The tragedy of King Lear is driven by the contrasting forces of loyalty and betrayal.

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• This essay follows a chronological structure, which is inevitably an invitation to retell the story, or summarise. The author gets dangerously close to it now and then, e.g. “He does this despite their displays of affection and care, while the cunning and cruel Goneril and Regan take up more powerful positions through their use of deception.” If you’ve never tried any other approach, perhaps stay with this one if you’re close to exams, but avoid summarising as much as you can.
• It’s too short at approx 800 words. Aim for 1000.
• “his final breath wasted as Cordelia is hung” – hanged or executed by hanging.
• You may also like: Complete Guide: H1 Leaving Cert English and King Lear: Full Guide for Leaving Cert English

In William Shakespeare’s tragedy King Lear, we meet betrayal at every turn as families fall apart and old bonds break. Contrastingly, we meet characters whose loyalty is unwavering, even in the darkest of times. It is these forces which ultimately drive both the plot and the subplot, and which elevate King Lear to the world-renowned status we see today.
In Act I, Scene I “The Love Test”, Shakespeare masterfully defines the trajectory of the play as we see two major betrayals. Lear casts aside his two most loyal companions, his daughter Cordelia and Kent. Here, he disclaims all paternal care. He does this despite their displays of affection and care, while the cunning and cruel Goneril and Regan take up more powerful positions through their use of deception. From this one swift move, Lear emphasises his own unsuitability for power “the best and soundest of his times hath been but rash” and sets the scene for the plot to develop.

Similarly, in the next scene, Edmund, the illegitimate son of Gloucester, outlines his own character and develops the subplot in his emotional soliloquy. Edmund, who represents greed and ambition in the play, denounces the societal structure which has treated him so unfairly, “Why bastard? Wherefore base?”. His infuriation becomes apparent as he outlines his plans to “top the legitimate” and usurp power for himself. Edmund masterfully plays on the faults of his brother and father and turns them against one another with a simple false letter, “my practices ride easy”. The ease with which Edmund seizes power by betraying his father and brother excites him and leaves him thirsting for more. The Machiavellian morals adopted by Edmund help to progress the plot and keep it engaging and entertaining as we wonder: Will his successes continue, or will it all come crashing down?

Lear now begins to suffer the consequences of his own previous mishaps as he begs his two daughters to allow him to stay with them, far from the grandiose position of power he held earlier. Lear then gets a taste of his own medicine as he feels the sting of betrayal from his own daughters, Goneril and Regan, who turn their backs to Lear, shutting him out in the wild and ferocious storm, creating a memorable and thrilling scene. It is here that Lear begins to rage around in “Howl, howl, howl, howl!” Lear begins to show compassion for the first time, “How dost, my boy? Art cold?” – and truly understands the human condition. These scenes also mark the return of Lear’s most devoted servant, Kent, as he disguises himself just to serve, emphasizing the extent of his loyalty to Lear. Out in the storm, Kent steers Lear to the hovel, keeping him sheltered in his moments of insanity. These moments of cold-hearted duplicity and juxtaposing allegiance and devotion serve to drive the story as the play reaches its climax.

The forces of betrayal make one last pull on the plot as Edmund continues to lust for the power which is now well within his grasp. He overhears his unloving father debating the topic of Lear’s expulsion and goes back to Goneril and Regan, reporting on his supposed treachery. “That which my father loses, no less than. The younger rises when the old doth fall”. This final moment of betrayal, where Gloucester is left blind and wandering the countryside, marks a turning point as the forces of loyalty begin to exert more control over the development of the plot, but as is typical for a tragedy it is all too late, and the damage has been done.

As the loyal characters begin to make their stand we see the return of the wronged children, Edgar and Cordelia, to care for their fragile, damaged fathers. “I stumbled when I saw,” who have fallen victim to their own betrayal and disloyalty. The long war between the contrasting forces comes to conclusion as battle rages on around them. As Cordelia is reunited with Lear we see his redemption, the unbreaking allegiance from his loyal and angelic daughter Cordelia has rescued him from his state of mental disorder. Even as Edmund captures the two, Lear’s joy remains steady — “We two alone will sing like birds i’ th’ cage.” But in typical tragic fashion, Edgar’s return from exile and over-throwal of the Machiavellian Edmund comes too late; his final breath wasted as Cordelia is hung. This proves too much for the fragile Lear as he too dies.

In conclusion, the driving forces of betrayal and loyalty progress the plot through carefully crafted encounters between the main characters. It is these contrasting forces which cause the tragic events of the play.