Kent are all unmarried. Yet Lear has this obsession with women, or rather with the ungodliness he associates them with. Lear’s rage towards women begins when he demands for an undying confession of love from each of his daughters; the winner shall get the largest piece of land. His youngest daughter Cordelia proclaims to Lear “I love your majesty. According to my bond. No more nor less.” (Act 1, Scene 1 lines 102-103) Cordelia speaks the truth. Whereas Goneril and Regan lie through their teeth, claiming things such as “Sir, I love you more than word can wield the matter; Dearer than eyesight, space and liberty.” (Act 1, Scene 1, lines 81-82). Lear believes the untruthful words of Goneril and Regan, and he unleashes his anger upon Cordelia. As Ian Johnson said in his…

    • 1494 Words
    • 6 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    King Lear Research Paper

    • 1159 Words
    • 5 Pages

    Many directors argue over the importance of the character of the Fool in the play. Discuss whether or not you feel the Fool is essential to the play or whether or not the character could be removed without damaging the overall impact. Make a reference to the text to support your ideas.…

    • 1159 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    Goneril and Regan tell Lear exactly what he wants to hear; that they both love him more than anything, even their husbands. Lear seems to be entertained by the fact that each daughter is competing against one another for his love and trust. It is for this reason, when, unlike her sisters, Cordelia finds it hard to lie and Lear acts in the way that he does. "Let it be so! Thy truth then be they dower!... Here I disclaim all my paternal care... And, as a stranger to my heart and me Hold thee from this forever... Be as well neighbored, pitied, and relieved As thou my sometime daughter" (1.1.108-119) Lear's anger-ridden speech does not hide his frustration, and it is obvious that this will have a negative impact later in the play. Driven by his blindness, Lear begins to make many mistakes. He not only loses his devoted daughter; but also banishes his most loyal servant,…

    • 1048 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    King Lear Research Paper

    • 835 Words
    • 4 Pages

    The struggle to live a life that balances justice and mercy dates back to the beginning of human civilization. Ever since we developed the ability to document our thoughts and ideas, we have written about the need to make people pay for their actions, or grant them forgiveness for their mistakes.…

    • 835 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Powerful Essays

    King Lear Research Paper

    • 2159 Words
    • 9 Pages

    The Elizabethan Age of late 16th century England is considered to be the golden era of Britain, as it was the segue between the struggles of the Catholic and Protestant extremists in early 16th century, and the clashes of parliament and the monarchy of the 17th century. The Protestant Reformation was becoming easily accepted by the people after the repulsion of the Spanish Armada in 1588 and Elizabeth I remained relatively successful in maintaining a peace unknown in France and other European countries. It was during this time that William Shakespeare filled the public theaters with history plays, comedies, and tragedies that explored the themes of nature: man’s morality and social order. In King…

    • 2159 Words
    • 9 Pages
    Powerful Essays
  • Good Essays

    King Lear Essay

    • 640 Words
    • 3 Pages

    At the beginning of the play, King Lear’s loss of the throne is his responsibility and entirely his own fault. Lear had hopes to rid himself of the burden of the throne by giving away the power of his kingdom to the daughter whom he feels loves him most. When speaking with his three daughters, Lear inquires “which of you shall say we doth love [me] most” (I.i.49), both Regan and Goneril shower Lear with flowery words and exaggerated lies. Upon delivering these lies to their father, Regan and Goneril are both granted power over parts of Lear’s kingdom. When it comes time for Cordelia to express her love she speaks the blatant truth enraging her father with her love for him only going so far as to cover “[her] bonds, no more, no less” (I.i.92-93). Lear’s excessive pride and arrogance does not allow for him to accept the truth, thus causing him to “declaim all [his] paternal care” (I.i.113). Lear’s injustice towards Cordelia, his only honest and loyal daughter is proof that a civilization needs justice to be a functioning society.…

    • 640 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Better Essays

    King Lear Research Paper

    • 971 Words
    • 4 Pages

    William Shakespeare’s King Lear is entropic and it’s deliberately meant to represent disorder throughout the play. King Lear is prominent for its great storm that appears in Act 3 scene 2. To recognize the significance of the storm scene one must initially value the magnitude of Nature. Nature is ultimately the foundation of the whole play. Consequently, nature is a social construct. King Lear implores the question “what is Nature?” In the broadest sense, Nature refers to life in general. The word Nature is derived from the Latin word natura, literally meaning birth. Mankind first encountered Nature at the Garden of Eden. This is a location described in the Book of Genesis as being the place where the first man, Adam, and…

    • 971 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Better Essays
  • Good Essays

    Macbeth's Downfall

    • 1749 Words
    • 7 Pages

    It is also a tale of Lear's pride and his blindness to the truth about his three daughters and others around him. As the play opens, Lear, a well-respected King, wants someone to take over his duties. He announces that he will divide his kingdom among his three daughters on the basis of how much they can gush about how much they love him. The two eldest, Goneril and Regan, say what they must in order to win a big share of his wealth and power. The youngest daughter, Cordelia, is the most sincere and true to Lear, and instead tells him that she "loves his majesty according to her duty, neither more or less." Lear sees this as ingratitude, and cuts Cordelia off entirely, along with Kent; a friend of Lear’s who tries to intervene. The King of France comes to Cordelia's rescue by offering to marry her. Lear decides to divide his time equally between Goneril and Regan, living with each daughter and her husband for a month at a time. Lear lives first with Goneril and her husband, the Duke of Albany. However, Goneril soon tires of the burden and sends Lear off to Regan. Regan, too, wants no part of caring for her father, and she and her husband, the Duke of Cornwall, leave to stay at the castle of the Earl of Gloucester. At Gloucester's castle, Goneril, Regan, and Lear engage in a bitter confrontation. Infuriated by Goneril and…

    • 1749 Words
    • 7 Pages
    Good Essays

Related Topics