Is it Real Love?

In the beginning of Act 4, it is revealed that both Goneril and Regan are in love with the same man. Although both of the women’s love is boldly professed for Edmund, I wonder if they both sincerely love him the way they proclaim to. Both women have been recently detached from their spouses. Regan is now a widow after the murder of her husband Cornwall, and Goneril’s husband Albany wants nothing to do with her in spite of her crude and evil behavior. This ultimately leads me to believe that Edmund is only being used by both Goneril and Regan.

Goneril speaks awfully of her current husband. She states to Edmund, “Oh, the difference of man and man! To thee a woman’s services are due. My fool usurps my body” (Shakespeare 179). This statement not only indicates how much Goneril proclaims to love Edmund, but also how disgusted she is by Albany, and his incapability of ever comparing to Edmund. Goneril and Regan’s desire for power and authority continues to influence their behavior, which causes them to always want superiority over one other. So I ask myself, Is it true that both of these women possess as strong of a love as they claim for Edmund? Or is it simply to acquire a partner in their lives because the other sister doesn’t?

Room for Change?

In Act 4, scene 2, Goneril and Albany are making conversation with one another. Goneril beings the conversation by asking Albany, her husband, if he is now worthy enough to be speaking with her. Albany, who knows what Goneril and Regan have done to their father, is ashamed to be associated with Goneril. Albany tells Goneril that she cannot be trusted due to the wrong doing of her father. Albany says, "That nature, which contemns its origin cannot be bordered certain in itself. She that herself with sliver and disbranch from her material sap perforce must wither and come to deadly use" (Shakespeare 179). Albany tells Goneril that he cannot trust anyone who abuses their own father, who is their flesh and blood. He compares Goneril to a tree branch, saying that any woman who breaks the relationship with their family, can be seen as a branch that tries to break away from the tree. Ultimately, the tree branch, and the woman, will wither and come to an end. Albany continues to tell Goneril that she and Regan are tigers, not daughters to the king. The king was once a kind father, but the Goneril and Regan have driven him to be insane. Albany tells Goneril that if the two daughters are not punished, the world will end. And human being will become cannibals, like monsters of the deep sea.

Is it true that if Albany had spoken his mind earlier in the play, the daughters would have changed their feelings towards their father? It is clear that Goneril does not plan on changing her mind because she tells Albany that what he is saying is foolish. Yet, Goneril calls Albany a coward for not stopping the daughters before they had done the damage to their father. Have Goneril and Regan done enough damage to their father by lying to him, telling him that they love him, only to inherit his land and fortune? I believe it is Goneril and Regan who have driven the king insane. It upsets the king that he had to banish his most loyal daughter, Cordelia. This also makes him crazy, but Regan and Goneril push this limit by allowing for their father to move in, under the circumstances that he cuts his army of helpers in half.

It makes sense for Albany to be upset with his wife. If he had not stood up for what he believed in and tried to show Goneril that she was corrupting the king, who knows what she would have done next? I guess only time will tell to see if Goneril decides to open her mind to what others have to say and change the image of her father. Unfortunately, some people never change and no amount of time can help the change.

Sympathy for Lear

When we began reading King Lear, I did not feel bad for Lear because I thought that he was being childish. When he banished Cordelia for not taking his land, I felt bad for her because she was being honest with her father. Also, when he asked for 100 servants to be by his side and Goneril and Regan did not allow it, I thought that he was being selfish. Since he was being a guest in both Goneril and Regan’s home, he should have been considerate with his idea.

However, after reading Act III, I began to have more sympathy for King Lear. Especially in Act III Scene 4, where he was expressing his feelings to the storm, he felt betrayed and forgotten. “In such a night as this! O Regan, Goneril, Your old kind father, whose frank heart gave all” (Shakespeare 137). As a father, he did give them everything they desired. Even though he favored Cordelia, he still granted all of them with enough security. Why did Cordelia not take his offer? She could have taken the land and made her father happy. Why did his other two daughters dismiss his servants? That is all he asked for. when he split up the land.

Now King Lear is outside in the storm looking for answers on why he is being treated so poorly. What I would like to know is who is really acting childish and/or selfish in the story? Is it Lear or his daughters?

The wise Fool

In William Shakespeare’s play King Lear, Fool always stays with King Lear. We have seen the Fool’s part in the play, but what role does he serve? His role is a certain purpose as Lear’s closest friend and the best advisor. He is sometime humorous, but he also gives the sharpest critic to the King Lear. Fool’s position and his personal quality enable him to speak out frankly to everyone that he meets in the play with his sense of humor. Although Fool seems to have no emotion and jokes about everything, King Lear keeps him besides him. Why? I think, probably, it is Lear’s admiration for the Fool’s frankness. Frank is able to tell the King uncomfortable truths partly about his foolish actions because of Fool’s ability to lead Lear’s mind.

