King Lear – Cordelia Key Quotes

Love and be silent She admits to herself that she loves Lear however she is determined to remain quiet; though no reason is given
my love’s more richer than my tongue She is saying that she will not be able to truly express her love for her father as her tongue and her heart are different, her love is too great to express in words
Nothing, my lord Polite but blunt in her refusal to his will
You have begot me, bred me, loved me She is giving the reasons as to why she does love him, and unlike her sisters she is honest, a vast contrast compared to the ‘I love you dearer than sight’ of the other sisters lies
That lord whose hand must take my plight She refers to being married to her as a dangerous situation. She could be referencing her difficulty in expressing her love; she can’t express it for her father and she will not be able to for her husband
But goes thy heart with this? Lear – Lear is stunned and offers her another chance to repent her words, he seems physically injured by her lack of response and the ‘nothing’ from Cordelia has hurt him
Thy truth then be thy dower Lear – he half admits she’s telling the truth. Could be a hint for the future; Lear finds reason in madness while on the heath, and hear, in the madness of his wroth he openly admits her to be telling the truth
An ample tear trilled down her delicate cheek…she heaved the name of ‘father’ pantingly forth, as if it pressed her heart Gentleman – Cordelia’s return in Act IV, she is presented as a selfless daughter with a lot of love for her Father. Shows remorse, modesty and pain when told about Lear’s sufferings – contrasts to the Cordelia of Act I scene i
Why a dog, a horse, a rat have life/ And thou no breath at all? Lear – He carries her corpse and astounds the audience because of the selfless daughter we now know Cordelia as. He cries in pain.Lear draws attention to the fact that Cordelia is a sweet and caring human being unlike a foul animal.
July 13, 2019