Regrettable Decisions Made By Father’s In Shakespeare’s King Lear And Romeo And Juliet Essay, Research Paper

Regrettable decisions by fathers concerning their daughters in

Shakespeare s King Lear and Romeo and Juliet.

Decisions by the father in Shakespeare s writing are for the most part

quick, and life altering for the daughters. Father s also have great expectations,and often try to discipline their daughters for their actions – not thinking about the repercussions or regrets of their actions. Shakespeare s father s are verycontrolling and expect only the best form their offspring. Drastic measures are often taken to enforce their point, and the betrayal of a father during Shakespeare s time is an unthinkable act. Throughout this paper I will be discussing and arguing this point. I will be discussing two of Shakespeare’s plays(King Lear and Romeo and Juliet) for the appearance of regrettable decisions, or “mistakes” made by father’s towards their daughters.

In King Lear, Lear advises his daughters to profess their love to him, in

order for him to divide up his kingdom amongst them. Cordelia is the only one of

the three that doesn’t give a response. Although she is his favourite, this angers Lear;Here I disclaim all my paternal care,propinquity and property of blood,As a stranger to my heart and me Hold thee from this for ever.(I.i.133 -16)Lear banishes Cordelia, and leaves her out of her inheritance all together. With my two daughters’ dow’rs digest the third;/Let pride which she calls plainness,marry her.” (I.i. 129-130) This creates problems for finding her a suitor – she is useless (to most) without a kingdom, and riches. Luckily, however, France decides that her actions are virtuous and takes her away with him to be his queen. Lear divides his kingdom between his eldest daughters. Lear is unaware 10of his eldest daughters plan, however, to get rid of him and have the kingdom to themselves . Goneril says:”… if our father carry authority with such a dis-/position as he bears, this last surrender of his will but offend us.” (I.ii.304-306) The two sisters both feel that if he mistreats the servants, he will only treat them the same way. It is not until the two sister’s betray him however, that Lear becomes aware of his mistake.

O most small fault, How ugly dids’t thou in Cordelia show!Which, like an engine, wrench’d my frame of nature From the fix’d place; drew from my heart all love,And added to the gall.(II. i. 266 -270)Lear even admits that he has been careless and harsh in his judgement of the Division of his kingdom when he has no shelter “O, I have taken/ too little care of this!” (III.iv. 32-32)

When Lear and Cordelia do meet again in Act IV, Stern in The Transference of Kingdom states that Lear thinks he is dreaming you do me wrong to take me out o the grave (I.46) – for it absolves him form his terrbile guilt. So to her loving forgiveness disabuse him of his madness and fills him with joy because it reawakens his original fantasy of their union. (p.304) Lear is also quick to state that Cordelia has a reason not to love him, but his Mother daughters do not. He also offers to drink poison for her forgiveness. If you have poison for me, I will drink it. I know you do not love me, for your sisters Have (as I do remember) done me wrong :You have some cause, they have not.(IV.vii. 71-74) Lear is aware that he is not in his right mind, but still pleads with Cordelia to forgive him for the mistake he has made. Pray you now forget, and forgive; I am old and foolish.” (IV. vii.84) After the two are taken prisoners Lear once again pleads for her forgiveness – thus admitting to his horrible lack of understanding and judgement concerning Cordelia’s true love for him. When thou dost ask me blessing, / I’ll kneel down/ And ask thee forgiveness” (V. iii.10-11)Not only does Lear realize his mistake, he also recognizes the sacrifices and hardships that Cordelia has had to make because of his harsh decision to strike her from the family. For this, he is remorseful. The main of these sacrifices is when Cordelia is sent to France with nothing but shame and embarrassment atLear’s hand. Also, the fact that Lear and Cordelia are prisoners, just makes Lear feel worse. He states that the Gods themselves see these sacrifices and will acknowledge her for them. Upon such sacrifices, my Cordelia,/ The god’sthemselves throw incense.” (V.iii.20-21)

