King Lear Research Paper

Consequently, Western society’s perception of the aged has not changed much since Shakespeare wrote the play. Moreover, Lear is viewed by his evil daughters as irrelevant, old and foolish. When Lear arrives at Gloucester’s castle hoping that Regan will accept him, she responds, “O, sir, you are old! / Nature in you stands on the very verge / Of her confine” (Shakespeare 2.4 145-147). Regan demonstrates the burden of taking in her father, portraying how individuals in Western society view their parents. Children often do not want the responsibility of taking their parents into their homes. Contrastingly, Cordelia sends her men to “search every acre in the high-grown field” (4.4 7) in order to take care of her father. Similarly, support for older adults is considered to be the first and …show more content…
Lear’s evil daughters, Goneril and Regan, proclaim their love for him solely for the purpose of their inheritance. While in the storm, Lear expresses the pain his daughters caused him: “I never gave you kingdom, called you children, / You owe me no subscription. Then let fall/ Your horrible pleasure, Here I stand your slave (Shakespeare 3.2 17-19). Lear mentions how is “pernicious daughters” (Shakespeare 3.2 22) manipulated him for his kingdom. This abuse towards the elderly is common in Western culture. In America, “financial abuse accounted nationally for about 12 percent of all substantiated elder abuse reports” (Hafemeister). Contrastingly, Cordelia speaks the truth about her love towards her father: “No unchaste action or dishonoured step, / That hath deprived me of your grace and favour; / But even for want of that for which I am richer” (Shakespeare 1.1 230-232). Cordelia proves she is not greedy and shallow by being honest with her father. Likewise, when an Eastern man becomes sick, all family members are afflicted because life's value is family-centered in spiritual, ethical, and financial matters”