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Dysfunctions In King Lear And Long Days Journey Into Night

Dysfunctions In King Lear And Long Days Journey Into Night

Throughout history novelists and playwrights have to created dysfunctional families. These families lead tragic lives. Within these families, there are both internal and external battles to be dealt. In William Shakespeare’s King Lear and Eugene O’Neill’s Long Day’s Journey Into Night, the authors reveal truly dysfunctional families. In these plays both authors portray the problems and between each member of the family and the consequences the problems will have.

In King Lear there are two families that display dysfunctions, the Lear family and the Gloucester family. Within the two families, there are many dysfunctions. In King Lear there are both major and minor dysfunctions between both the Lear family and the Gloucester family. One of the major dysfunctions in both families is filial ingratitude. Within this dysfunction is a theme of good versus evil. The minor dysfunctions of King Lear are closely related to the major dysfunction of filial ingratitude. The minor dysfunctions of the play are the tragic disrespect of authority and the pain of misjudgment.

In the Lear family, the theme of filial ingratitude is shown primarily by the attitudes of Lear’s elder daughters. The play primarily deals with the insanity of King Lear after he divides his kingdom between his elder daughters, Goneril and Regan. This decision was based on how much each one loved him. After he had divided his kingdom, he would spend half of his time with Goneril and the other half with Regan. His youngest daughter, Cordelia, was banished from the kingdom after she told Lear “Happily, 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.” (I, i, 104-110) Unfortunately, his decisions to divide his kingdom and to banish his daughter are the cause of his downfall and the downfall for the rest of all his family.

Lear decision created most of the dysfunctions within his family. With his kingdom divided between his two eldest daughters, Lear no longer had power. Both Goneril and Regan realized this and they both took advantage of Lear. When Lear would stay with his daughters, they would disregard...

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