I believe the Fool is a wise character. He is incredibly confidence about himself and his messages and he knows how to express himself cleverly and with humor. He thinks he foresees everything about King Lear and what will happen. When Fool said, “And yet I would not be thee, nuncle. Thou hast pared thy wit o' both sides and left nothing i' th' middle” he is already foreshadowing about the betrayal of two daughters. He worries about the future of King Lear and advises him not to be foolish. Throughout the play, I was never quite sure who the real learder of the country is. Perhaps, the Fool is a shadow of King Lear to support him as the leader of the country.

Madness

In William Shakespeare’s play King Lear, madness is presented through all characters in the play. The presence of madness is first displayed in act one, when King Lear disclaims Cordelia and gave his kingdom to his deceiving daughters, Goneril and Regan. Eventually, King Lear realizes the betrayal of Goneril and Regan and regrets his decision to disown Cordelia.

But in the play, there is not a clear distinction between madness and sanity. Which character is possessed with madness? Which character is ‘normal’? King Lear certainly seemed to be abnormal, but King Lear could be a normal old king who wanted to gain attention and love from his daughters. Goneril and Regan also could be possessed with madness, the madness of materialistic desire; for Goneril and Regan, King Lear was not a father, but a source of wealth and prestige. Cordelia was presented as the most truthful and normal character, but if she expressed her love as her sisters did, she could easily obtain significant wealth and power. Why did not she express her love? If her love was truthful, she could have expressed her love. To me, Cordelia seems to be just another mad character.

Other than King Lear’s family, Edmund, Kent, and even a fool are subjected to the madness. Madness motivates Edmund ‘the bastard’ to deceive his father and get rid of Edgar. Kent is the most loyal character, but certainly is not a sane character either. Fool is actually most intelligent character in this play, which makes him abnormal character in the play.

Which character in the play is mad? Shakespeare did not provide a certain answer for the question.

The Walking Paradox

Shakespeare’s use of the Fool is to provide humor for the audience. Perhaps, the Fool’s most comical character trait is ironically, he is not a fool. The Fool’s actions, play on words and clever rhymes are certainly amusing; however, he indirectly proves to the audience that he possesses the highest level of intelligence in comparison to the other characters, especially King Lear. In my opinion, the Fool’s purpose in the play thus far is to emphasize the King’s ignorance. The Fool mirrors the King’s true self, a fool.

The King, who is the highest and most powerful figure in his kingdom, has a fool as his only companion. Lear relies on the Fool for comfort and amusement. Lear, however, has underestimated the Fool’s knowledge and capabilities. The Fool has successfully acquired the ability to speak his mind to the King without being banished from the kingdom or being disowned. The Fool calls Lear a fool without him taking any notice to it. “I am better than thou art now. I am a fool. Thou art nothing” (Shakespeare 55). In this statement, the Fool refers to the King as lower than a fool, yet the King thinks nothing of it. One would think a “wise” King would have quickly realized the Fool is mocking his name routinely.

Perhaps one of my favorite qualities of the Fool is his unrecognized specialty as an instigator. The Fool clearly demonstrates his opposition to Regan and Goneril by stating the King was a better person when he did not care if the two daughters were upset. After hearing Goneril’s complaints, the Fool goes on to tell the story of a sparrow who loved and cared for its child, a cuckoo. Eventually, the cuckoo outgrew the sparrow and killed it. In essence, The Fool refers to Goneril as untrustworthy. If I were the King, the Fools story would have certainly encouraged me to be cautious of my daughters. In my opinion, I feel as though the Fool has instigated a sense of internal conflict for the King.

The Wise Fool

In William Shakespeare’s King Lear, Cordelia’s punishment shows King Lear’s desire for attention.  Her feelings for her father were genuine, yet the king disowned his youngest daughter to show Cordelia the value of flattery.  Goneril and Regan’s claims of love satisfy King Lear solely because he thrives on compliments.  The fool tells King Lear, “That sir which serves and seeks for gain, and follows but for form, will pack when it begins to rain, and leave thee in the storm.  But I will tarry; the fool will stay, and let the wise man fly” (Shakespeare 101).  The fool teaches King Lear the importance of selflessness.  The fool shows the contrast between people whose wealth makes them arrogant and people whose lack of wealth makes them sensible.  Lear values the appearance of love, rather than genuine love.  He values authority, rather than honesty. 

Is the fool wiser than the wealthy and powerful king?  I think he is.  Cordelia is clearly King Lear’s most loving daughter, yet he mistreats her because her claim of love was not as dramatic as her sisters’.  I think that the king must learn the triviality of authority from someone who was never powerful.  Lear was too stubborn to appreciate the opinions of well-respected people, yet the fool repeatedly explains and solves the disasters that occur after King Lear’s wrongdoings.