The Good Earth, King Lear And As I Lay Dying

After King Lear’s two oldest daughters, Goneril and Regan express their love for their father in a flattering speech they were granted their share of the kingdom, and Cordelia his youngest daughter and favorite daughter refused to play along, Lear felts she was disrespectful and she was banished from his sight. Cordelia bids farewell to her sisters, and tells them that she knows they don’t love him, “I know you what you are, and like a sister am most loath to call your faults as they are named.” (1.2.273-275). “Time shall unfold what plighted cunning hides; who covers faults, at last shame them derides. Well may you prosper!” (1.2.284-286). Once Cordelia left, Goneril and Regan revealed to the audience that they had no love for their father.

King Lear is shown as a very caring father, yet still a bit self absorbed. In the beginning of the novel King Lear demands that his daughters express their love for him in order to be given a piece of land. This can look as a harmless request, however, it then turns into Lear’s daughters lying to him in order to get land, all except Cordelia. Cordelia appears to be the key to this plot

During the opening act, King Lear was preparing to divide his kingdom amongst his daughters. This test of love essentially pitted the daughters against each other and signified the sibling rivalry that was shown. He was seeking a verbalized declaration of false affection, instead of a true affirmation from the heart. Goneril and Regan were quick to assert how they adored their father more than the other, while Cordelia was unable to proclaim her love for her father in spoken words. She simply announced, “Wretched as I am, I can’t express in words what’s in my heart. I love your Majesty according to my duty as a daughter. No more, no less” (Shakespeare 27). King Lear disowned his favorite daughter for merely not articulating in words what she expressed in her daily actions. Had a mother been present, she may have required more intent, rather than presumed conclusions and doubt upon their children. The queen could have expressed how the king was acting irrational in the heat of the moment and that perhaps banishment was slightly harsh. After all, it is “from being mothered and fathered, we learn to be ourselves as men and women (Kahn 241).

Dividing the Kingdom is not the only indication that order is disrupted. The separation of Lear's family also provide evidence that disorder is inevitable. The banishment of Cordelia and Kent is a harsh act carried out by Lear while blinded by anger. By banishing the only daughter who truly loves him, and a loyal servant who refuses to stand around and do nothing while Lear makes a big mistake, Lear surrounds himself with people who only loved him for his money and power. As Lear's family breaks apart, one must wonder if Lear is capable of ruling a country when he cannot even keep his family together. Again, Lear's desire to fuel his ego is the cause of the separation of his family. When Cordelia refuses to speak lovingly, "Unhappy that I am. I cannot heave My heart into my mouth." (I,i,92-94), Lear becomes angered and banishes her. As an act of loyalty, Kent stands up

To compound matters, he makes a little game out of it. Whoever loves him the most gets the most land. This does not make Lear look like a very good father. Nevertheless, his daughters, or at least two of them, seemingly have no qualms about telling their father of their love. The first daughter to profess her love to her dear old dad is Goneril, and she lays it on so thick it is almost sickening:

Even though Kent, a nobleman of Lear’s, disagrees with Lear’s decision of rewarding other daughters and sending Cordelia away to the King of France without his blessing, Lear is unable to identify the truthfulness of his daughters until he recognizes the intentions of Gonoril and Regan. As Lear focuses on the words instead of action, he distrusts Cordelia. Later on, when the body of Cordelia is entered in his arm, he is unbearable and disappoints by the loss of Cordelia as “she is gone forever” (24. 255). On the other hand, if he takes Kent’s words into consideration, he could have more opportunities to spend with his beloved and loyal daughter. Other than Cordelia’s death, her sisters also died by committing suicide and poisons.

