King Lear: Analysis of Relationships and Betrayal

Running head: KING LEAR
King Lear
Name of the student
Name of the University
Author note

KING LEAR
1
King Lear is the name of the tragedy that has been written by the great playwright
William Shakespeare. King Lear is about a king who leaves the power along with the land to
two of is daughters when they declare their love for him. The third daughter does not get
anything as she did not involve herself in flattering her father. This essay talks about the
relationship in between King Lear and Cordelia and compares it to the relationship in
between Edgar and Gloucestor. In both the relationships, the fathers feel betrayed however it
is untrue. Similarity can also be perceived owing to the fact that the fathers betray the loyal
children however Cordelia along with Edgar stay loyal to the parents.
The people who show the fake emotions are easily believed in the play owing to the
element of lack of the trust. In the event of Cordelia mentioning the fact that she cannot
express the love in words, Lear disowns the daughter (De Haan, pp 56). Lear renounces the
daughter as he did not receive public acclamation along with the flattery which he received
from the other two daughters called Regan and the Goneril. Cordelia states in the play that:
Nothing, my lord...Unhappy that I am, I cannot heave / My heart into my mouth. I love your
majesty / According to my bond; no more nor less." (1.1 90-2)
Cordelia is the name of the only daughter who did not involve herself in betraying the
father. She is prepared to fight for Lear so that she can save the Kingdom. She does not
despise Lear when he banished him but he continued to stay devoted to her that exhibits the
self-sacrificing love along with the undying loyalty of the daughter (Shakespeare.mit.edu, pp
90). In the similar manner, the relationship in between Gloucestor and that of Edgar
deteriorates towards the beginning of the play. Gloucestor feels that he has been betrayed by
Edgar however it was actually the bastard son, Edmund who had planned of killing him
(Vickers, pp 98). Edmund had framed Edgar so that his reputation will be ruined before the