Just as Lear, Lord Capulet (The Father in Romeo and Juliet ) also was

overbearing and made bad decisions that he later regretted. I admit however, the

circumstances were not exact, yet they did lead to the fall of Juliet as they did to Cordelia. Some critics do agree that Juliet was indeed to young to be considered for marriage in the first place. According to Knight in Shakespeare Quarterly ” If Capulet didn’t force her young marriage to Paris without the true feeling of love,Juliet wouldn’t have felt pressured to act on her own impulses which lead to her own untimely death.” (Knight 158) I agree with Knight, and also believe that this was his first mistake. Capulet even states that Juliet was too young to be thinking about marriage. My child is yet a stranger in the world,She hath not seen the change of fourteen years; Let two more summers wither in their pride,Ere we may think her ripe to be a bride.(I.ii.8-11)Capulet however lets Paris persuade him into thoughts of an early marriage. We also learn that Juliet too, after being questioned by her mother, hasn’t even thought of marriage yet. “It is an [honor] that I dream not of.” (I.iii.66)Being a ruler, and a man of stature Capulet takes it upon himself to make the call on the wedding, after telling Paris he needed both his consent, and Juliet’s. This also is a mistake on the part of Capulet. He should have stuck with his decision to let Juliet decide who she was to marry. This selfish decision alsohelps lead to the death of his daughter.Sir Paris, I will make a desperate tenderOf my child’s love. I think she will be rul’d. In all repect’s by me; nay more I doubt it not. (III.v.12-14)After Juliet refuses to the mariage, Capulet is upset by the betrayal and tells her that if she doesn’t obey him, she will no longer be his daughter and he will throw her out.Hang thee young baggage! disobedient wretch!I tell thee what: get thee to a church a’ Thursday, Or never look me in the face.Speak not, reply not, do not answer me!” (III. v.159-63)In Shakespeare, Father’s patience with daughter’s seems to be very thin. They not only want their daughter’s to be quick with their responses, but also if the answer they want to hear isn’t given, they matically fly off the handle. This is seen in Romeo and Juliet (above quotation) and also King Lear with Lear’s statements from Act I scene i like; “Nothing will come of nothing. Speak again.”(I.i.90) and “How, how Cordelia? Mend your speech a / little…” (I.i.93)In Romeo and Juliet there is an on-going battle between the Capulet and Montague households, which is spoke of in the prologue to the play by the Chorus: “From ancient grudge break to new mutiny..(I.i.3)./ Doth with their death bury their parents strife.” (I.i.8) This could be put on the shoulders of Capulet (and Montague for that matter). If there hadn’t been a conflict between the two households the wedding would have been permitted, and the couples death could have been stopped. Once Capulet learns of her death, he is speechless. This could be because he feels in some part responsible. “Death that had ta’en her hence to make me/ wail,/ Ties up my tongue and will not let me speak” (IV.v.31-32) Capulet shows his remorse and love for his daughter, but it is a little too late. I’m sure like every father in this situation this was one of his regrets – the fact that he hadn’t expressed his feelings soon enough.

Oh child, O child! my soul, and not my child! Dead art thou! Alack, my child is

And with my child my joys are buired.(IV.v.61-63)In the final scene when uliet commits suicide, Capulet realizes that it was the fight between two households that indeed cause the deaths of the two lovers.This dagger hath mista en, for lo his house Is empty on the back of Montague, And it mis-sheathed in my daughter’s Fatter s bosom!(V.iii. 203-205)Capulet unfortunately doesn t have the chance to ask for forgiveness from his daughter as Lear did, however nflict ends between households in honor of his

daughter in his final lines of the play.O brother Montague, give me thy hand.

This is my daughter s jointure, for no more Can I demand.(V.iii.295-298)

As shown in the above essay, fathers in the two concerning plays have

indeed made harsh decisions that did affect the course of their daughter s lives.Lear was able to speak his regret, where Capulet was able to create harmony with the Montagues through the death of his daughter. I have pondered as to why Shakespeare has used this technique in his plays. The decision I have reached is for the mere fact that his tragedies wouldn t be so if there weren t mistakes and regrets made by his characters. He also shows that Kings are human, and can make mistakes just like the rest of their subjects. The fact that there is regrettable decisions, however, adds to the element of tragedy. Techniques such as this help include Shakespeare s plays among the world s greatest literary masterpieces.

Works Cited

The Riverside Shakespeare, Houghton Mifflin Company. 1974

Knight, Bernard, Shakespeare Quarterly, Volume 28 Summer 1987 Romeo and

Juliet: Choices by the Characters (pp. 143-157)

Stern, Jeffery, Shakespeare Quarterly, Volume 41 Fall 1990 King Lear : The

Transference of the Kingdom (pp. 299- 309)