King Lear and A thousand Acres

Arrogance, of the main character, in both stories establishes the base of the plot. Lear’s basic flaw at the beginning of the play is that he values appearances above reality, which displays his arrogant character. He wants to have treatment of king and to enjoy the title, but he does not want to fulfill a king’s obligations. Similarly, in Smiley’s novel, Larry Cook wants to get rid of all the responsibilities but wants to maintain the respect in the society. Lear has his daughters compete for their inheritance by judging who proclaims their love for him in the grandest possible fashion. Lear asks his daughters, “which of you shall we say doth love us most?” (I.1.49). While Goneril and Regan play along, declaring

Miscommunication, caused by arrogance, further creates misjudgment. Lear and Larry misjudged all of their daughters due to the miscommunication that occurred upon announcing the division of property. After attaining a part of the kingdom, Goneril’s attitude changes towards Lear. Lear realizes his misjudgment of Goneril when she tells her steward that treat Lear as a child, “Old fools are babes again, and must be used/With checks, as flatteries, when they are seen abused.”(I.3.20-21). After attaining a park of the kingdom, Goneril’s attitude changes towards Lear. Similarly, Larry becomes the victim of false appearance of Ginny. Ginny’s attitude becomes opposite of what it was before the division of land. Division of land left no respect in her for Larry as she speaks against him in a loud tone: “I’ll take away the keys to your truck and if you do it after that, I’ll sell it. “ (148). Larry’s intolerance of Ginny’s behaviour takes him to Rose where he gets the same kind of behaviour and realizes his misjudgment of Rose. Rose expresses her feelings for him which anticipates her attitude towards Larry: “Sometime waves of hatred just roll through me, and I want him to die, and go to hell and stay there forever, just roasting!” (150). Similarly, Lear leaves Goneril’s residence and goes to Regan’s castle with the fond hope of receiving a cordial welcome and hospitality. Regan’s cold welcome and refusal to speak to Lear fills him with anger. Regan demands Lear to go back to Goneril and apologize for his wrong doings: “Therefore I pray you that to our sister you do make return; Say you have wrong’d her.” (II.4.157-159). Union of both sisters teaches Lear th

Some topics in this essay:
Larry Lear, Similarly Lear, Larry Cook, Shakespeare Lear, Ginny Ginny’s, Similarly Larry, Lear Lear, Lear Larry, Regan Goneril, Goneril Regan, larry lear, larry cook, rose ginny, due miscommunication, regan goneril, senseless destruction, division land, lear larry, farm rose ginny, arrogance individuals, attitude changes, changes towards lear, attitude changes towards, favourite daughter cordelia, leads senseless destruction,