Use up and down arrows to review and enter to select. happiness makes the devastating finale of King Lear that By this time the audiences’ sympathy for Lear has also grown, he appears more pathetic and in need of Cordelia’s sympathy and love at this point and Cordelia offers the audience a sense of hope for the future for Lear. Lear's youngest daughter, whom he disowns when she refuses to flatter him, as her sisters do, during the ceremony in which he hands over power. © 2020 Houghton Mifflin Harcourt. Cordelia’s presence in France offers the audience a sense of hope – that she will return and Lear will be restored to power or at least her sisters will be usurped. Cordelia's tears at the news of her father's treatment prove her compassion and establish that she is, indeed, the opposite of her sisters. This fleeting moment of familial Lear’s treatment of Cordelia and subsequent empowerment of Regan and Goneril (false flatterers) leads to the audience feeling alienated towards him – perceiving him as blind and foolish. Shakespeare Tragedies: 10 Plays With Common Features, M.A., Theater Studies, Warwick University, B.A., Drama and English, DeMontfort University. is never far from the audience’s thoughts, and her beauty is venerably CliffsNotes study guides are written by real teachers and professors, so no matter what you're studying, CliffsNotes can ease your homework headaches and help you score high on exams. bookmarked pages associated with this title. begin to surface almost immediately, and once she lands at Dover, Character Analysis Cordelia Cordelia genuinely loves her father, but her refusal to flatter him leads to the tragedy that unfolds. -Her refusal to profess her love to King Lear shows she is genuine and her love is authentic -She is down to earth and level headed, unlike her powerthirsty sisters. Cordelia’s expression of compassion and concern for her father in Act 4 scene 4 demonstrates her goodness and an assurance that she is not interested in power unlike her sisters but more in helping her father get better. Cordelia genuinely loves her father, but her refusal to flatter him leads to the tragedy that unfolds. Character Analysis of Cordelia essay sample. By refusing to take part in Lear’s love test at the beginning of In this character profile, we take a close look at Cordelia from Shakespeare's 'King Lear'. Read our modern English translation. For most of the middle Regan, Goneril and Edmund, in particular, all have an easy way with words. Understand every line of King Lear. Are you sure you want to remove #bookConfirmation# from your Reading List will also remove any Indeed, rumors of her return to Britain He previously served as a theater studies lecturer at Stratford-upon Avon College in the United Kingdom. throughout the play with Goneril and Regan, who are neither honest nor loving, and who manipulate their father for their own ends. Some might perceive Cordelia to be a little stubborn for refusing to take part in her father’s love test; and vengeful to marry the King of France as a retaliation but we are told that she has integrity by other characters in the play and the fact that the King of France is willing to take her on without a dowry speaks well for her character; she also has little choice than to marry France. Cordelia Character Analysis New! Cordelia’s chief characteristics are devotion, kindness, beauty, and honesty—honesty to a fault, perhaps. Shakespeare’s decision to kill off Cordelia has been criticized as she is such an innocent but perhaps he needed this final blow to bring about Lear’s total downfall and to confound the tragedy. Her virtue and purity make it easy to see why she is often described as Christ-like or representative of God's goodness. virtue, becomes a literal sacrifice to the heartlessness of an apparently restoration of order in the kingdom and the triumph of love and Cordelia’s portrayal as a selfless, beacon of hope makes her death more tragic for the audience and allows Lear’s final act of revenge – killing Cordelia’s hangman to appear heroic adding further to his terrible tragic downfall. Cordelia’s refusal to flatter her father in return for power; her response of; “Nothing”, further adds to her integrity as we soon discover those who have a lot to say cannot be trusted. converge on the coast. In this character profile,we take a close look at Cordelia from Shakespeare's'King Lear'. and the obvious authenticity of her love for Lear makes clear the By using ThoughtCo, you accept our, 'King Lear' Act 1: Summary of the Opening Scene, 'King Lear': Act 4 Scene 6 and 7 Analysis, Top 5 Female Villains in Shakespeare Plays. Cordelia’s chief characteristics are devotion, kindness, Cordelia’s actions are a catalyst for much of the action in the play, her refusal to take part in her father’s ‘love test’ results in his furious impulsive outburst where he … unjust world. Don't know how to write a literature essay on "King Lear"? Lee Jamieson, M.A., is a theater scholar and educator. This example will help you. She is contrasted the play, Cordelia establishes herself as a repository of virtue, ThoughtCo uses cookies to provide you with a great user experience. extent of the king’s error in banishing her. of Goneril and Regan and watch Lear’s descent into madness, Cordelia -Cordelia's main character trait that accurately portrays her emotions is honesty and virute. and any corresponding bookmarks? -Cordelia's character … All rights reserved. The Character of Cordelia in Shakespeare's play "King Lear" is a supreme sketch drawn with a few lines, yet it is attractive. Her response to her father's capture, and her own capture, evokes the stoicism of kings, and reveals that Cordelia is as royal as her father is. SparkNotes is brought to you by Barnes & Noble. In Act 4 Scene 7 When Lear is finally reunited with Cordelia he redeems himself by fully apologizing for his actions towards her and his subsequent death is therefore even more tragic. Cordelia has no desire for revenge, nor any need to make her father suffer for having misjudged her. the action of the play begins to move toward her, as all the characters She is contrasted throughout the play with Goneril and Regan, who are neither honest nor loving, and who manipulate their father for their own ends. Cordelia; offering only hope and goodness could, therefore, be considered the real tragedy of King Lear. much more cruel, as Cordelia, the personification of kindness and forgiveness over hatred and spite. section of the play, she is offstage, but as we observe the depredations Cordelia’s reunion with Lear marks the apparent beauty, and honesty—honesty to a fault, perhaps. Cordelia's Character Analysis in King Lear - Lit-galaxy About Us Lear’s response to Cordelia’s death finally restores his sense of good judgment for the audience and he is redeemed – he has finally learned the value of true emotion and his depth of grief is palpable. Cordelia From King Lear: Character Profile. Cordelia’s actions are a catalyst for much of the action in the play, her refusal to take part in her father’s ‘love test’ results in his furious impulsive outburst where he disowns and banishes his otherwise faultless daughter. Cordelia’s death finally hastens the demise of her father first to madness then death. Cordelia's tears at the news of her father's treatment prove her compassion and establish that she is, indeed, the opposite of her sisters. described in religious terms. Visit BN.com to buy new and used textbooks, and check out our award-winning NOOK tablets and eReaders. Goneril. What Types of Plays Did Shakespeare Write? All of the characters in the play are dealt with harshly and the consequences of their actions are well and truly punished. Removing #book# Next.