FREE ESSAY ON KING_LEAR_COMPARE AND CONTRAST LEAR AND CLOUCESTER

KING_LEAR_COMPARE AND CONTRAST LEAR AND CLOUCESTER

In The Tragedy of King Lear, King Lear is quite cruel to his loving daughter, Cordelia.
Cordelia expresses her true love for her father, and Lear disowns her. Lear makes his
three daughters, Cordelia, Regan, and Goneril, tell him how great of a father and king he
is, in order to own and rule a part on England. Regan and Goneril lie to him, while
Cordelia expresses her true love. She explains to Lear that her love cannot fit into
words; it is too great. Lear becomes outraged, and sends her away. He tells Goneril and
Regan that he will divide his kingdom of England into half, and each one can one a part
of it, as long has he gets 100 horsemen to parade around with him. Eagerly, they agree.
During the play Lear becomes a pester to the two daughters. Goneril and Regan take away
half of Lear's horsemen. The reader should not feel sympathy; in the beginning, Lear is
unable to see that Cordelia truly loved him, but in the end he realizes that her love was
real. Lear brought this situation upon himself. He hadn't been so involved in himself, he
would've realized Cordelia was pouring her heart out to him, and was explaining her true
love. 
Gloucester, on the other hand, should have sympathy from the reader. Gloucester's
illegitimate son, Edmund, tries to trick his father into believing that his older
brother, Edgar, wants Gloucester dead, so Edgar can have the crown. His cruel son tricked
Gloucester into his situation. Gloucester becomes so confused and annoyed by the
situation, he gouges his eyes out so that he is no longer able to see.