In act two of Shakespeare’s King Lear, Lear’s mind can no longer bear all the mixed emotions it possess, and his sanity therefore begins to deteriorate. By the time that this scene takes place, Lear has been reduced from being a dominant and respected monarch, to being a lonely, rejected man, cast out from his family, followers, and fortune. Lear naturally turns to power as a solution to his troubles, and as a calmer to his uncontrollably high temper. In act two Lear is unaccustomed to his powerlessness and therefore does not know how to handle the situation.
Act one, scene one is a good example of Lear taking advantage of his power to fix himself mentally, and politically. Mentally, Lear is hurt that Cordelia won’t express any love for him. Politically, Lear has to decide how to deal with the dilemma that Cordelia is creating. Lear chooses to disinherit and banish Cordelia from his kingdom through the benefits of his high authority: “Here I disclaim all my paternal......
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Approximate Word Count: 395
Approximate Pages: 2 (260 words per double-spaced page) |