A Monologue by Cordelia of King Lear

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.