A few days ago
paliprospect

king lear?

why is King Lear’s language so hateful in its reference to childlessness and filial ingratitude?

Top 2 Answers
A few days ago
Anonymous

Favorite Answer

Cordelia, Lear’s truly faithful child, is too honest and innocent to flatter the old man, which his older daughters, Regan and Goneril, do easily. He takes Cordelia’s reticence for disrespect and says that she is ungrateful, comparing her insufficient words to snake bite. Ironically, the two daughters who flatter him are the treacherous ones.
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A few days ago
Civis Romanus
King Lear is speaking out of the fullness of his heart, which has been broken by his cruel treatment at the hands of his daughters. The worst fate he can wish on them is to have children like themselves — spiteful and ungrateful wretches,

King Lear’s expectations were perhaps unreasonable and unrealistic. His mistake was to be misled by Goneril and Regan’s claims of love for him, when they actually planned to limit his power and authority as much as possible, to humble him and make him more manageable.

Lear’s youngest daughter, Cordelia, was honest and did not exaggerate her love for him. She proved that love by raising an army to come to his defence — and she sacrified her own life in the process. Only at the end of the play does Lear realize she loved him best all along.

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