King Lear Conscience Essay

In Shakespeare's play, King Lear, he explores the depth and purpose of the conscience of a once sharp king who slowly loses his mind. Lear is presented as a jealous, unyielding, and harsh elderly king who bullies his entourage and family. As a King, Lear demands love from his daughters and respect from his subjects, rather than naturally receiving. He holds himself and the entire kingdom to highest standards. He has previously banished his only daughter that actually loves him, and is left with the fake love of his other daughters, Goneril and Regan. Lear is caught off guard when Goneril demands something of him. He battles with the confidence of his daughter, and therefore the concept of his power. Because Lear self-identifies with his power, he doubts who he is when he receives resistance from Goneril.

Once alone, Goneril says to Regan, “Pray you let us hit together; if / our father carry authority with such disposition as he / bears, this last surrender of his will but offend us” (act 1, scene 1, lines 308-310). Now that Cordelia is gone, her sisters are concerned about the wrath of their father that they must endure alone. They plan to shut down their father before he hurts them. Later, he decides to retire in Goneril’s home with one hundred of his best men. Goneril is displeased with her father’s behavior and stands up to him. She thinks that by addressing the problems with his knights, Lear would have helped her but she “now grow[s] fearful, / By what yourself too late have spoke and done, / That you protect this course, and put it on / By you allowance…” (act 1, scene 4, lines 200-203). Goneril and Lear have a broken relationship; she is actually fearful of her father. She is scared of his growing lack of disrespect towards her. As a result, she takes control and demands him to downsize his