Which of you shall we say doth love us most? (1.1.47-54)

KING LEAR

Tell me, my daughters,-- Since now we will divest us both of rule, Interest of territory, cares of state,-- Which of you shall we say doth love us most? That we our largest bounty may extend Where nature doth with merit challenge. Goneril, Our eldest-born, speak first.

With the imperative “tell”, Lear addresses his daughters. There is a notable change in pronoun here however from the majestic plural “us” and “our” to “me” and “my”. This may imply intimacy but, it could well show vulnerability as well. Lear seems to need flattery from those close to him as shown by his reactions to Kent and Cordelia disagreeing with him later in this scene. The tricolon in the next to lines could reflect Lear’s expectation to give the 3 responsibilities to the 3 daughters (something that he is wrong about and therefore something that makes him seem out of touch with reality). It could also - depending on how the line is read - imply the boredom that Lear regards these responsibilities with. He next says what is perhaps the most important line in the play: “Which of you shall we say doth love us most?” Note the verb “say”, as it expresses that Lear cares more for flattery than true love; in fact, he cares so much that he’s willing to give away all of his land for it. Lear seems to see love as countable, for this reason, it is clear that he does not understand the concept. Perhaps more significantly in this scene, Lear is actively breaking the natural order and great chain of being with his love test and therefore committing a sin against God. This explains the relentless suffering inflicted upon him throughout the play. This scene shows the beginnings of King Lear as a tragic hero: his starting position is one of great power (since he’s king) and he suffers from the fatal flaws of hubris and poor judgement. The noun “bounty” is emphasised by the comparative adjective “largest” and this large emphasis on the reward of flattering. It is as if Lear knows that to get his daughters to love him, he must first provide an incentive for the love. His view of love shows how little he truly understands it: love is gained from bonds and the very act of loving, not from money or possessions as he seems to believe. He compares this “merit” with “nature”, saying that they “challenge” each other. This view is strange as it would be more commonly accepted back then to say that merit comes from one’s background; in that sense, they can’t compete because they go hand in hand. He then asks Goneril to make her declaration of love …