Cordelia King Lear Essay

In accordance with feminist critical theory, William Shakespeare’s King Lear uses pessimistic and desolate tones to portray the characterization of Cordelia’s actions and decisions as upholding the patriarchal expectations of a “good girl.” Despite Cordelia’s true love for her father, she gives a forthright response to him when he asks to show him her true love, which eventually leaves Lear detached and an outsider from his prior kingdom. As a result of Lear’s melancholy situation, Cordelia fulfills the role of a good girl through saving him from isolation and madness. The portrayal of Cordelia as a submissive patriarchal woman is evident through the reaction society has for her own decisions and actions. In order to examine gender roles …show more content…
Such an instance portrays Cordelia’s good girl characteristics because she remains honest and pure in her decision to remain silent rather than brag about her love. Although Cordelia does go against her father’s request, she stays true to her societal expectation of being honest. Moreover, the fact that Cordelia hides her love and her loving acts for her father from the public’s eye further reinforces her image of a good girl because of her “modest and unassuming” ways (Tyson 90). Critic Sears Jayne describes Cordelia as thinking that the “truth [is] more important...than love” and that “she simply cannot say what she should say” (278). To Cordelia, honesty overshadows bragging in this situation because she does not want to flaunt her love for her father in front of his whole court. Rather, she would act in a loving and compassionate manner in order to provide something more meaningful than words of love. Although Lear does not understand Cordelia’s true intentions through her silence, in the following passage the King of France sees value in Cordelia: “Love’s not love/ When it is mingled with regards that stands/ Aloof from th’ entire