REFLECTION ON KING LEAR

Title : King Lear

Author : William Shakespeare

Year : 1606, first performed in 1608

Source : http://www.about-shakespeare.com/king_lear.php

KING LEAR

BY WILLIAM SHAKESPEARE

REFLECTION

In Britain King Lear, in old age, chooses to retire and divide up his kingdom among his three daughters. However, the three daughters must be wed before they are given the land. The two oldest, Goneril and Regan, both get the land and marriage to the Duke of Albany and the Duke of Cornwall, respectively. The youngest and the beloved daughter, Cordelia does not get anything. But the anger of the King’s since she refuses to profess blinding love to his father. The Earl of Kent tries to convince the King to reconsider his decision, but the King banishes him for acting traitorously by supporting Cordelia. Gloucester then brings the King of France and the Duke of Burgundy in and Lear offers Cordelia to Burgundy, though without dowry of land. Burgundy declines, but the French King takes her as queen of France. Next, the all powers of Britain down to Albany and Cornwell. Edmund, bastard son of Gloucester, play his father against Edgar, his another son. Edmund wants to get the all power of his father. Edgar flees. Goneril and Regan do not serve their father properly. They mistreat their own father since he continues to grow more unruly. To help his king, Kent sends a man to Dover to get Cordelia and her French forces to rescue Lear and help him fight Albany and Cornwall. Edmund informs Cornwall that his father deals with the French. Gloucester returns to Farmhouse. He convinces Lear, Kent and the fool to flee because Cornwall plans to kill him. Cornwall captures Gloucester and with Regan cheering him on, plucks out Gloucester’s eyeball with his bare fingers. Fortunately, a Gloucester’s servant rescues his master and flees. Albany refuses to fight the French, because he believes that the daughters mistreated their father (Lear). As a result, Goneril promises her love to Edmund. So does Regan. A messenger brings news about Gloucester and that Cornwall is dead by a Gloucester’s servant. Albany feeling sorry for Gloucester and vows revenge to Edmund of his deeds. In battle, Lear and Cordelia are captured by Edmund. He sends them to jail and command a captain to kill them. Edgar arrives and fights with Edmund, he can wound him. Goneril poisons Regan, them stabs herself. Lear then emerges with dead cordelia, and tells all he killed the Captain that hung her. Edmund dies and King Lear, in grief over Cordelia, dies.

The story is so full of moral. From the story we can take one precious things that is the true love and loyalty is not enough to be understood at glance. They are not only on the lips, just like Regan and Goneril say to their father. Or Edmund says to his father. They love power more than love to their own father. It so different, which is shown by Cordelia, Earl of Kent and Edgar, to their beloved people, King Lear and Gloucester. The story may reflect a true condition in this life. We can not deny that throne and wealth sometimes makes people change; sons have the heart to kill his own parents, just because the they want to dominate his parent’s wealth. They have denied a sacred relationship to their parents. The story actually resembles an Indian movie I have ever watched. It talks about life of a couple that can not enjoy his age since their children do not wants to serve them well, but always offend them. Until they meet their adapted son, who become a successful manager in one company. He is so polite and serves them well, although there is no biological relationship among them. In Islam, we know that the willingness of god depends on willingness of our parents. So, to serve our parents in their age is our biggest obligation since when we were in childhood, they always devout their life and love for us.