| “Which of you shall we say doth love us most?” Lear to daughters | Value of the ability to express love for someone in words. Being able to quantify love. |
| “I love you more than words can wield the matter” Goneril | Unable to express love through words, yet continues to do just that… |
| “What shall Cordelia speak? Love, and be silent.” Cordelia | She recognises her sisters are full of empty words. She decides she won’t even try to give voice to her love for her father. |
| “I am sure my love’s more ponderous than my tongue.” Cordelia | Cordelia determines that her love for Lear cannot be measured with words. |
| KING LEAR”Nothing will come of nothing. Speak again.”CORDELIA”Unhappy that I am, I cannot heaveMy heart into my mouth.” | Cordelia insists that her love for Lear is literally unspeakable. |
| KENT”Thy youngest daughter does not love thee least, nor are those empty-hearted whose low sound reverb no hollowness.”KING LEAR”Kent, on thy life, no more.” | When Kent points out that Cordelia loves Lear the most, he’s told to literally shut his mouth, end of communication. |
King Lear – Language and Communication
July 1, 2019