The Love Test

Today we spent time talking about why King Lear put his children through a test to prove their love. One response was, just like Knights have to prove their loyalty to the King, Lear wanted his daughters to prove their loyalty by flattering and praising him. While this may have acted as a formality, I do not think any daughter should have to prove her love to her father. I know it was mentioned that Cordelia's response was a pretty stupid one, but I think I would have responded the same way if I was in her situation. Love is not proved through words it is proved by obedience which is what Cordelia points out: 

"You have begot me, bred me, loved me. I 

Return those duties back as are right fit—

Obey you, love you, and most honor you."

Cordelia has proved her love to her father her whole life, unlike her sisters, which is more important than words spoken just to get the biggest portion of the kingdom. Cordelia is also telling her father the truth while her older sisters are clearly lying which is also what Cordelia points out:

"Why have my sisters husbands if they say
They love you all? Haply when I shall wed
That lord whose hand must take my plight shall carry
Half my love with him, half my care and duty.
Sure, I shall never marry like my sisters,
To love my father all."

Cordelia points out that if her sisters truly love their father as much as they say, then they do not actually love their own husbands. While King Lear disowns Cordelia, I think I would have given her the bigger portion for what she says. She speaks truthfully and obviously loves her father more than her sisters, which he know. Unfortunately, he let's his pride get in the way and winds up going completely insane when his supposed most loving daughters will not let him live with either one of them.

p.s. commented on Dylan Copeland's Mr. King do you mind?