Lear was so hung up on the fact that Goneril and Regan were able to tell him how much they love him but Cordelia was not that he had no insight into why Cordelia was doing what she was. Lear now sees how gullible he was to believe what his daughters were saying. Lear unfortunately learns his lesson too late because Cordelia dies soon after and Lear does not get the chance to enjoy the unconditional love that he should have valued in the

Lear unfortunately fails to see how her lack of skill to demonstrate her admiration for him upsets her. When Cordelia says that she loves Lear like a father, her honesty does not undermine her respect, but instead reveals her pure respect for their bond. This perception allows Cordelia to adhere to the familial norm where the youngest daughter is loved the most, which explains why Lear was particularly upset by her vague response. Cordelia then decides to invade England in order to save her father from the abuse of her two sisters. In preparation, she says

This changes alters when King Lear requests all his daughters to express their love for him in order to receive their portion of the kingdom. Regan and Goneril continue to lavishly declare their artificial love for their father. Meanwhile, Cordelia offers a brief assertion, “Unhappy that I am, I cannot heave/ My heart into my mouth. I love your Majesty/ According to my bond; no more nor less.”

Each cannot see that Edmund (Gloucester’ son), Goneril and Regan (Lear’s daughters) are after their father’s power and prestige. Gloucester and Lear find themselves driven out of their positions by their unloving children, all while Edgar and Cordelia stand by their father’s

King Lear starts off exhibiting authority and order with Lear asking his daughters how much they love him in order to decide how he will divide his lands. As expected, Regan and Goneril respond with what he wants to hear. Cordelia, however, responds by saying, “Unhappy that I am, I cannot heave my heart into my mouth. I love your Majesty according to my bond, no more nor less” (I.i.93-95) meaning that she loves him no more nor no less than she has to. This enrages Lear as he expects his daughters to look up to him and show him the utmost of respect. Cordelia’s response was not enough to boost Lear’s ego. This helps develop Lear’s character as it makes readers conclude that in his mind, he deserves the love of everyone he comes across. He then proceeds to disown Cordelia, in which

In King Lear there is sibling rivalry, but is mainly tests of loyalty and respect to parents. King Lear and Gloucester placed heavy burdens on the weaker ones of their children. The love that Cordelia and Edgar had for their fathers did not make their lives any easier but lead to demise of Cordelia and triumph for Edgar. Cordelia was the youngest of King Lear’s daughters. She is described as her father’s favorite.

Cordelia is the epitome of goodness in Shakespeare’s King Lear.  "What shall Cordelia speak?/ Love, and be silent" (I.i.63-64). These words echo a reminiscent time when loyalty to the king and one's father was paramount. King Lear, Cordelia's father, planned on dividing his land among his three daughters, but for a price, the price of their love. While her sisters exaggerated their love for their father to win the "prize," Cordelia stayed true to herself and her loyalty to Lear by not making a mockery out of her feelings for him and playing it cool. She was also not characterized by her openness of her feelings. She was a quiet girl who kept emotions locked inside. Even so, Lear got angry at her response and disowned her. Why such a brutal attack on his daughter? Cordelia is known to be Lear's favorite and he had hoped that he could give her the largest piece of land so he could reside on it with her, but the plan failed. Overall, the King's decision lead him and his

First, The King’s daughters, Goneril and Regan are not grateful with what they already have. For example, despite Goneril and Regan inheriting most of the Kingdom, the two sisters plan to further reduce and take Lear’s remaining power: “Pray you let’s hit together. If our / father carry authority with such disposition as he bears, / this last surrender of his will but offend us” (1. 1. 304-306). They think that their father stepping down from King will be a hassle since he will continue using his powers as usual. Even with all their inheritance, the sisters want more of how they work together to lead Lear to his death.

In the beginning of King Lear, we see the cast of main characters King Lear and his three daughters Cordelia, Goneril, and Regan having a big discussion. King Lear askes his daughters who loves him the most, whoever can put in words who loves him the most gets most of his lands, wealth and authority. While Goneril and Regan give lofty exaggerated words on their loves for their father, Cordelia remains silent. Cordelia refuses to answer the question, this shocks and angers King Lear since Cordelia is his favorite daughter. The king in his anger disowns Cordelia and sends her off to be married to the king of France without any dowry. He then divides his kingdom between the two daughters who flattered him, Goneril and Regan. Brian Sheerin in his article, “Making Use of Nothing: The Sovereignties of King Lear” states, “King Lear receives nothing for his potlatch, and