Customer center

We are a boutique essay service, not a mass production custom writing factory. Let us create a perfect paper for you today!

Example research essay topic: Goneril And Regan Regan And Goneril - 1,861 words

NOTE: Free essay sample provided on this page should be used for references or sample purposes only. The sample essay is available to anyone, so any direct quoting without mentioning the source will be considered plagiarism by schools, colleges and universities that use plagiarism detection software. To get a completely brand-new, plagiarism-free essay, please use our essay writing service.
One click instant price quote

King Lear I am a man more sinned against than sinning To what extent do you agree with Lears statement above? Discuss Lears role in the play and explore his journey from tyrant to humility and death. A question that is often asked in relation to King Lear, Is Lear a man more sinned against than sinning? Firstly, there can be little doubt in anyones mind that Lear is a man with many flaws. It is also important to consider that the entire predisposition of the play is to cause the reader to discount Lears failings and to regard him with compassion, sympathy and understanding: Royal Lear, Whom I have ever honoured as my king, Loved as my father, as my master followed As my great patron thought on in my prayers. One major factor in Shakespeare's portrayal of Lear is that all the characters we admire look on the Kings situation from his perspective, and this is clearly what Shakespeare wants us to do also.

We are compelled to see Lear as a man more sinned against than sinning. Lear inspires great loyalty; Cordelia, Kent, the Fool and Gloucester all risk their lives to aid Lear. They stand by him even when he rejects them. They recognise the good in him and serve to remind us of it. His faults and failings are not the things we are invited to concentrate on. But, however much Shakespeare tries to magnify Lears accomplishments, I find it hard not to see his faults.

As Lear bears the status of King he is, as one expects, a man of great power but sinfully he surrenders all of this power to his daughters as a reward for their demonstration of false love towards him. This untimely abdication of his throne results in a chain reaction of events that send him through a journey of hell. Lears tragic flaw is the division of his kingdom and his inability to see the true natures of people because of his pride while his scathing anger is also shown to override his judgement. He displays inadequacies as a father through lack of knowledge concerning the true characters of all his daughters, and as King through the sudden dividing of his land.

The sins committed against Lear are as a result of his personal faults of rashness, blindness, and foolishness. In my opinion, up to the point where Lear states that he is a man more sinned against than sinning, he doesnt deserve much of our sympathy. He is ignorant to the true feelings and intentions of his closest family members. When Regan and Goneril shower him with false praises and declarations of their love, he egotistically believes them and bases his division of the kingdom on their deceitful words, Sir, I love you more than words Can wield the matter His illogical decisions cause chaos in the kingdom.

All of his faults provoke others to commit sins against him. Of course, two of his daughters are ungrateful and hate him, but we have to ask the question, why? Regan makes a reference to events leading up to the love test and paints us a vague picture of what life was like with Lear, . he always loved our sister most.

referring to Cordelia. This comment carries a tinge of bitterness and she is probably jealous of Cordelia and full of contempt for Lear. Obviously Goneril and Regan are not characters with the most reliable information and they may be twisting the truth. Good and pure characters such as Cordelia, Kent, and Edgar will only try to see the good in people. Kent is brimming with patriotism and refuses to see Lears faults.

His patriotic tendencies make him blind. Even after Lear banishes him he persists to honour him. Cordelia, we know, has always been loved by her father and she may be oblivious to Lears dark side. Whereas Goneril and Regan seem to know what hes like, Such un constant starts are we like to have from him as this of Kent's banishment implying that Lear is prone to these tantrums and bursts of bad judgement. Lear isnt all bad.

It is during madness when Lear commences to change in character, by starting to recognise his past mistakes. The storm is a metaphor of Lears madness, being a parallel to the mental conflict of Lear. His actions have led him to improperly govern his land, and through the storm nature reproduces the same anarchy. Lear realises that he cannot control his surroundings, you owe me no subscription which he yells to the storm. But there is partial acknowledgement of his sins, through his proposal, Singe my white head Lears realisation's about nature are his first steps to greater self-awareness.

Lear is initially extremely vengeful, becoming obsessed with the ingratitude of his daughters and the concept of personal justice. Lear still shows egotism and a non-recognition of his sins when he proclaims, I am a man more sinned against Than sinning Although still submerged in madness, a positive change in Lears character is evident when he is concerned about the Fool, In, boy; go first. You houseless poverty Realising the necessity of shelter. Lear realises that he is suffering for his past mistakes, but he is still engulfed by madness, I am cut to the brain Lears insanity is a learning process, because he needs to suffer to understand himself and his surroundings better.

Lears meeting with Cordelia signifies his return to sanity and clearer vision on his behalf concerning his prior transgressions. He is portrayed as being more humble, loving and perceptive, realising, I am a very foolish fond old man When British forces capture Cordelia and Lear, he is philosophical. Through his rendezvous with Cordelia, it is evident that Lear is no longer the harsh and critical person at the beginning of the play, but rather self-critical and humble. Throughout the play though, he persists to be vengeful. When Goneril confronts him for the first time, he is so angry that he curses her and wishes vengeance to be done, Into her womb convey sterility!

