Relationship Between Parents And Children In The Play Of William Shakespeare ‘King Lear’

However, he soon comes to regret his decision for, now he no longer has the monarch's power, his daughters and their new husbands abuse him and his followers.  
 
Finally, he is cast out with a servant (a nobleman in disguise) and his court fool. He travels through a great storm and goes partly mad before arriving in Dover, where his youngest daughter and her new husband, the King of France, have landed an invasion fleet. A battle commences between Cordelia and her sisters until she, along with Lear, are taken prisoner. In their cell Cordelia is hanged and, clutching the body of his dead child, Lear dies of a broken heart.

The main idea

King Lear is a masterpiece, one full of tragic grandeur and which, with all the power that great poetry can muster, points its readers to the bleakness of existence. Unlike most of Shakespeare's tragic plays, however, he offers us no hope of restoration or resolution at its end. The state is left in chaos, and the few individuals who survive (most of the main characters die in the closing scenes), can find no moral in the tale that they have witnessed. The final lines are nothing more than a lament for the passing of an old man's life that held no joy: "The oldest hath borne most: we that are young / Shall never see so much, nor live so long."

Misunderstandings between old and young people in the play

1. Parents and children

          Almost every parent knows the greatest grief comes with the early loss of a child.  Whatever we may think of the reasoning of Lear and Gloucester, they in effect lose their favorite child, and are then abused by the children who remain.  No wonder then that the play’s most famous line is, “that she may feel how sharper than a serpent’s tooth it is to have a thankless child.”  But one must ask if this encompasses the play’s point, or is it the platform of human drama (and built in tragedy) that enables the play to make other points?  Put another way, does the play say anything out of the ordinary about fathers and their children?  If not, as painful as the unfolding anguish may feel, it does not rise to something the play hopes to either teach us or help us understand—we already understand it.  If so, then we have a responsibility to sort out the jewels from the bread crumbs.  What is it about the relationship between Lear and his daughters and Gloucester and his sons that makes for these hard hearts?  Is it native (on the gods’ watch), or developed (on our watch)?  Does it lead to everything else, or is it just a metaphor for everything else?

2. Family and State

            King Lear rather clearly asks us to draw analogies between the family and the state.  Lear’s division of the state divides the family, and Edmund’s division of the family divides the state.  How does the play ask us to think about the figure of the father, and then the correlative figure of the monarch, the “father” of one’s country?  Does the play in any way make the analogies difficult, suggesting that the state and the family are not so easily equated?  In the Renaissance (and before), the king had two bodies, one physical, the other political, which was connected to the spiritual (the source of “the king is dead, long live the king”), and the divine right of kings.  Does Lear suggest this in any way?  If not, does it thereby question the concept of the king’s two bodies.  (And do not think we are finished with this idea.  The rhetoric around our president often distinguishes the man from the office, or the man and his power, or the man and his inherited duties, customs, and constraints.

 

 

 

Quotations

Shakespearean quotations such as "To be, or not to be" and "O Romeo, Romeo! wherefore art thou Romeo?" form some of literature's most celebrated lines and if asked to recite one of William Shakespeare's most famous quotes or quotations the majority of people would choose one of these. However, many expressions that we use every day originated in William Shakespeare's plays. We use the Bard's words all of the time in everyday speech, however, we are often totally unaware that we are 'borrowing' sayings from his work! William Shakespeare is attributed with writing 38 plays, Famous Shakespearean sonnets and 5 other poems and used about 21,000 different words. William Shakespeare is credited by the Oxford English Dictionary with the introduction of nearly 3,000 words into the language. It's no wonder that expressions from the works of William Shakespeare have become 'anonymous' parts of the English language.

1. Generation gap

‘‘The weight of this sad time we must obey;

Speak what we feel, not what we ought to say.

The oldest hath borne most: we that are young

Shall never see so much, nor live so long.’’

