In Act 1, Scene 1 of William Shakespeare's King Lear, Cordelia, the youngest daughter of King Lear, delivers a pivotal monologue that underscores her integrity and sets the stage for the ensuing tragedy.

Title of Monologue:

Cordelia's Monologue from Act 1, Scene 1 of King Lear

Synopsis:

King Lear, seeking to divide his kingdom among his three daughters, asks each to declare how much she loves him. While her elder sisters, Goneril and Regan, offer extravagant and insincere praises, Cordelia refuses to engage in such flattery. She asserts that she loves her father "according to her bond," emphasizing a sincere and dutiful love rather than exaggerated declarations. This honest response leads to her disinheritance and sets the tragic events of the play in motion.

What’s just happened before this moment that’s relevant to the scene?

Prior to Cordelia's monologue, King Lear has announced his intention to divide his kingdom based on which daughter can express the greatest love for him. Goneril and Regan have both professed their love in hyperbolic terms, aiming to secure the largest portions of the kingdom. Cordelia, valuing honesty over flattery, struggles with how to respond genuinely.

Original Text:

CORDELIA:

Unhappy that I am, I cannot heave My heart into my mouth. I love your Majesty According to my bond; no more nor less. Good my lord, You have begot me, bred me, loved me: I Return those duties back as are right fit, Obey you, love you, and most honour you. Why have my sisters husbands, if they say They love you all? Haply, when I shall wed, That lord whose hand must take my plight shall carry Half my love with him, half my care and duty: Sure, I shall never marry like my sisters, To love my father all.

Translation of Text into Contemporary Language:

CORDELIA:

Unhappy as I am, I can't express My true feelings in words. I love you, My king, as a daughter should; no more, no less. Dear father, You gave me life, raised me, and loved me: I return those duties as is proper, Obey you, love you, and honor you deeply. Why do my sisters have husbands, if they say They love you entirely? Perhaps, when I marry, My husband will have half my love, half my care and duty: Surely, I'll never marry like my sisters, To love my father wholly.

Meaning of Difficult or Unusual Words:

  • Heave: To lift or raise with effort; here, to express or bring forth.

  • Bond: Duty or obligation.

  • Begot: Conceived or fathered.

  • Plight: Pledge or promise; in this context, marriage vow.

  • Haply: Perhaps or by chance.

Breakdown of Text into ‘New Thought’ Paragraphs:

  1. Struggle to Express Genuine Feelings:
    Unhappy that I am, I cannot heave My heart into my mouth. I love your Majesty According to my bond; no more nor less.
    Cordelia laments her inability to articulate her deep, genuine love in the exaggerated manner her father desires, stating that she loves him as a daughter should.

  2. Acknowledgment of Filial Duties:
    Good my lord, You have begot me, bred me, loved me: I Return those duties back as are right fit, Obey you, love you, and most honour you.
    She acknowledges the life, upbringing, and love her father has provided, affirming her commitment to obey, love, and honor him appropriately.

  3. Questioning Sisters' Professions of Love:
    Why have my sisters husbands, if they say They love you all?
    Cordelia questions the sincerity of her sisters' declarations, implying that if they truly loved their father entirely, there would be no room for husbands in their lives.

  4. Perspective on Marital Love:
    Haply, when I shall wed, That lord whose hand must take my plight shall carry Half my love with him, half my care and duty: Sure, I shall never marry like my sisters, To love my father all.
    She reflects that when she marries, her husband will rightfully receive half of her love and duty, indicating that she cannot truthfully claim to love her father exclusively, unlike her sisters profess.

Journey Keypoints:

  • Hook: Cordelia expresses her inability to flatter insincerely.

  • Turning Point: She declares her love as dutiful and honest.

  • Climax: Questions the authenticity of her sisters' declarations.

  • Resolution: Affirms that her future husband will share her love, unlike her sisters' claims.

Famous or Notable Actresses Who Have Played the Role:

  • Florence Pugh: Portrayed Cordelia in the 2018 film adaptation of King Lear, delivering a performance noted for its emotional depth and sincerity.

  • Romola Garai: Assumed the role in the 2009 television adaptation, offering a compelling interpretation of Cordelia's integrity and strength.