The Truth and Nothing but the Truth

I feel that many people think harshly of Cordelia in Shakespeare's King Lear. Many judge her because she would not tell her father that she loved him more than her two sisters. Why would she give up a share of what was rightfully hers? How dare she disrespect the king? For me, however, I admire her. She did what most would not have had the courage to do. When the king asked Goneril and Regan to express their love for him, they responded with lavish answers. Whether they were telling the truth or not is not for me to decide, although I already have my own pre-conceptions. However, when Lear asked Cordelia, her response was simply, "Nothing, lord." Cordelia could have easily made up an appeasing story, just like her sisters. However, she spoke the truth. She would rather lose than to be dishonest. I believe that this scenario can relate to our modern lives. Often times, people will tell us exactly what we want to hear. These individuals should not be considered a true friend. A good person is going to tell you the truth, regardless of whether or not it will hurt your feelings. Cordelia was not afraird of hurting her father's feelings. She spoke the truth, even though she knew what the ultimate outcome would be. Regan and Goneril told the king exactly what he wanted to hear. In the end, honesty truly is the best policy.