The King's Pride Depicted in Shakespeare's King Lear

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When one examines the words “pride” and “self-respect”, it is possible one may assume that the two are identical in meaning. That the words go hand in hand like butter and bread. For quite some time I was pondering on the meaning of the two words “pride” and “self-respect”. The more consideration I put into the two the deeper I was in a maze of confusion. After a long thought on the subject I had come to my own conclusion.

The difference between “pride” and “self-respect” is not in class as many believe but in quantity. While the word “proud” may be perceived as arrogant or conceited, “self respect” does the modification of the person under discussion. Self-respect can be thus referred to as the sophisticated form of one’s ego or pride. A person with self-respect is not necessarily egoistic as he or she may lead you to believe but is full of assertiveness, confidence and self-efficacy. One who carries pride is an illusion of superiority. Self-respect can be classified as the “dignity” of a person. One with self-respect would not show inferiority but at times of need would seek help and his ego would not be a barrier to doing so.

When we say pride and self-respect have a fine line of differentiation then I mean, if pride is honorable, then it is not pride but self-respect. It does not ruin the person, if stays within the ego. If pride exits without the feeling of superiority or if pride allows respect towards the other person’s self respect then pride is allowing the person to be open to new things. Therefore pride is not pride actually but it is self-respect.

In Shakespeare's “King Lear”, the tragic hero is brought down, like all tragic heroes, by one fatal flaw; in this case it is pride, as well as foolishness. It is the King's arrogant demand for absolute love and, what's more, protestations of such from the daughter who truly loves him the most, that sets the stage for his downfall. Cordelia, can be seen as Lear’s one true love, and her love and loyalty go not only beyond that of her sisters but beyond words, thus enraging the proud King Lear whose response is: "Let pride, which she calls plainness, marry her". Here, Lear's pride is emphasized as he indulges in the common trend of despising in others what one is most embarrassed of oneself.

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