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King lear (Click to select text)
In Shakespeare's non-fictional novel King Lear foretold of a King whose emotions clouded his judgment. King Lear suns begins to realize the truth as his character begins to suffer, both emotionally and physically. Lear was a foolish old man, his weakness was that he yearned flattery. This causes his actions all come from his emotions, not his process of reasoning. Lear's fear of the truth also clouds his judgment and causes his to repetition his words, by doing so he never gets to solving his problems. During Act I Lear's love for adulation was the strongest. Lear no longer wanted all the power that he had so he divided his kingdom amongst his three daughters. Goneril, the oldest, told him that she loved him all. She says that Lear is priceless, 1"Beyond what can be valued, rich or rare", Goneril also blesses him with grace, health, beauty, and honor. Regan, the second daughter, tries to exaggerate her love so that it is more than her sister's. She says that Goneril doesn't love Lear as much as she does, in fact, her father's love has already made her happy. King Lear is very happy with his daughters so far, after each one's turn he gave them a part of his kingdom. When it was Cordelia's turn, whom which was Lear's favorite daughter, she spoke the truth. She told him that she loved him only the way that a daughter could. If she was to marry then she would love him half and her husband half. Lear was angry with this, even though it was the truth, it might have been that he didn't expect an answer of that type. After this, Cordelia was disowned by her father and banned from her homeland. This decision made by Lear was foolish, Cordelia was the only daughter that was pure and loyal to him. She shows this by admitting her true amount of love for him, she did not follow he sister's and lie. Even though if she exaggerated her love she would still be with her father, but it seems that Cordelia did not want her father's love and wealth under false pretenses. Lear's other weakness is that his actions originate from his emotions not his reasoning. When Lear acts, he does not think about the consequences. He only acts on how he feels at that certain time, but eventually his actions his cause him great suffering much later. When Cordelia told him the truth, Lear became angry and his train of thought became shadowed. His anger told him that he should punish her, so Cordelia was banished from England. Later when Kent advises that his decision was faulty, Kent was also banished. But by banishing the two people that is loyal to him, Lear is now surrounded by his enemies. Lear somehow does not realize this, his negative emotions are focused on his 'betrayers' so he does not realize the plot against him. The same situation reappears when Lear realizes that Goneril and Regan are plotting to eliminate his power. Instead of trying to stop what is happening, Lear starts complaining to his subjects. Through his enragement and madness he keeps repeating himself. As the King of England, Lear was not used to solving his own problems, so he goes around the problem, not trying to solve it but trying to make it smaller by drowning himself in pity. By not going directly to the solution, Lear shows that he is afraid of the truth. Lear does not want to admit that he no longer has any power. These two clashes in reality causes Lear to create his own reality. Soon Lear does not realize that he is nothing, he is no longer that King of England. In Act V, Scene III, Lear and Cordelia are held captive by Edmund. Instead of realizing that they were going to die, Lear goes into a state of happiness because he is with the daughter that he has wronged. In Lear's reality, Cordelia is with him and they are in a happy place. Lear begins to speak of what they will be doing together in the future, 2"And pray, and sing, and tell old tales, and laugh". Even though the doctor has confirmed that Lear is now sane, so one has to conclude that Lear knows exactly what is happening but he chooses not to confirm it. By doing so, he is putting not only his life but also Cordelia's life in jeopardy. Shakespeare's character King Lear was portrayed as a absurd old-aged man. Who knew of nothing around him, who chose not to acknowledge the truth but to instead create an alternate reality for himself. Lear's emotions, what he liked, and what he hated to do, all had a immense effect on what would happen to him. Especially the considerable amount of suffering that would come his way.
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