 

‘‘This is the infirmity of his age: yet he hath ever but slenderly known himself.’’

          ‘‘O, sir! You are old; 
           Nature in you stands on the very verge of her confine.’’

         ‘‘A poor, infirm, weak, and despised old man.’’

 

 

2. Sometimes parents love their children much more, than they do

 

‘‘Love is not love 
When it is mingled with regards that stand 
Aloof from the entire point.’’

 

‘‘My love's more richer than my tongue.’’

 

‘‘Nothing will come of nothing.’’  

 

‘‘How sharper than a serpent’s tooth it is to have a thankless child! ’’

 

‘‘Pray you now, forget and forgive.’’

 

‘‘It is a wise father that knows his own child.’’

 

1. Quarrels between parents

 

“My father compounded with my mother under the dragon's tail; and my nativity was under Ursa Major; so that it follows, I am rough and lecherous. Tut, I should have been that I am, had the maidenliest star in the firmament twinkled on my bastardizing.”

 

 

 

 

 

Parents` problems in socializing with their children

The youth of the 21st century face almost the same problems which were acute to their parents when they were young. One of them is a generation gap. Every generation is unique in its experience. It has its own ideals and a system of values concerning every aspect of human life. Adults always complain that the young people do not blindly accept the ideals of their parents. And this is inevitable as different generations take different directions. Grown-ups always teach the young how to live. But the latter want to live their own life. And it generates the conflict of the generations.

Our young people can be considered only a part of our society. So just the same problems our society is facing nowadays are typical of the young people. They are drug-taking, alcohol, smoking, prostitution, hi-jacking, murders, stealing, kid-napping, robberies etc. Young people are more violent than ever. Many people say that their lives have been made miserable by young people out on the street late at night. All those groups or subcultures are awful, because all of their members are violent. They only think about rebellion against society, its laws, they reject everything, they protest against their parents and school.

I think that young people have problems with their parents. What are they? Sometimes we have different tastes. I like the proverb "There is no accounting for tastes". For example, my friend goes shopping with her mother. Mum likes one dress but she likes another. Her parents want her to enter medicine department as they are skilled doctors but she`d like to be a dancer.

Hopefully, I have never had any problems with my mum and dad.

 

 

 

The ten tips to strengthen families

          Just like with any relationship, building a positive relationship between parent and child is one that requires work and effort to make it strong and successful. Parenting is a tough job, and maintaining close relationships and open communications helps to ensure parents and their children stay connected through all ages of their upbringing. Here are 10 simple tips for enhancing the bond between parent and child.

1. Say I love you             

 Tell your child/parent you love him every day -- no matter his age. Even on trying days or after a parent-child disagreement, when you don't exactly "like your child" at that moment, it is more important than ever to express your love. A simple "I love you" goes a long way toward developing and then strengthening a relationship.

2. Teach your faith

            Teach your child/parent about your faith and beliefs. Tell him what you believe and why. Allow time for your child to ask questions and answer them honestly. Reinforce those teachings often.

3. Establish a special name or code word

            Create a special name for your child/parent that is positive and special or a secret code word that you can use between each other. Use the name as a simple reinforcement of your love. The code word can be established to have special meaning between your child and you that only you two understand. This code word can even be used to extract a child from an uncomfortable situation (such as a sleepover that is not going well) without causing undue embarrassment to the child.

 

 

4. Develop and maintain a special bedtime ritual

            For younger children, reading a favourite bedtime book or telling stories is a ritual that will be remembered most likely throughout their life. Older children should not be neglected either. Once children start reading, have them read a page, chapter, or short book to you. Even most teenagers still enjoy the ritual of being told goodnight in a special way by a parent--even if they don't act like it!

5. Do not afraid of asking an advice

          Parents sometimes inadvertently miss out on opportunities to forge closer relationships by not allowing their child to help them with various tasks and chores. Unloading groceries after going to the store is a good example of something that children of most ages can and should assist with. Choosing which shoes look better with your dress lets a child know you value her opinion. Of course, if you ask, be prepared to accept and live with the choice made!

