King Lear journal 1

option 1.

The daughter of Goneril and Regan use very different word choice than the other daughter of Cordelia. Both Goneril and Regan both use words that are intended to show their father how much they love him. They use outragous exagerations that must be completely false. Most of what they are saying imply that all their love goes to their father and they do not have any love left for anyone else. Yet they are both married to their husbands. This would mean that they spend so much of their love on their father, they do not have any left for their husbands.

Cordelia on the other hand is the opposite. She does not even speak any words to her father other than side comments to herself. But when she is put on the spot to praise her father she has nothing to say. She is a kind, grateful daughter but she does not have the heart to lie to her father. By saying that she only has love for her father in her heart, such as her sisters said, would be a lie and she knows it. She is aware that she loves others AS WELL as her father. So even though she is saying this praise for her father for all of his money, she does not have the ability to lie to him simply for his wealth.

Through these speaches it is revealed that the two daughters of Goneril and Regan will do anything for land and wealth. They will blatantly lie and exagerate to their father's face, simply for the money. This is not true about Cordelia. Even though her wealth and future is on the line, she still does not lie as her sisters did. This proves that Cordelia is a genuinely honest person, and Goneril and Regan will do anything for wealth and to benefit themselves. It also illuminates that the father is a self absorbed jerk that will not accept the fact that his daughters love other people as well as him, even if it's the honest truth.