Understanding Yourself and Others in Society The relationship that the main character in any play has with society is always of great importance. In general, there is a change in the relationship that one or more of the characters have with external sources in each play. In plays such asKing Learby William Shakespeare,A Doll’s Houseby Henrik Ibsen, andDeath of a Salesmanby Arthur Miller there are very significant transformations in the relationships that each of the main characters has with society.In each of these cases, they realize a little bit more about what is happening in their lives and what they seem to have been forgetting to open their eyes to. They begin to understand the people that they are living with, or even begin to comprehend who they are and what role they have in society. The relationship that each character has with society changes in each play, but is always extremely important with the development of the play. The playKing Leardisplays a drastic change in the way that Lear views society. In the beginning, the king is extremely closed minded and self-centered and so he demands a profession of love from his daughters to decide how to split up his land. “Tell me, my daughters, … which of you shall we say doth love us most that we our largest bounty may extend where nature doth with merit challenge?” (I. i. 48-54). When told to do this, Goneril and Regan describe their love for their father in a most flattering way. His first daughter, Goneril declares that her love for him is greater than life, and all ofDr. Jay JohnsonEnglish 237 November 29, 2012 1
life’s necessities. (I. i. 54-61). Regan, Lear’s second daughter declares that her love is similar to how her older sister explained, but believes that her love for him supersedes what Goneril describes. (I. i. 68-76). Unfortunately, when it comes time for Cordelia to describe her feelings for her father, she comes a bit short. She has no words for the emotion that she feels for her father. “Unhappy that I am, I cannot heave my heart into my mouth. I love your majesty according to my bond, no more nor less.” (I. i. 91-93). When King Lear hears these words, he is clearly quite upset about it. As a result, he decides to split the land equally between Goneril and Regan, while leaving Cordelia with nothing. He has disowned Cordelia as his daughter. “Let it be so. Thy truth then be thy dower. … here I disclaim all my paternal care, propinquity, and property of blood, and as
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