Grown Old, But Not Wise

Throughout Act 1 of Shakespeare's King Lear, you find that Lear, has grown old in age, but not wise. Right from the beginning you can tell he's not a very wise character, when he decides to divide up his land between his three daughters. This decision will disrupt the great chain of being, causing chaos. Also in a few scenes of Act 1, characters let you know how they feel about his actions and how his age has gotten to him.

To start off, King Lear had made two unwisely decisions. One being to divide up his land among his three daughters, and the other, disowning his daughter Cordelia. "I Love your majesty according to my bond, no more nor less"(Act 1, Scene 1, 94-95), Cordelia explains how she loves him as much as a daughter can love a father, and goes on saying how she needs love left to give to her husband. This is not what Lear wanted to hear, and the short-tempered King Lear, right then divides up her land between the other daughters, also leaving Cordelia with no dowry. Kent, Lear's advisor see's this unreasonable decision and but's in, to inform Lear. Lear then off's Kent, to leave the kingdom within 6 days. This first scene shows how Lear is not in the right mind, when it explains how Cordelia had always been his favourite.

The end of Scene 1, the two daughters of King Lear, Regan and Goneril, discuss their take on their fathers actions and how he's changing. They too agree he has been to hast about it, "and with what poor judgement he hath now cast her off appears too grossly"(Act 1, Scene 1, 292-293). They continue saying their father is getting too old and its now changing him, as they had observed that night. "Yet he hath ever but slenderly known himself"(Act 1, Scene 1, 294-295). These quotes show the characters feel the same way, that he's grown old, but not wise.

The only one to let King Lear know of his bad decisions to his face, not