Already, though, Cornwall and Albany show signs of uneasiness, a discord with the clear potential to evolve into conflict, and perhaps, civil war.
At this point, conflict doesn't appear to exist between Goneril and Regan, and Cordelia is out of the immediate scene as a result of her banishment. In Act II, Curan's report of strife between Albany and Cornwall helps illustrate that Lear's division of his kingdom was a mistake (II.1.10). Ultimately, deadly conflict arises between Lear and his older daughters, and the long-standing competition between sisters creates conflict between ruling factions, further dividing the kingdom.Įven before Cordelia's return, dissent is in the air. The love test forces Regan and Goneril into competing against the favored younger sister. Civil war and insurrection are the inevitable results of Lear's actions. He cannot be king without a kingdom, and the country, which is to be divided into smaller principalities, will not have the unity and strength to long survive as separate units. Cordelia loses when she refuses to play the game, but Lear also loses when he "retires" and abdicates his kingly role.
The division of any kingdom is not without risk, but even before his action has the opportunity to create adversity, Lear establishes a competition, which complicates an already dangerous decision.Ĭompetitions, by their very nature, result in winners and losers. To achieve his goal, Goneril, Regan, and Cordelia are forced into a love test to determine their inheritance. Lear is abdicating his purpose and his responsibilities, and he is also creating chaos. But the single benefit derived from this division creates many problems. This decision places his two strong sons-in-law, Albany and Cornwall, in charge of protecting the outlying areas of the kingdom. In his first scene, Lear initially comes across as a strong ruler, although his plan to divide his kingdom among his three daughters seems rather short-sighted and self-serving. Does Shakespeare's depiction of King Lear offer the audience a portrait of kingship, or in contrast, a portrait of kingly loss? If a king lacks the essential components of kingly behavior, and the authority that these traits embody, his subjects will, as Goneril and Regan demonstrate, turn increasingly to deception, treachery, and violence as a method of government. The king is God's representative on earth, and as such, serves as a model of behavior for all his subjects, who look to their king for guidance, strength, and hope. The king ismore than the physical evidence of a strong and united government. Integrity, compassion, and justice are important facets of an effective king.
Parent-Child Relationships : The Neglect of Natural Law.
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