King Lear's Self-Discovery Although King Lear is an estimable monarch, as revealed by the devotion of men like Kent, he has serious character flaws. His power as king encouraged him to be proud and impulsive, and his eldest daughters Regan and Goneril reflect that "the best and healthiest of his time was but reckless..." and that he "always knew little himself" (1.1.297-298, 295-296). When Lear decides to divide his kingdom among his three daughters, Cordelia, Goneril, and Regan to have less responsibility in his old age, he creates a situation where his eldest daughters gain authority over him and mistreat him. Lear is unable to cope with his loss of power and descends into madness. Although the circumstances in which Lear finds himself are instrumental in the unfolding of this tragedy, ultimately it is not the circumstances themselves, but King Lear's reckless reactions to them that lead to his downfall. In this fall, Lear is forced to come to terms with himself as a mortal man. Lear's self-destruction begins when he stands before the court to divide his kingdom and orders his daughters to profess their love for him. Cordelia, his youngest and favorite daughter, idealistically believes that words are unnecessary in the expression of love and refuses to profess her feelings. King Lear had planned to give most of the land to Cordelia and stay with her in her old age and states of Cordelia: "I loved her best, and thought I would rest / Upon her gentle nursery" (1.1.125-126) . The king does not understand the reasons for Cordelia's silence and is shocked by her unexpected reaction to his request. He loses sight of his careful preparation for his future and in his...... middle of paper......h. This gesture represents Lear's final renunciation of the kingship he no longer appreciates, as well as his determined embrace of mortality as it provides him with an escape from his pain. Works cited and consulted Artaud, Antonin. The theater and its double. Grove Press Inc. New York. 1958 Billington, Michael. Gielgud: His greatest triumphs. "The age." May 24, 2000. Brook, Peter. The empty space. First Touchstone Edition. Simon and Schuster Inc. 1996.Noguchi, Isamu. Isamu Noguchi On dance. "Lyrics by Isamu Noguchi." Partee, Dr. Morriss Henry. Improved Shakespeare. University of Utah English Department Shakespeare, William. The tragedy of King Lear. Jay L. Halio. Ed. The new Cambridge Shakespeare. Cambridge University Press. New York. 1992.Shakespeare, William. The tragedy of King Lear. Ed. Russell Fraser. New York: Penguin, 1998.