Family Relations and the Theme of Love in William Shakespeare’s Tragedy KING LEAR

The current research study attempts to deal with the theme of love as portrayed in William Shakespeare’s tragedy King Lear. However; it is based on the assumption that real love is instinctively universal but hate is temporally personal.  The treatment of love by Shakespeare in King Lear has many shades and undercurrents. The present study tries to analyse how the daughters; Goneril, Regan and Cordelia misinterpret and exploit the genuine love of their father towards them. It also provides a scope to fix a barometer for the parental love to their children. This study is social; the data is qualitative and descriptive as well. Therefore, a careful and insightful reading has been done to have clear understanding of the role of real love in reinforcing family relationships. This study has revealed that loss of peace of mind, misery, depravity, illness and homelessness are some the consequences of unreal love, whereas rest, peace of mind, happiness occur only when real love is materialised.