Death (Breanna Poole)


King Lear continues to fascinate me with how different it is from most other Shakespeare plays that I have read. While their is the usual political intrigue and madness, this play seems more focused on their personal aspect that madness has on the familial relationship. 

While two of Lear's daughters scheme, one of them seems to actually care. I find it ironic that the daughter in question, Cordelia, was the one who did not submit to the worship of her father at the start of the play. As Lear continues to loose his sense and his sanity, Cordelia continually puts herself in danger for the good of her father while the others scheme to take power from Lear. Cordelia continues to be the true hero of the story, being the one to fight for and with Lear to the French. Cordelia shows true devotion to Lear, devotion that would not have been obvious had someone only read the start of the play. This devotion only gets her killed in the end, what with her being taken captive by the French and then killed shortly before her father. 

Power is what started this conflict, and power in the end ruins each character to madness or death. 

Lear's death comes in a broken heart, an end I did not expect for him. Lear, while insane, always seemed so powerful and like he would not fall over the death of someone else. This was a true fall of a powerful king, as he goes from someone commanding respect to leaving a country in ruin and with no real heir to rule it. 

p.s. I commented on Ian Blair and Abigale Belle's posts. 


Comments

  1. Hailey WalshAugust 30, 2021 at 7:45 PM

    Wonderful post Breanna! I loved your observation on Cordelia's character, and how it didn't really make her fate that different from her not-so-innocent sisters. I found it interesting that, even though they all died, Cordelia died with more honor and respect. So much so, that her father, the honored king, found her worthy to break for.

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  2. Emmett BryantAugust 30, 2021 at 9:38 PM

    Hi I loved your post!
    I have to agree, the thing about Cordelia that stands out to me the most is her devotion. She was devoted so much to her father that rather than stooping low and sucking up like her sisters did, she chose not to so as to show her father the respect she had for him. Her sisters clearly had none, for they were willing to deceive their father and pretend to love him just so that they could gain power. That is what sets Cordelia apart.

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