The idea of having a woman meaning a Queen ruling a country was quite rare but at that time Elizabeth was Queen. This idea is used in the story when Shakespeare presents King Lear having three daughters who are all supposed to be given shares of the kingd

Shakespeare did not believe this and this opinion of his deeply influenced the story. King Lear's two older daughters Goneril and Regan help Shakespeare to put this idea across to the audience. This is because they both deceive their father when they are told that they will receive a good share of the property if they tell their father how much they really love him.

Goneril and Regan see a chance in this and greed over powers them so they take the love test and create a tragedy. They do this by lying to the King and completely blowing out of proportion how much they love their father. I think that Shakespeare makes this happen in order for the audience to see his point of view on women's characteristics more clearly. In all of this I say that a tragedy is caused because due to their lies, Cordelia is banished from the kingdom because she doesn't meet the expectations of her father.

Another point in the play, which is clearly used to grab the readers' attentive ear and has been suggested by Shakespeare as the political world is when Cordelia is wedded off to the King of France.

Here, Shakespeare uses the institution in which the readers' are to create this issue. At that time the people living in the 17th century would realise that there are problems between England and France to do with invasion and that if the King of France marries a princess of England the purpose of this is obviously to do with invading England. Shakespeare has used this idea to get the readers' interested I the play and to make it seem more realistic. It concerns an average person at that time to know what is written about their country.

Saniya Zia 10X/10IAS

King Lear Course work