Question
WK7 - Loyalty - Children, Parents and Crown After reading Shakespeare's King Lear, please reflect on how the author has engaged our emotions and allowed us to personally connect with the struggles and pain that ensue. What character traits give Lear and Cordelia their depth (what makes them round characters)? You may pick any of the characters within this play for your thematic analysis of any number of angles (reflect back on the human condition), but make sure that you have a clear, focused thesis and direction for that analysis. When we cite from Shakespeare's work, we include the author's name, the act, scene and line numbers. For example: (Shakespeare 1.3.14-17). Please make direct reference to specific language from the works (brief direct quotes) and make sure to cite properly according to MLA format (please see Announcements for more tips on format). Keep in mind that this exercise will be your draft for an essay in your end of unit Drama Portfolio. Please make sure to avoid any plot summary. Please post your main response of 150 words (minimum) by Wednesday, 11:59pm ET. Then please respond to two (2) peer posts (their posts) by Sunday, 11:59pm ET. Peer responses should be a minimum of 50 words each. Please make sure to proofread your responses before posting and to respond to peers by name. WK7 - Critical Thinking Activity Critical Thinking Activity Please post your four (4) questions for peer responses. Your questions should be specific to our mission for the week and should focus on setting and literary elements that affect our experience of the play. Questions should not relate to plot details. Questions should inspire responses that build toward thematic interpretations of the work (and toward portfolio essays). *Answers (submitted as end of week written Assignment) should be substantive and comprehensive (50 words per question minimum) and should seek to build toward a thematic analysis of the work(s). Please respond to questions that have not yet been answered if possible. Include both questions and answers when submitting at end of week12:17 am.
Answer
Week 7 Discussion Post: King Lear
William Shakespeare's King Lear is an impressive work of literature that can effectively engage readers' emotions and allow them to connect with the struggles and pain that ensue personally. In particular, the characters of Lear and Cordelia greatly contribute to this emotional connection through their depth of character traits. Lear and Cordelia are round characters who allow readers to sympathize with their struggles, and their relationship provides a unique opportunity to contemplate the human condition.
King Lear is a play about a king who foolishly gives away his kingdom and is betrayed by his two eldest daughters, Goneril and Regan. Lear is a powerful and proud ruler, but his decision to divide his kingdom among his daughters leads to his undoing. Lear is a tragic hero whose pride and arrogance ultimately lead to his downfall. He is a complex character, possessing a blend of noble qualities, such as loyalty and wisdom, and flaws, like vanity and pride. Lear is pitiable and sympathetic despite his flaws, and his suffering is all the more poignant because of his noble qualities. As Shakespeare puts it in Act IV, Scene 6, "O, reason not the need!/Our basest beggars are in the poorest things/Superfluous. Allow not nature more than nature needs/Man's life's as cheap as beast's" (4.6.2-4). Lear's recognition of his vulnerability reveals his deep humanity and allows readers to sympathize with his pain.
Cordelia, Lear's youngest daughter, is a round character who engages readers' emotions. Cordelia is a foil to her sisters, Goneril and Regan, who are both shallow and selfish. In contrast, Cordelia is loyal, honest, and loving. She is willing to risk her own life to protect her father and speaks truth to power. In Act IV, Scene 6, Cordelia tells Lear, "You have begot me, bred me, loved me:/I return those duties back as are right fit,/Obey you, love you, and most honor you" (4.6.22-24). These words reveal Cordelia's deep love for her father and unwavering loyalty to him. Her willingness to risk her own life to protect him is a testament to her courage and her strength of character.
The relationship between Lear and Cordelia provides an opportunity to reflect on the human condition and contemplate the power of love and loyalty. Lear and Cordelia form a bond that transcends the conflicts and divisions of the play, and their relationship serves as a reminder of the importance of family and the power of unconditional love. In Act IV, Scene 7, Lear declares, “O, my dear daughter! /The Heavens rain odors on thee!” (4.7.9-10). This moment of reconciliation between father and daughter reveals the depths of their love and speaks to the power of family bonds.
In summary, the characters of Lear and Cordelia in King Lear serve to engage readers' emotions and allow them to connect with the struggles and pain that ensue in the play. Lear and Cordelia are round characters, possessing a blend of noble qualities and flaws. In particular, readers can sympathize with Lear's vulnerability and Cordelia's courage and loyalty. The relationship between Lear and Cordelia also provides a unique opportunity to reflect on the human condition and contemplate the power of love and loyalty.