6. Play with your children

            The key is to really play with your children. Play with dolls, ball, make believe, checkers, sing songs, or whatever is fun and interesting. It doesn't matter what you play, just enjoy each other! Let kids see your silly side. Older kids enjoy cards, chess, computer games, while younger ones will have fun playing about anything...as long as it involves you!

7. Eat meals as a family

           You've heard this before, and it really is important! Eating together sets the stage for conversation and sharing. Turn the TV off, and don't rush through a meal. When schedules permit, really talk and enjoy one another. It can become a quality time most remembered by young and old alike.

8. Seek out one-on-one opportunities often

         Some parents have special nights or "standing dates" with their children to create that one-on-one opportunity. Whether it is a walk around the neighborhood, a special trip to a playground, or just a movie night with just the two of you, it is important to celebrate each child individually. Although it is more of a challenge the more children in a family, it is really achievable! Think creatively and the opportunities created will be ones that you remember in the future.

9. Respect their choices

            You don't have to like their mismatched shirt and shorts or love how a child has placed pictures in his room. However, it is important to respect those choices. Children reach out for independence at a young age, and parents can help to foster those decision-making skills by being supportive and even looking the other way on occasion. After all, it really is okay if a child goes to daycare with a striped green shirt and pink shorts.

10. Make them a priority in your life

            Your children need to know that you believe they are a priority in your life. Children can observe excessive stress and notice when they feel you are not paying them attention. Sometimes, part of being a parent is not worrying about the small stuff and enjoying your children. They grow up so fast, and every day is special. Take advantage of your precious time together while you have it!

 

 

 

 

 

Conclusion

             We know that we are on the way to become adults. But this way is so hard. Every young generation has more complicated problems than previous. And maybe nowadays teenagers have more problems than other generations. And this difference awakes misunderstandings with parents. Sometimes it seems that our parents are too tiresome and dull in their demands, that they are old and can`t understand us. We often quarrel with them, say rude words, but they still love us, help us face difficulties; make our life easier, brighter and happier.

          William Shakespeare showed in his play what mistakes people had made in their life, how the family was important and how it was easy to loose parents.

         Have you ever thought how many The Elder`s Houses are there in Ukraine? There are more than 50 of such ones. And there are thousands of elder people needing love and care of their children.

        I think, if there were such houses in Shakespeare`s time, King Lear would have spent the last years of his life there, because his daughters` love was a lie.  However, he died with a broken heart.

         In conclusion I`d like to say, that we should love and appreciate our parents, because they are the most important people in our life and nobody can be compared with them.

       And I`d like to present the parable about a warmth of domestic hearth:

Once The Happiness decided to go away from one family.

The Happiness said  “ I will make your dream become true for every member of the family.   What do you want?” — The Happiness asked a woman.

She answered that she had never had a fur coat of mink, and she got a fur coat. 

The Happiness asked a daughter: “What do you want?” She answered that she wanted to marry a prince and her dream became true.

The Happiness asked  the son: “And what do you  want?” — “I want a bicycle, - answered the boy” — and he received a bicycle.   

Leaving the house, The Happiness met the head of the family and asked him: “What do you want, sir?” He thought and answered, that he wanted his home would never been left warmly domestic hearth.   

And The Happiness executed the request of the head of the family  and did not go away from his family, because The Happiness always lives only there, where a domestic hearth burns!

I wish you not to loose the domestic hearth in your family.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

References

1. P. Ackroyd   `Shakespeare: The Biography`
2. A. Anikst “ The theatre of Shakespeare`s time”
3. W.Shakespeare “King Lear”
4. I. Kulagina  “Age psychology”
5. A. Rahimov “Family psychology”
6. V.Vladin “The harmony of family relations”