While I was reading over the first act of the play, I couldn't help but notice all of the points at which I thought Lear should be in a bonnet, banging his fists on the tray-table of a high chair. The relationship between Lear and his daughters is a true case of the children parenting the parent. All of his reactions and whatnot seem so childish to me, and he is constantly being advised otherwise by the other characters in the play, especially the fool.
There are many points at which the fool reminds him of the immature decisions he has made, and at many points implies that Lear himself is a fool and then riddles his way around it. Even the fact that Lear needs to constantly be entertained by the fool just makes him even more childish. Though I know it is just part of the time for the king to have a fool, it seems like he is more present in this particular play. Even in the beginning, Kent is practically begging him to forgive Cordelia and realize that she loves him most and he doesn't want to hear anything of the sort.
At the end of the act, Goneril also treats him like a child in regards to his one hundred knights. It reminded me of a parent talking to a kid with too many toys who is constantly begging for more even though they don't play with the ones they already have. I have never seen this play performed, but in the text it almost seems like it's an immediate switch from content to infuriated in Lear. Moreover, Lear needs a time out for all his temper tantrums.
7 comments:
I agree entirely with this post. Also note the way Lear responds to Kent hitting Oswald: "I thank thee, fellow; thou servest me, and I'll love thee." It just seemed so childish to me, like when an eight year old loves a person solely for agreeing with him. This calls back to when Kent was still part of the kingdom and one little disagreement had him banished. Lear has such violent mood swings seen in people who are bipolar and in little children. And yes, he seriously needs to be placed on the naughty spot (to steal from words from Super Nanny).
I really agree with a lot of your points that you made in your post and I too came to similar conclusions while reading the play. I found the fools constant present around Lear quite interesting too, especially how it is the Fool who points out to Lear how foolish he truly is. And you suggestion of Lear needing a "time-out" is absolutely hysterical and I too agree.
I think you bring up a lot of good points in your post. I feel as though his childish actions make for a much more believable transition, however, as Lear slowly loses his sanity throughout the rest of the play.
Another way in which I feel that the King is acting as a total baby is when he banishes Kent from the land. Kent is the only one who has the courage to tell the king that he is so wrong in cutting Cornelia off, but he simply will not listen. Lear thinks he is right and does not want to hear anything differently. I completely agree… Lear is a total baby!
I can't help but agree with you. Lear is an infant. I also agree with Mark that this could be a result of his deteriorating sanity.
This is an interesting post, particularly because I felt that Lear's often childish demands and actions during the play were meant to illustrate the dangers of always getting one's way--of being king, in point of fact. Lear demands exactly what he thinks he wants, and no one has ever denied him, but followed and humored his every whim. When he gives up his power, suddenly he is presented with the reality that he can no longer demand the moon come down from the sky; no one will humor him any more. This, too, I believe contributes to his slow descent into madness: a person so used to getting his own way that when he no longer can, he cannot cope.
Your post brings up some intersting points that I think may be overlooked when reading the play. Many people view Lear's actions as mere consquences of his decline into insanity. However, I enjoyed how your opinion just calls him out on his absolute childness. Personally, I am not sure if I would entirely blame his behavior on the fact that he is purely childish, or the fact that he is purely insane. I think that it might be safe to say that it is a combination of both.
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