Pope John Paul II once said, “As the family goes, so goes the nation and so goes the whole world in which we live”. King Lear, a tragic play of the hardships between parent and child, demonstrates that without family there is no love, no hope, and no purpose. Family can cause one to act good, bad and upright foolish; it is the primary familial teaching that affects one’s behaviour in society and whether or not it is liked, both bad and good are necessary. This good within family can be initially seen in the play of King Lear when Edgar is seen caring for his father even after he betrayed him because of Edmond. Second, the bad is truly seen when King Lear’s daughters manipulate him due to their hatred toward him as a father. Lastly, good and bad are seen throughout the entire play, and in the end both contribute to King Lear’s new appreciation towards Cordelia. Clearly, without family we would not have the good and bad influences we need to survive in society.
First, Edgar returned to his father side after betrayal and pain without identifying himself to protect his father’s feelings and his pride. This is a good act for family by how it demonstrates Gloucester’s influence as a parent, and how it has turned his son into the respectful and genuine man he is. In Act 5, scene 3, Edgar says, “I asked his blessing, and from first to last told him my pilgrimage. But his flawed heart (alack, too weak the conflict to support!) ‘twixt two extremes of passion, joy and grief, burst smilingly.” (5.3.195-198). This demonstrates constructive influence from a father to his son, because the son acknowledges all his father has done for him and impacted his own life. For there to be good people, there has to be good parents.
Also, for things to be constructive there has to be some sort of destruction beforehand. Goneril and Regan despise their father for simply being old and incapable of much; just because they despise their father does not mean he did not impact their lives. Lear’s daughters would not have the motivation to do evil without the hatred of their father. Seen in Act 1, Goneril says to Regan, “He always loved our sister most, and with what poor judgement he hath now cast her off appears too grossly.” (1.1.312-315). This states the hatred Lear’s daughters have for him. This is necessary in a parent-child relationship because family is the strongest