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King Lear's Character Analysis

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When one thinks of a king he believes that his life is a happy and lucky one, but that is not true for all kings, and that is especially not the case for King Lear. In Shakespeare 's play King Lear, King Lear believes he is living a perfect life because he thinks he has three daughters that love him greatly and is prospering as a king. He quickly comes to realize that is not the case. King Lear’s holding a meeting with his daughters for him to find out which loves him the most. The daughter who confesses her love for him will get the most land. King Lear believes that his favorite daughter Cordelia will love him the most. Once Cordelia admits that she does not love him as much he thought, King Lear’s ruin begins. Throughout the play King Lear …show more content…

Goneril begins to cut down the little power King Lear has left. She wants to get rid of King Lear’s knights because she feels he does not need them anymore. After Goneril gets rid of King Lear’s knights he utters, “I’ll feels thee Life and death / I am ashamed, that thou hast power to shake my manhood” (1.4). With the use of “I am ashamed, power to shake my manhood,” Shakespeare demonstrates, that his daughters are hurting him. By Goneril stripping King Lear of his knights which in this case symbolizes how much power he has, King Lear feels weak and humiliated. King Lear’s daughter is trying to weaken him as much as possible so she can get even more power. This can be proved by when King Lear says “shake my manhood”. King Lear is so powerless and vulnerable but there is nothing he can do about …show more content…

It 's not until Cordelia Lear’s favorite daughter dies in his arms where he totally crumbles. King Lear whimpers, “Howl, howl, howl, howl / had I your tongues and eyes, i’d use them so that heaven’s vault should crack. She’s gone forever! I know when one is dead, and when one lives; She’s dead as earth”(5.3). With the use of “Howl,howl,howl,howl” Shakespeare tells us the pain and acceptance of defeat that King Lear suffers. Lear has lost his last bit of power with Cordelia dying. Although Cordelia angers Lear at the beginning of the play, throughout once Lear notices that his other daughters are way worse he still loves Cordelia the most. By him now seeing her death he feels he has no more power and nothing to live for

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