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King Lear, Driven to Insanity, Schemes and Mind Maps of English Literature

Stanford UniversityEnglish Literature

The King then splits all of his land and authority between his two eldest daughters. The aging and powerless King, tricked by his daughter's false ...

Typology: Schemes and Mind Maps

2022/2023

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Ready 1
Jessica Ready
Dr. Frank Madden
Eng 215
April 29, 2008
King Lear, Driven to Insanity
Many factors contribute to King Lear’s insanity and eventual death. The external
factors, including Cordelia’s refusal to announce her love for her father and Goneril and
Regan’s blatant mistreatment and disrespect for the King, outweigh the anguish he
inflicts upon himself. Internally, the unfamiliarity of powerlessness, the pain of
ostracizing Cordelia, and losing his identity contribute to King Lear’s mental distress.
The catalyst for King Lear’s dementia occurs immediately in the play. Cordelia,
who the King announces, “I loved her most…,” refuses to profess an exaggerated love for
her father. (I.i.123) "Unhappy that I am, I cannot heave/My heart into my mouth. I love
your Majesty/According to my bond, no more, no less. (I.i.91-93) King Lear becomes
enraged and denounces her. The scheme to force his daughters into blatant flattery has
failed and he is left feeling insecure and suffers a severe blow to his ego.
The King then splits all of his land and authority between his two eldest daughters.
The aging and powerless King, tricked by his daughter’s false confessions, goes
to live with his eldest, Goneril. Having previously plotted to diminish her father’s
credibility, thus crippling his remaining authority, Goneril commences her dastardly
scheme. She refuses to talk to the King, which makes Lear start to question her loyalty.
“I have perceived a most faint neglect of late,” Lear says, but then brushes it off saying
he thinks he is taking matters of etiquette too seriously. (I.iv.67) When Goneril steps up
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Jessica Ready Dr. Frank Madden Eng 215 April 29, 2008 King Lear, Driven to Insanity Many factors contribute to King Lear’s insanity and eventual death. The external factors, including Cordelia’s refusal to announce her love for her father and Goneril and Regan’s blatant mistreatment and disrespect for the King, outweigh the anguish he inflicts upon himself. Internally, the unfamiliarity of powerlessness, the pain of ostracizing Cordelia, and losing his identity contribute to King Lear’s mental distress. The catalyst for King Lear’s dementia occurs immediately in the play. Cordelia, who the King announces, “I loved her most…,” refuses to profess an exaggerated love for her father. (I.i.123) "Unhappy that I am, I cannot heave/My heart into my mouth. I love your Majesty/According to my bond, no more, no less. (I.i.91-93) King Lear becomes enraged and denounces her. The scheme to force his daughters into blatant flattery has failed and he is left feeling insecure and suffers a severe blow to his ego. The King then splits all of his land and authority between his two eldest daughters. The aging and powerless King, tricked by his daughter’s false confessions, goes to live with his eldest, Goneril. Having previously plotted to diminish her father’s credibility, thus crippling his remaining authority, Goneril commences her dastardly scheme. She refuses to talk to the King, which makes Lear start to question her loyalty. “I have perceived a most faint neglect of late,” Lear says, but then brushes it off saying he thinks he is taking matters of etiquette too seriously. (I.iv.67) When Goneril steps up

her goading by informing the King that his retinue is brash and disrespectful, and asks him to “disquantity your train,” King Lear is extremely offended. He says his men are from the finest breed of human that exists. Unyielding, Goneril insists her father obey her and he begins to feel the senility that Goneril is projecting onto him. Lear does not recognize himself in this powerless state. “Does any here know me? This is not Lear.” (I.iv.223) This is the first evidence the audience sees of Lear’s mental deterioration. Realizing Goneril has betrayed her vows of love and adoration for her father, Lear curses her. He asks the Gods to strike her womb with infertility, or if she must bear fruit, to “create her child of spleen.” He wants her to feel what it is like to have a “thankless child.” He is ashamed she has the power to “shake his manhood”. His ramblings begin to bear some credence to Goneril’s claims of senility. King Lear must now reside with the only daughter he has left, but Like Goneril, Regan refuses to speak to him. When she finally appears, Regan defends her sister when Lear says his heart has been assaulted with Goneril’s “sharp-toothed unkindness.” “Oh, sir, you are old,” Regan exclaims to him as evidence that he has misinterpreted Goneril’s words. (II.iv.146) She provokes him further by saying he should ask Goneril for forgiveness. Appalled at the notion, Lear retorts, “Persuade me rather to be slave and sumpter to this detested groom[Oswald].” (II.iv.217-218) To add to his injuries, Goneril shows up at her sister’s side and they goad the poor King mercilessly. When they finally break him and he consents to give up half of his guard to live with Goneril again, she says she won’t take him, and Regan says he must give up all of his entourage to take up shelter with her. Lear tries to reason with his daughters, saying that he needs servants to

Lear’s daughters, coupled with his inner turmoil has succeeded in rendering him mentally incompetent. The next time King Lear appears he is babbling nonsensically, with a crown of wildflowers adorning his head. He does show moments of clarity. He makes a comment on Gloucester’s adultery. Whether he is aware or not, he also comments on how he is no longer royalty and as such has fallen from the grace of God. Stripped of his airs, Lear makes the connection that he is of flesh and bone and as susceptible to death as any man. Gloucester: Oh, let me kiss that hand! Lear: Let me wipe it first; it smells of mortality. (IV.vi.132-133) King Lear’s last hours on earth are spent with the daughter he loves most. Unfortunately, his decrepit mind fails him and he does not immediately recognize Cordelia. “I fear I am not in my perfect mind./Methinks I should know you.” (IV.vii.64-

  1. Eventually he does remember her, but excuses his mental frailty several times saying that he is foolish and old. Their reunion however, is interrupted by their capture and Cordelia’s hanging, which proves to be the nail in King Lear’s coffin. His fragile mental state cannot handle the piteous end to his most cherished daughter and Lear deludes himself into thinking she is still breathing. His shattered mind is put to rest as he dies, convinced Cordelia will not be waiting for him on the other side. The tale of King Lear is an incredible lesson of the fall of man. It is an essay in human cruelty, delusion and injustice. King Lear’s eventual insanity was a culmination of the most sadistic acts of inhumanity. Although Regan and Goneril do not pay on earth for their crimes, there will be divine retribution for their calculating and unfeeling deeds. The end of King Lear’s life is truly tragic.

Work Cited Shakespeare, William. “King Lear.” Shakespeare: Script, Stage, and Screen. David Bevington, et al. ed. New York: Longman. 2006. 710-757.