King Lear-character analysis

We were able to see conflict between Lear and his two daughters, Gonerill and Regan, in the
scenes we read in the past week. Lear finally sees that the two daughters he trusted were just
putting up a show to get what they wanted. Shakespeare portrays Lear as a very complicated character.
Lear was a powerful ruler who did everything he wanted and got everything he wanted.
He took things for granted such as Cordelia and he wasn't able to see what what were truly precious
to him. Lear is very rash in making decisions and it seems like he has some anger management issues.
When he is offended, he doesn't know how to control his anger and acts without another thought.
Basically, he is blinded by his anger and his pride. However, his actions aren't all that strange.
For one, he is of old age and he doesn't have as much sense in him than he did before. Lear is also
a king, one who was always treated with respect and as the most highest figure of his time.
To him, it was only normal to receive all the respect from everyone including his daughters, his
closest friends, and his servants.
When he realizes that he is growing too old, he decides to divide his kingdom equally among his
three daughters. However, because he wants to feel the power and be shown the respect and love,
he asks his daughters how much they love him. The expectations he has for his three daughters
are so high and to him, it seems obvious that they would praise him with all of their hearts.
However, because of this expectation and his rash and violent personality, Lear slowly loses
his mind. All his misfortunes are the results of his expectations and his need to be respected.
One little scratch and attack from anyone was unacceptable to him. As the play progresses,
and his two daughters quickly reveal their true selves, we are able to see Lear become more and
more insane. In page 117, Lear says how he has all the reason to week and cry because
of his daughters' betrayals and how they belittle him. He is sorrowful and he acknowleges that, however
he says that he will not weep even if his heart is broken into a thousand pieces. He doesn't
want his daughters to see him break down and fall from power although it is already obvious
that he has lost everything he had; he lost the trust he had for his daughters.
Lear is a character that is slowly deteriorating because of his own actions. He is a very pitiful
character who seems like he doesn't know what he is doing. And although he tries to hold
onto his power and senses, he is blocked by age and irrational decisions. I wonder how different
everything would have been if he kept Cordelia and didn't banish her from his kingdom. How
would she have made things different for him and would she have been able to stop her sisters
from anything? It's a shame that Lear is only able to see what is right infront of him and not the whole
picture.