Lear's lack of self-knowledge at the beginning of the play has devastating consequences. In the first scene we see the strongest statement reflecting a lack of self-knowledge. To divide up his kingdom, with the largest portion in the center going to Cordelia, with her future husband. King Lear thinks of a sophisticated plan. He organizes a public "love contest" between his daughters and whoever claims to love him more gets the most land. Thinking that his favorite daughter Cordelia will declare that she loves him more. With this plan King Lear is trying to prevent his land from falling apart, and through this competition he thinks he will gain the public support for the plan he needs. Only the truth is irreconcilable with the needs of Lear's ego. When Cordelia does not say what Lear wants to hear, he bursts into rage with a violent oath, denying Cordelia's paternal care: “…by the sacred splendor of the sun, The mysteries of Hecat and the night; Through all the operations of the spheres from which we exist and cease to be.” Lear drives Cordelia out of his heart by referring to her as a "barbarous Scythian." His hatred surpasses the notion of equality in love, it shows a self-centered love that asks more of the other than of oneself. From Lear's actions we can see that he cannot recognize betrayal, loyalty, falsehood and truth, and no one can tell him. Here his lack of self-knowledge is the greatest in the play. The only one who can hold a mirror, telling the king the truth about his behavior is the Fool. He is allowed to express any criticism without fear of retaliation. It is actually Lear's external conscience, which tells the truth about his three daughters. The Fool has greater wisdom about the world and …… middle of paper …… has the same needs as others. He is learning about the physical and moral needs of all humanity. Lear strips naked and begins to see his status as king in a new way; “you are the thing itself; the unaccommodated man is no more than such a poor, naked, forked animal..." . He now realizes that as king he is responsible for the social welfare of the state and that his actions have a political effect. King Lear fails politically. Cordelia's refusal to participate in the test destroys King Lear's public personality. This destroys the public support that King Lear needed for the plan. In addition to this political consequence is that it destroys King Lear as King, first by becoming indignant and then by going mad and destroying his family. Works Cited King Lear