Essay: Discover How Shakespeare Shines a Light on Sacrificial Love in “King Lear

The Hidden Theme of Sacrifice
William Shakespeare has woven in a hidden theme that some may overlook. Shakespeare uses the theme of sacrifice in “the Tragedy of King Lear” to reveal what each character truly loves through their actions, rather than through their words. Shakespeare demonstrates the theme of sacrifice with the character of Goneril to remind the audience that there are people who sacrifice others so that they may receive personal gain. It is also shown through the character of King Lear that people sacrifice relationships with honest and trustworthy people because of their own personal weaknesses. Lastly, he uses the characters of Kent and Cordelia to show that there are good people who sacrifice everything both to help others and out of a sense of personal honour. William Shakespeare uses the actions, rather than the words, of various characters to present these three types of sacrifices with his characters in King Lear, to show what each truly desires.
Shakespeare weaves in the theme of sacrifice for the pursuit of personal gain in both Goneril and Lear but in very different ways. Goneril, a daughter of Lear, is willing to sacrifice her own father to gain control of the kingdom and her sister Regan to gain the man she loves. Goneril tells Lear that he must, “Be then desired,/By her that else will take the thing she begs,/A little to disquantity your train,/ And the remainders that shall still depend/To be such men as may besort your age,/Which know themselves and you” (Shakespeare I.iv.255-259). Goneril sacrifices her father’s sanity by removing the entourage of soldiers that kept Lear safe. This move makes Lear more vulnerable to others because he is feeling less secure, which opens the door for Goneril to take advantage. Her actions further show how she is willing to sacrifice her honour for gain in that she flatters her father, the King, at the beginning but then treats him very poorly and reneges on her promises to treat him like a King after he gives her power. Goneril is also in competition with her sister Regan for the affections of Edmund. Regan and Goneril are offstage when a Gentlemen rushes in with a bloody knife and announces, “Your lady, sir, your lady. And her sister/By her is poisoned. She confesses it” (V.iii.268-269). Goneril sacrifices her sister so that she can brush away her only rival for Edmund’s affection. Goneril, therefore, is willing to sacrifice her family to gain what she desires with love and power. Shakespeare implements the theme of sacrifice with Goneril to show how not all sacrifice is meant for good, but for evil as well.
Shakespeare also uses the character of King Lear to present the theme of sacrifice for personal gain but with a different motive. In King Lear, Lear is the King of Britain who is getting old and wishes to remove the duties of being King while still having the perks of the position. He is motivated by personal gain, but with a less ruthless goal. He wishes to be King in name and not responsibility, telling his plan to the other characters, “-Know that we have divided/In three our kingdom, and ‘tis our fast intent/To shake all cares and business from our age,/Conferring them on younger strengths while we/Unburdened crawl towards death” (I.i.35-39). King Lear believes that by giving up the duties of his rank, he will still be respected as King but will be able to rest as he gets old. Furthermore, Lear loves to be flattered by those around him, to the point where he is willing to send away anyone who does not do so. His actions show this love for flattery in that he exhiles his most loyal people (Kent and Cordelia) because they did not say what Lear wanted to hear, revealing his fatal flaw. Lear declares to Kent and Cordelia, “Peace Kent./Do not come between the dragon and his wrath./I loved her most and thought to set my rest/On her kind nursery./…/So be my grave my peace, as here I give/Her father’s heart from her” (I.i.135-141). In this way, Lear shows that he is even aware that he is sacrificing his own long term happiness because of his ego. It is this tragic flaw that leads to the ruin of his two most trusted subjects, his daughter and the Earl of Kent, and sets in motion all the tragic events of the play.
In contrast, Kent and Lear’s third daughter, Cordelia, while motivated by their personal honour, sacrifice their positions, and in the end their lives, out of love for their king. Kent and Cordelia were banished by King Lear, yet they still continue to discreetly help him. The Earl of Kent has a very high ranking position and he has a lot of money. After Lear banishes him and threatens to kill him if found, he leaves the palace and he thinks to himself that, “If but as well I other accents borrow/That can my speech diffuse, my good intent/May carry through itself to that full issue/For which I razed my likeness. Now, banished Kent,/If thou canst serve where thou dost stand/condemned,/So may it come thy master, whom thou lov’st,/Shall find thee full of labors” (I.iv.1-8). Kent sacrifices everything he has as an Earl to continue to be with Lear as a servant. For the audience of the time, the sacrifice would be considered greater since servants were not treated well, yet he sacrifices his entire life for Lear. Also, if found out that he was posing as a servant, Kent would be killed and yet he is willing to sacrifice everything out love for Lear. Likewise, Cordelia sacrifices everything in King Lear, both because of her personal honour and out of her love for her father. Lear asks Cordelia how much she loves him and she ironically replies, “Unhappy that I am, I cannot heave/My heart into my mouth. I love your majesty/According to my bond, no more nor less” (I.i.100-103). It is ironic in that her speech fails to convey her love but her actions prove it. Cordelia essentially sacrifices ⅓ of the kingdom because she is honest and loves her father so much that she would not lie to him. She lost everything because of what she believes is right. Then, when her father was in his greatest danger, she gives up the safety of her new life in France to bring an army to Lear’s aid, only to lose her life. All in all, Kent and Cordelia each sacrifice everything to continue to serve Lear, to the death.
In conclusion, in King Lear, William Shakespeare uses the theme of sacrifice to reveal what each character truly desires and believes. He uses Goneril to show how not all sacrifice is meant for good, and that some people will sacrifice others for personal gain. Shakespeare uses the character of King Lear to reveal how some can sacrifice everything good in their life for a flaw that can destroy themselves and others, even when they know they have this flaw. Lastly, Shakespeare uses Kent and Cordelia to display how some people refuse to sacrifice personal honour for worldly gain, but are willing to sacrifice everything for someone they love no matter the consequences. Shakespeare interweaves the theme of sacrifice behind a play filled with tragedy and blood.