King Lear Love And Duty - 1101 Words

In both works by Chaucer and Shakespeare, there are two themes that seems to appear. The themes that appear are love and duty. These themes I think are seen more clearly that the other themes that appear in either of their works. In The Miller’s Tale, there is something in it that relates to the theme of love. John shows real true love because he tries everything to save Alisoun. In The Clerk’s Tale, it talks about a character named Walter who tries to fulfill his duty but failed. In Shakespeare s play, King Lear, it shows both love and duty. It shows love because Kent stayed with King Lear and he would die than live without him. Cordelia following her father’s orders and does what she is told because she loves her father. King Lear has a†¦show more content†¦In King Lear, King Lear tells his daughters to profess their love to him and all the daughters agree but Cordelia speaks up and say that her sisters, Goneril and Regan, are being disloyal: CORDELIA. Good my lord, 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. Why have my sisters husbands if they say They all love you? 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. (1.1. 105-115) Cordelia is being very loyal to her father and his requests while her sisters are being disloyal. Even though she was honest and did her duties as a daughter he still disowned her out of the rage he felt. In The Miller’s Tale John was the only person in the poem to show Alisoun that he truly loves her when she was dying: This carpenter answerde, ‘Alla, my wyf! And shal she drenche? allas, myn Alisoun!’ For sorwe of this he fil almost adoun And seyde, ‘Is ther no remedie in this cas?’ (419-422) He really loves her and he will do anything to save her from dying. In King Lear, Kent is very loyal to King Lear because he loved him as a king, a father, a patron, and a master. Even though there were risksShow MoreRelatedWilliam Shakespeare s King Lear1059 Words   |  5 Pages Overturning Roles in King Lear In King Lear, Traditional roles, such as nobility, gender, and social status, are all usurped or attempted to be overturned during at least one occasion in King Lear. To illustrate, noble roles become overturned when King Lear lessened himself as a king to upgrade two of his daughters, Goneril and Regan, to a higher power of authority. In contrast, he ended up in jail with Cordelia instead of regaining his position back as king. Gender Roles are overturned when theRead More The Importance of the Earl of Kent in Shakespeares King Lear1487 Words   |  6 PagesThe Importance of the Earl of Kent in King Lear   Ã‚   The Earl of Kent plays a small but important part in Shakespeares play King Lear. 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