(Name)

(Instructors’ name)

(Course)

(Date)

King Lear

The issue of family and love is well addressed in the novel by William Shakespeare known as ‘King Lear’. It is not right for parents to ask their children, to profess their love towards them. Some children will take advantage of this and lie to their parents just to please, them. King Lear made a serious mistake when he asked his children to claim how much they loved him. In the end, King Lear paid dearly as he wished he had never asked such a question. The latter says that “which of you shall we say doth love us most”. King Lear is asking his three daughters if they actually do love him. He wanted to find out, which of his three daughters loved him, so that he could know how to divide his property among them.

King Lear’s eldest daughter, Goneril was given the opportunity to speak first. She is blinded with greed and professes only attractive words, in order to gain favor from her father. She claims that “Sir, I love you more than words can wield the matter!—dearer than eye-sight, space, and liberty; beyond what can be valued rich or rare!—no less than life, with grace, health, beauty, honor!—as much as child e’er loved, or father found!—a love that makes breath poor, and speech unable! Beyond all manner, of so much, I love you!”This shows the extent, which children will go to, in order to obtain wealth. King Lear’s daughter uses hyperbola in describing how much she loves her father. It is not possible for human beings to compare the love they have for their parent with that of their own life.

King Lear asks the same question to his second eldest daughter known as Reagan. She professes her extreme affection towards her father in the same manner as her eldest sister. She claims that “Sir, I am made of the self-same mettle that my sister is, and prize me at her worth! In my true heart, I find she names my very deed of love!—only she comes too short!—in that I profess myself an enemy to all other joys which the most precious choir of sense possesses!—and find I am felicitate in Your Dear Highness’ love alone!”. King Lear is pleased with what he has heard and thus gives her wealth as a gift. It seems that King Lear is superficial as he wants to hear things that will please him, even if they are not true. His two eldest daughters take advantage of this in order to fool him and obtain favor from him.

Lastly, King Lear asks his youngest daughter, Cordelia to profess her love towards him. Cordelia responds by claiming that she has nothing to say concerning the matter. King Lear is extremely surprised as his other daughters had not behaved in the same manner. Cordelia responds to her father by saying that “Unhappy I am that I cannot heave my heart into my mouth”. This means that the love she has towards her father is in her heart and cannot profess it through her mouth. King Lear is not happy with his daughter and in turn, banishes her from his kingdom. In reality, among all of King Lear’s daughters, Cordelia loves her father the most. It is sad that King Lear wanted to know if his daughters love him. In turn, it is Cordelia who saved King Lear when he was about to lose his life, and the other daughters had abandoned him. In conclusion, it is not right for a king, a father, or any other parent to ask if his children love him.