He goes on like this to the bitter end. Cordelia's death, in the closing moments of Act 5, suggest that his regeneration has not, after all been complete, A plague upon you, murderers, traitors all! I killed the slave that was a hanging thee I have seen the day, with my good biting falconer I would have made them skip. But the main question here is, are Lears sins greater than that of his daughters. In my opinion, they balance each other out. The two sisters may show ingratitude, cruelty and harshness, but these characteristic flaws are on par with Lears own.

Lear gained our sympathy at the end of Act 2, when his daughters turned against him, This house is little: the old man and his people Can not be well bestowed. But Lear gives as good as he gets and makes his second huge mistake by persisting to be stubborn and not decreasing his train, What! Must I come to you with five-and-twenty? Lear knows deep down that he has no power and he desperately wants to hold onto his knights as they are the last reminders of his reign. In all honesty, Lear could have faced the consequences and compromised with Goneril and Regan, but he refuses to obey them, even though it was he who gave them power.

Goneril and Regan's actions may be harsh but there is an underlying bitterness towards their father and after Lear proclaims that he gave them all he had, Regan replies, And in good time you gave it. This brings us back to the question of why Regan and Goneril hate him so much. I believe that they were not born that way although Lear tries to shake all responsibility for them and claims they are like no evil on earth, Nor rain, wind, thunder or fire are my daughters Even at the end of the play when we believe Lear to be a good, compassionate man who takes responsibility for his actions, If you have poison for me, I will drink it. he point blank refuses to realise that his actions and words towards Regan and Goneril, were as cruel as their words to him, Degenerate bastard!

Goneril and Regan do not deserve our sympathy, as they are on higher ground and in a position to disown Lear, but their actions are just, if overboard. As well as the references to life with Lear before the love test, we must analyse the behaviour of Lear which provoked Goneril to confront him. In Act 1 Scene 3, Goneril and her servant, Oswald, exchange words about Lear, and Goneril finds out that Lear struck Oswald, for chiding his fool. Goneril goes on to explain how Lear constantly misbehaves and takes advantage of her house, Every hour, he flashes into one gross crime or another His knights grow riotous, and himself upbraids Us on every trifle. One might say that Lear is entitled to do these things as King, but Goneril reminds us, Idle old man, that still would manage those Authorities that he hath given away Even after the Fools advice which suggests that Lear be careful and have more wisdom, Have more than thou shows, Speak less than thou knowest Lear wont face the consequences of his sins. He is an old man and has no excuse for being so blind, except that he is egotistical, full of pride and foolish.

The Fool even chastises him for being so immature, Thou shouldst not have been old Before thou hadst been wise. Lears suffering was not in vain as some might think. He was reconciled with Cordelia, and forgiven. When he regains sanity, he is a much wiser and enhanced man, father and king. It is misleading to suggest that he is converted during the course of the play from a proud, fierce, egotist to a patient, suffering Christian martyr. To the end he cant conceive that it might have been his own fault that Goneril and Regan hate him.

He tells Cordelia that she must not love him because he banished and disowned her, but her sisters have no cause for their behaviour, 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. He wont face his failings as a father to Goneril and Regan and solely focuses on Cordelia, maybe because she did him no wrong, no disrespect. I said it before and I will say it again, Lear made this famous quote, I am a man more sinned against than sinning before his change to a humbler man. When he proclaimed that famous line he was still the egotistical, proud, rash man that we knew at the start of the play who wouldnt accept responsibility for his actions. The Lear we know at the end of the play would not say these words as he knows that it is untrue and is a false comment. I disagree with the statement and the changed Lear would too.


Free research essays on topics related to: regan and goneril, end of the play, lear, goneril and regan, king lear

Research essay sample on Goneril And Regan Regan And Goneril

Writing service prices per page

  • $18.85 - in 14 days
  • $19.95 - in 3 days
  • $23.95 - within 48 hours
  • $26.95 - within 24 hours
  • $29.95 - within 12 hours
  • $34.95 - within 6 hours
  • $39.95 - within 3 hours
  • Calculate total price

Our guarantee

  • 100% money back guarantee
  • plagiarism-free authentic works
  • completely confidential service
  • timely revisions until completely satisfied
  • 24/7 customer support
  • payments protected by PayPal

Secure payment

With EssayChief you get

  • Strict plagiarism detection regulations
  • 300+ words per page
  • Times New Roman font 12 pts, double-spaced
  • FREE abstract, outline, bibliography
  • Money back guarantee for missed deadline
  • Round-the-clock customer support
  • Complete anonymity of all our clients
  • Custom essays
  • Writing service

EssayChief can handle your

  • essays, term papers
  • book and movie reports
  • Power Point presentations
  • annotated bibliographies
  • theses, dissertations
  • exam preparations
  • editing and proofreading of your texts
  • academic ghostwriting of any kind

Free essay samples

Browse essays by topic:

Stay with EssayChief! We offer 10% discount to all our return customers. Once you place your order you will receive an email with the password. You can use this password for unlimited period and you can share it with your friends!

Academic ghostwriting

About us

© 2002-2024 EssayChief.com