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The analysis of character in king lear
Character of revenge in literature
The analysis of character in king lear
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The Deception in King Lear
William Shakespeare's play King Lear is a play full of deceit and betrayal.
This becomes evident in the first few lines. We first
learn of the empty words of Goneril and Regan as well as their hatred for their
father, King Lear. This becomes the center of the play and also leads to the
madness that the king suffers from.
The first words that Goneril speaks are totally empty and are the complete
opposite of what she really feels. She says, "Sir, I love you more than word
can wield the matter; Dearer than eye-sight, space and liberty;" (I.i.54-55)
The reason why there are no words to express her love for her father is that she
has no love for him and it does not exist. The same goes for her sister, Regan,
who is plotting against her father as well. She says that she feels the same
way as her sister and expresses how Goneril has named her very deed of love.
Regan adds a little twist to this and professes that she loves Lear more than
her sisters and that Goneril's affection for her father "comes too short."
(I.i.71) By uttering these words, Regan shows that her love is even less true
than that of her sister's. She goes even farther to say:
"...that I profess
Myself an enemy to all other joys
Which the most precious square of sense possesses,
And find I am alone felicitate
In your dear highness' love."
I.i.71-75
This goes to show that she is more greedy than her sister and her words are also
falser. She wants more than her sister and will do anything to attain her goal.
Her ambition to get what she wants is evident in the words that she speaks. She
claims herself to be "an enemy to all other joys" but she is really the enemy to
her father.
The next person King Lear calls to speak is his soft-spoken daughter,
Cordelia. Lear does not have much respect for her because she does not flatter
him and put him on the pedestal that he feels that he should be put on. This is
exactly what his other daughters do and he feels very strongly that Cordelia
should do the same. Because of all the flattery that was given him by his other
two daughters, he gives them most of his possessions. The first thing that
Cordelia says when the King asks her to speak is "nothing." The king is enraged
by this remark and says that, "Nothing will come of nothing: speak again.
...s that her family will come to her and beg her to return home. When she realizes that they are not going to do this, she will run back to them, and life will go on as she has always known it.
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...ontradicting herself, and pointing the finger. Although she most likely has experienced these acts of unjust treatment, she seems to put the reader in the position to doubt the credibility of what she has to say time and again.
wife. While there, she runs off with Mr. Wickham, but does not get married. This is a
she has not done everything she could. It is true, and so she gains the
own sister has betrayed her. Her fragility, her inability to fend for herself, and her self-
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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...