King Lear Themes Essay by Leif Erikson

Question
Evidence
Explain

"Studying a theme or issue enables a reader to form both personal and universal reflections on that theme or issue."

Compare both the personal and universal reflections that you formed on a common theme or issue in two or more texts from your comparative course.

In this essay I will compare both the personal reflections I formed no a common theme or issue in the two texts I studied namely "Pride" and "King Lear" from my comparative course. There are many themes and issues in both "Pride" and "King Lear". Both of these texts explore themes in a manner that causes both personal and universal reflections on the themes or issues. One reflection I have formed is on the theme of family. In both texts there are examples of positive and negative family relationships. In "Pride" Gethin and his mother are estranged because she does not accept his homosexuality. Gethin tells Hefina this during Christmas in Wales and Maureen tells him that he should go and see his mother, which he does. Gethin goes to see his mother and he is nervous, his first words are "hi mum". Gethin  has reconnected with his mother despite their differences, Gethin's mother before did not respect his homosexuality but she and Gethin have reconciled and forgiven each other.
In "King Lear" we see the similar events occur. At the start of the play Lear decides to divide up his land among his three daughters Goneril, Regan and Cordelia. Lear asks each of his daughters to tell him how much they love him. Goneril and Regan blatantly lie but Cordelia refuses to do it and so Lear disowns her in a fit of rage. The king of France decides to marry her and Cordelia leaves for France. Later Cordelia comes back to England to save her father as Goneril and Regan have mistreated him. Cordelia meets Lear and forgives him for his mistreatment of her. Cordelia is also nervous when reuniting with Lear because she is afraid of what he is going to say just like Gethin and his mother. They both continue to love their parents despite their parents mistreatment of them and they both leave their parents. Both Cordelia and Gethin decide to forgive their parents and reunite with them. This is one reflection I have formed on the theme of family in "King Lear" and "Pride".