The Absent Wife and Mother as the Source for the Downfall of a Family and Kingdom in Shakespeare’s King Lear

Type :

Presentation

Pages :

6 pages

Format :

.doc

Published date :

05/28/2008

Category :

Philosophy & literature

Sub category :

Literature

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Summary :

Introduction
Declarations of love in order to attain the rightful portions of the kingdom
King Lear's rejection of Cordelia
The absence of a nurturing wife
The negative use of the word 'mother'
Balancing masculine and feminine traits.
Conclusion
Works cited

Abstract

In king lear, shakespeare incorporates a theme that is prevalent in many of his other works, that of family structure, specifically, absent wives and mothers. The nonexistence of king lear's wife and his daughters' mother also implies the absence of a Queen and a female political figure to balance the king's authority. While it may seem that male rule is self-sufficient, it can be argued that king lear's reason is overshadowed by his power, causing him to hastily hand down his kingdom to Goneril and Regan. Had there been another position at the throne with whom to discuss this matter, perhaps king lear would have used more sound judgment in determining the transference of power. Without a female figure of authority at the throne, he views his daughters as surrogate wives, relying on them to the point that he gives up protection, the one thing that he needs the most to remain sane and maintain the kingdom's order.

Keywords: Coppelia Kahn