King Lear Act 1 Question 2

It is obvious that Regan and Goneril are entirely selfish. and even, monstrous. but inside their heads, they do not see it as monstrosity. Looking at them and their lifestyle, their father is a king. they were raised surrounded by wealth and gold, always wanting more. By living a royal life, there is a strong focus on material possessions. To add onto that, their father obviously does not have a very truthful character. Even when the girls are older, he uses them in order to make himself feel better, to flatter him, and make himself look and feel better. in some ways, this is all the girls know - living through greed for material possessions and control and power. Just like how they were raised and who they were raised by. Since their father does not seem to "love" them for who they are and truly, only by a means of control, than they seem to do the same thing to him. looking at this, is that so bad? so they manipulate him, they play his game, and they get his land. once they have gotten what they wanted, they turn against their father in order for them to keep their power and take his kingship. Their father obviously doesn't love them fully, and they were not raised surrounded by honest love, so they do not really know how to show love. so it really doesnt even phase them when they are scanning against their father. in some ways i guess i can relate to the sisters in terms of being consumed by material possessions and wanting to keep that power - sacrificing morals or honor in order to keep certain  things or reputation.  i understand. and i understand the effect that the family and how you are raised has on a child. but it does not change the fact that what they are doing is wrong and "monstrous." 

King Lear Act 1 Question 3

I am not sure if Lear truly loves Cordelia. Maybe this is too philosophical but i believe if someone gets mad at their loved one for telling them the honest truth about how much they love them. I understand if a child, Cordelia, was disrespectful to Lear about it. But she wasnt. She was  honest and realistic, and she was not manipulating her father to get what she wants like the other daughters. She is honest, loving, and respectful. Lear obviously does not truly "love" Cordelia that much, maybe a sort of love and care in a familial way, but it does not seem true. He simply only wants control over her. i do not think Cordelia was dumb in doing what she did. Yes, her sisters manipulated their father in order to get what they wanted- and in order for the father to hear exactly what he wants to hear - how great he is and how much his daughters love him. i dont think that she is unable to speak - i just think that she is "better' than her two sisters. she is not the type to manipulate and lie to her father in order to compete against her sisters. that does show true charactor. i dont think it is a sign of inability. just a sign of honerable choice. However, i think Lear is unable to hear the truth. he simply wants control and wants flattery. he wants his daughters to serve him and worship him, and when Cordelia says that she loves him a healthy and practical amount, he is flabbergasted and offended. he wants to hear good things abbout him, not the practical truth from his own daughter. Cordelia definitely knows what she's doing, she just has the own character to live by truth rather than greed and lies. she obviously is not like her sisters who are willing to "play the game." as for "the game, " i understand this very well. i used to, and still now, manipulate my parents into getting what i want. especially my mother, i will lie and do what i can, no matter what, to get what i want. it awful. but some of the time, these manipulation tactics do not work. unlike Lear, my parents will want the truth rather than flattery and manipulation, and thats when my game does not work.