Characters - Cordelia
8 important questions on Characters - Cordelia
What personal traits does Cordelia share with Lear?
Stubbornness and pride = the truth causes the great tragedy.
How does Cordelia differ from her sisters?
G & R are willing to play along with Lear's game at the beginning of the play whereas Cordelia differs in opinion. Her femininity is emphasised, in contrast to the personalities of her sisters (though she is not weak)
What do Cordelia and the Fool have in common?
They are Lear's most precious creatures and they both die.
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How is Cordelia shown to be virtuous?
Some argue that she is a christ figure and her death is sacrificial + p.386 when Lear thinks that the feather he has placed on Cordelia's body moves, he says that she will "redeem all sorrows" if she lives = deeply painful - though arguably there is no redemption.
What is Cordelia's role in the play?
- to highlight she is polar opposite to her sisters
- make the ending more tragic
- her presence and denial of Lear's need for flattery challenges his autocratic rule
What quotes shows that Cordelia is conscious of her sisters' false love?
"I know you what you are...Love well our father"
Why are Cordelia's asides effective?
They take us into her confidence - "my love's more ponderous than my tongue"
Why does Cordelia not play along with Lear's game at the beginning of the play?
She doesn't want to compete with her sisters as she feels genuine love for Lear whereas her sisters do not. Unlike her sisters she cannot flatter using fancy words.
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