In the beginning of the play, King Lear banishes his daughter Cordelia because she refused to make a public proclamation of her love for him and take part in a public ritual, of the King's own design, in which he divides his kingdom according to his daughters' decree of love for him. As a result, he divides the kingdom and gives it to his two eldest daughters who indulge him with false flattery.
The king has a reunion with Cordelia near the end of the play. At this time, he has been abandoned by his oldest children who have conspired against him and are motivated by their own selfishness and greed. Cordelia returns from France to reclaim the Kingdom for her father but finds him in a disheveled state and unsound mind.
Scene 4.7 lines lines 68-77
CORDELIA
These lines show the Kings true remorse. He regrets his treatment of Cordelia. The reunion is one that is bittersweet. The older sisters have conspired to gain sole rein of the kingdom. They have turned against each other.
Although you would think that the King would be angry at the thought of his kingdom being overthrown and now being a prisoner, his only thoughts lie in the joy of being with Cordelia. He seems truly grateful to, at last, have something that is sure and stable in his his life, even if it entails imprisonment.
Scene 5.3
KING LEAR
The play concludes with the death of Edmund, Goneril, and Regan. Lear, who has escaped death thus far, dies of a broken heart over his now dead and beloved' Cordelia.
O, look upon me, sir,KING LEAR
And hold your hands in benediction o'er me:
No, sir, you must not kneel.
Pray, do not mock me:CORDELIA
I am a very foolish fond old man,
Fourscore and upward, not an hour more nor less;
And, to deal plainly,
I fear I am not in my perfect mind.
Methinks I should know you, and know this man;
Yet I am doubtful for I am mainly ignorant
What place this is; and all the skill I have
Remembers not these garments; nor I know not
Where I did lodge last night. Do not laugh at me;
For, as I am a man, I think this lady
To be my child Cordelia.
And so I am, I am.KING LEAR
Be your tears wet? yes, 'faith. I pray, weep not:CORDELIA
If you have poison for me, I will drink it.
I know you do not love me; for your sisters
Have, as I do remember, done me wrong:
You have some cause, they have not.
No cause, no cause.
These lines show the Kings true remorse. He regrets his treatment of Cordelia. The reunion is one that is bittersweet. The older sisters have conspired to gain sole rein of the kingdom. They have turned against each other.
Although you would think that the King would be angry at the thought of his kingdom being overthrown and now being a prisoner, his only thoughts lie in the joy of being with Cordelia. He seems truly grateful to, at last, have something that is sure and stable in his his life, even if it entails imprisonment.
Scene 5.3
KING LEAR
No, no, no, no! Come, let's away to prison:The tool Goneril and Regan (the two elder sisters) have used to attain complete power, a young man by the name of Edmund (who has his own nefarious goals), has sent the King and Cordelia to their unbenounced death at the hand of his captain.
We two alone will sing like birds i' the cage:
When thou dost ask me blessing, I'll kneel down,
And ask of thee forgiveness: so we'll live,
And pray, and sing, and tell old tales, and laugh
At gilded butterflies, and hear poor rogues
Talk of court news; and we'll talk with them too,
Who loses and who wins; who's in, who's out;
And take upon's the mystery of things,
As if we were God's spies: and we'll wear out,
In a wall'd prison, packs and sects of great ones,
That ebb and flow by the moon.
The play concludes with the death of Edmund, Goneril, and Regan. Lear, who has escaped death thus far, dies of a broken heart over his now dead and beloved' Cordelia.
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