Welcome one and all to my new series of blogs entitled “Sunday Shakespeare”. As a drama teacher, I have worked with many students who have stated quite categorically at the start that “Shakespeare’s BORING” and “Why do we have to do this ancient stuff?“ “Nothing will come of nothing” I often thought!
I’m always quietly confident that they will soon be amazed, enthralled, and engrossed when they finally ‘get it’ and see the universal nature of the stories, the characters, and the human situations he writes about. So this series will be a little insight into some lessons from the bard that we can apply in modern life.
And hopefully, don’t with a little humour to destress on this ‘day of rest’. I hope you enjoy them.
No. 1 – “Nothing will come of nothing” – King Lear, Act 1, scene 1.
The Context
This quote is said by the title character in Act 1, scene 1. King Lear is growing old and wants to divide his kingdom between his 3 daughters, Goneril, Regan and Cordelia. However, being King in a time when most people believed in, and never challenged ‘the divine right of kings’ and having been used to getting his own way as the supreme monarch, Lear has become arrogant and narcissistic. He summons his court and asks his daughters to declare their love for him in front of the court, promising that each will receive a portion of the kingdom; the largest part going to the person who says she loves him the most.
His two eldest daughters, Goneril and Regan both flatter Lear and feign adoration of their father above everything else and are duly awarded one-third of the kingdom each. When it is Lear’s favourite daughter, Cordelia’s turn to speak, she says “Nothing” as she doesn’t want to join in with the fake flattery of her sisters. She declares that she loves Lear ‘according to her bond” which enrages Lear since he loves Cordelia the most. He retorts “Nothing will come of nothing, speak again.”
“Nothing will come of Nothing”
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When she explains, “Unhappy that I am, I cannot heave my heart into my mouth: I love your Majesty according to my bond; no more nor less,” he becomes angry and later goes on to disown and disinherit her. Luckily for Cordelia, a suiter for her hand who happens to be the King of France, renews his vow of love and they get married. However, this exchange sets off a chain a tragic events that unfold over the course of the play.
On the surface, Lear is asking his daughter to think again and flatter him with platitudes like his other daughters have. He has set aside the largest and wealthiest portion of his kingdom to give to Cordelia but he wants something in return – he wants his ego massaged and what he considers as his rightful due, to be publically pronounced. His pride and arrogance don’t allow him to see her honest declaration of love or the feigned flattery and dishonesty of his other daughters. This costs him dear.
I love the play “King Lear” but I have to say that I could argue vehemently that Cordelia is just as much to blame here as Lear himself for seeing things in very ‘black and white’ terms, and not having the emotional intelligence of maturity to see through the vanity of her father’s wishes and understanding his need for public adoration. Perhaps if she had understood that there are many shades of grey in the world, even when it comes to matters of principle, then she may have given a slightly more considered response.
The end of the play is not a happy affair but you will have to read the play to find out what happens!
So what can we learn?
At its core, this phrase means that if you don’t put in any effort, you can’t expect to see any results. It’s a reminder that nothing will happen or change if you don’t take some kind of action.
To both Lear and Cordelia, who both ended up with ‘nothing’, a little more understanding and compassion on both sides would not have gone amiss, I think.
In a broader sense, this quote encourages us to be proactive and to understand that effort and input are necessary for any desired outcome. It’s a lesson in the importance of being productive and making the most of opportunities, resources, and yes, our treasured relationships.
So, in a nutshell…
- You get out of life what you put into it – you ‘reap what you sow’ so make sure you are putting the effort in if you are expecting something out
- Don’t divide up your wealth according to what people say – trust your instinct and go with who you know them to be and their actions. After all, “Actions speak louder than words!”
And finally, a word of advice for King Lear…
If you’re going to give away all your wealth and rely on the ‘kindness of others’, maybe get a good insurance policy just in case it doesn’t work out!
Exeunt
Gail
P.S. I’d love to know what you think about this ‘lesson from the bard’. Feel free to agree, disagree or come up with your own theories and thoughts and put them in the comments below. Shakespeare had some universal themes which have lasted well beyond 400 years… let’s keep them going for another 400!
Gail, your Sunday Shakespeare series is a refreshing take on the Bard’s timeless wisdom. Your analysis of Nothing will come of nothing not only brings the tragic irony of King Lear to life but also serves as a clever reminder that genuine effort is key to meaningful outcomes. I especially enjoyed your playful advice to King Lear about getting a good insurance policy it’s a witty twist that perfectly captures the pitfalls of empty flattery. Your insightful blend of humor and critical thought makes Shakespeare accessible while encouraging us to look beyond the surface. Bravo for sparking such engaging reflections on both drama and life!
Dear Dan. Thanks for taking the time to read the short article and leave your insights. I’m glad you found it shone some light on the bard’s words. Glad you like a bit of humour too, for who, in their right mind, doesn’t need a bit of insurance when dealing with their daughters?!
Have a great day. Gail
I enjoyed this.
It is good to see how Shakespeare’s words still continue to have an effect today. I like your writing here on ‘Nothing will come of nothing’ and I think a lot of people that read this will think about their own personal growth and ambitions. It was nice to see how these lessons are still so relevant.
Do you think this idea of effort and reward is getting lost in todays world or are people losing sight of it??
I would like to know what you think about that!
Thank you and looking forward to hearing back from you.
And BTW.. you have a nice website!
Chris
Hi Chris. Thanks for taking the time to read my article and leave your kind comments. I’m glad it made you think – and on a Sunday too!
To answer your question, I think that our society sometimes presses the idea of having to strive hard to reach a reward a little too much. As a teacher, I see many students who buckle under the pressure of having to be ‘just right’ rather than accepting themselves as they are. It can cause a lot of mental health issues for many. Personally, I understand that what you put in is what you get out, but I think that those ‘things’ are often different for different people – especially creative people. These people often struggle with traditional subjects like Maths or Sciences but excel at creativity. However, they also often feel that their efforts are not good enough because they don’t meet other people’s standards. To my mind, all effort is worthwhile and you should follow your heart and dreams. That’s the only way to happiness. You might like a post I wrote on another site which is at: https://thecreativechoice.org/… which you may feel goes totally against the “nothing comes from nothing” approach. Let me know what you think.
The next Sunday Shakespeare will be about “To be, or not to be? That is the question.” I’d love you to come back and read that one too.
Happy Sunday to you. Gail