Coppelia Kahn argues that King Lear is made to change throughout the play by his struggle to accept his feminine side. She implies that the main source of conflict and pain for King Lear is his internal struggle. He is more afflicted by his tears than anything else. King Lear cares more about the male stereotype that men cannot show any form of emotion than he does about losing his kingdom and his daughters.
I respectfully disagree with Coppelia Kahn’s argument. I think that the two main sources of conflict in the play for King Lear are losing his daughters in his mind and doing regrettable things. The two most important regrettable things King Lear does, in my opinion, are giving away his kingdom, his crown, and his power, and hastily banishing his favorite daughter, Cordelia, when she will not play his halfhearted flattery game for the prospect of inheriting one-third of the kingdom and an equal share of power.
King Lear does seem to struggle with his emotion, as is apparent in some of the language. Coppelia Kahn says, “He learns to weep and, though his tears scald and burn like molten lead, they are no longer 'women’s weapons' against which he must defend himself." If King Lear’s tears “scald and burn,” they are not doing so simply because they are running down his cheeks. Rather, it is because of the situation that the tears afflict his so, not just because he is crying. I do not believe that he is more concerned with his pride about shedding a tear than his pride concerning being scorned and betrayed by his two older daughters and his regret for banishing the one that was true.
King Lear feels betrayed by his two older daughters, Goneril and Regan. This is his first great cause of pain. He gave them his entire kingdom and all of his power with the stipulation of keeping 100 knights as followers. Goneril and Regan become worried about their father, the ex-king, having so many people loyal to him. They are also rightfully concerned about the follower’s slovenly, drunken behavior. They worry that if ever King Lear becomes upset about any certain thing he will be able to call his followers to arm and forcefully control the kingdom again. They are worried that he is becoming a senile, old man who can no longer control his temper. King Lear, however, does not see it this way. He merely feels that his daughters are being ungrateful, controlling, and power-hungry. He thinks that their love is equal to their willingness to allow his a larger train. When they turn him away, he is devastated because he has now lost all three daughters.
He is most concerned towards the end of the play about his wrong doings towards his faithful daughter, Cordelia. This is his second great cause of pain. He realizes that he has wronged the one person who truly cares about him. His tears are tears caused by great pains. However, the tears are not the pains themselves.
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It is a minor point, totally unrelated to Khan's argument but as for the 100 Knights, I believe that Regan and Goneril wanted King Lear to get rid of them just as a spiteful power play, a way of saying, "you aren't in charge here anymore old man!" rather than any legitimate fear of their drunken antics or the King changing his mind and attempting to take power back. After all, when Goneril tries to talk him into giving them up she says, "What need you five and twenty, ten, or five, to follow in a house where twice so many have a command to tend you?"
ReplyDeleteI agreed with your scepticism about what causes Lear's pain. We have no evidence that he is most tormented be concern about being womanly.