THE ISSUE OF CHILDREN’S BETRAYAL AND PARENTAL RESPONSIBILITY IN SHAKESPEARE’S KING LEAR: AN ANALYSIS OF PSYCHOLOGICAL CONFLICT
Keywords:
King Lear, Shakespeare, psychological conflict, filial betrayalAbstract
This article explores the psychological conflict between children’s betrayal and parental responsibility in William Shakespeare’s King Lear. The play presents the tragic relationship between King Lear and his daughters, showing how pride, misunderstanding, and poor judgment can destroy family relationships [1, 2]. Using qualitative literary analysis, the study examines the psychological development of the main characters and the conflicts that shape the tragedy. The findings suggest that Lear’s downfall is caused not only by the betrayal of Goneril and Regan but also by his own mistakes as a father [3, 4]. His vanity, emotional blindness, and inability to recognize genuine love contribute to the tragic outcome. The analysis also shows that psychological conflict drives the characters’ actions, leading to suffering, self-discovery, madness, and ultimately death [2, 3]. Shakespeare highlights the importance of both parental responsibility and children’s loyalty in maintaining healthy family relationships [5].
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