Wobbles-

Monday, April 02, 2007

9:13 PM

Have you ever read the famous Shakespearean work “King Lear”? Well, if you haven’t, I’ve just read the Chinese graphic novel version. It’s so beautiful, a definite must-read. And since I’ve nothing much to reveal about my adventures recently for the whole world to see, let me tell you the tale of King Lear of Britain and his three daughters, for the sake of the entry and a beautiful story to pass time with and learn from.

Of course, this version is about how Luanie understands it. And just to add, because the original story is so freaking long, I’m just going to try and isolate the part of Princess Claudia and the King of France from the whole story into this entry. Enjoy. [Oh and please take note that this story is one of the five big tragedies, work of Shakespeare]

Princess Claudia and the King of France
Adapted from the Shakespeare work “King Lear”
Retrieved from a Chinese graphic novel adaptation of King Lear
Fiction
“The thing that I regret most whilst living is to not have said I love you.”

Introduction:
Very very long ago, the King of Britain, King Lear, had three daughters who were famous for their looks all over the region. The whole story started from this statement: “Tell me, my dear daughters, amongst the three of you, who do love me the most?”

The eldest sister was nicknamed ‘the poisonous golden snake’.
The second daughter was nicknamed ‘the enchanting’.

And the youngest and the antagonist of this tale, is Princess Claudia.
Princess Claudia was as kind as her beauty, and was a bachelor-ette courted by the Duke of Burgundy and the king of France.

Both her older sisters were married.
Princess Gloria [I think] ‘the poisonous golden snake’ was married to Lord Elbony.
Princess Meagan [I think again because the direct translation sounded something like that] was married to Lord Kelvin.

The King was 80 years old and thought t was about time for him to retire from his throne and enjoy his golden years. He had decided that he would divide Britain equally amongst his three beloved daughters but he had a big problem of choosing a suitable husband for his youngest and most beloved daughter, Claudia.

The story begins when King Lear had prepared a very grand banquet for all of his guests.

Lord Ken and Lord Alost were in a corner of the banquet discussing about the speech King Lear was going to make today about the distribution of his assets when Lord Elbony joined in the small ‘talk’.

Lord Alost; Oh welcomes to the Lord of Elbony!
Lord Elbony; What were you folks discussing about?
Lord Ken; Nothing much. Where’s your wife?
Lord Elbony; There she is, with her sister Princess Meagan.

[Attention turns to the Princesses]

Princess Gloria; Hahahahahahaha!!!
Princess Meagan; Sister, god knows how long you’ve waited for this day!
Princess Gloria; Yes! My beloved sister Meagan. Once the night is past, all the land and wealth of Father shall be ours to own! That lone old man hast lived too long, my dear sister Meagan!
Princess Meagan; [taps onto her sister’s shoulder] Look over there!
Princess Gloria; Hmm… What is it?
Lord Alost; Ah! My son Edmund is here. Your highnesses, surely have thee never seen my son before?
Sir Edmund; [walks away from the lot of girls surrounding him] My dear Father.

*At this juncture, I must mention that Edmund is the stepson of Lord Alcost. He cannot be a royalty because of this. However because Edmund is handsome and intelligent, he thus, is the darling of all the ladies in the upper class society.

So as they were chatting away at one corner, Sir Edmund’s attention was lured away by the mention of Princess Claudia’s arrival.

[The other bystanders at the banquet]
“Ah! It’s Princess Claudia!”
“She’s like a fairy to earth!”
“And the precious of His majesty!’
‘Princess Claudia!’
[So our antagonist appears in the scene looking gorgeous, followed around by the duke of Burgundy]

Princess Meagan; Humph! Praising her like that would only make her more and more haughty!
Princess Gloria; if she wasn’t the Princess of Britain, by her looks, which man would turn to give her another glance? And Lord Burgundy is only eyeing for the riches she is going to inherit after tonight!
Princess Meagan; And I believe this is also the case for that thinks-he’s-noble King of France.

[Outside the castle]
Princess Claudia; my father is already so stricken with age, and yet he has to govern the country. It hurts my heart to see him so. If anyone asks about how much I love my father, how should I answer?
King of France [from the back]; what a filial daughter. Your heart is as beautiful as your beauty.
Princess Claudia; Your Highness…
King of France; the people of France are all praising the youngest daughter of King Lear!
Princess Claudia; what intention do you have, your highness, by leaving the banquet and coming here?
King of France; It is, of course, to catch a glimpse of you, my dear Princess Claudia. Do you know how stunning you looking under the sun, my dear Claudia?
Princess Claudia; Your Highness, are you serious? Even if I had nothing to my name, would you still marry me? If I had no inheritance of the land in Britain, and nothing as dowry, would you still care for me as now?
King of France; for this, if my wife was the Queen of Britain, that would surely be a good thing.
Princess Claudia; You wish me to be queen? Your highness, then you are indeed no different from that sinister Duke of Burgundy.

[The King of Britain arrives]

King Lear; Haha! Come forth, my beloved daughters and son-in-laws. Come forth my loyal subjects. I’m going to announce a very important decision. Listen carefully. From now on, I shall divide the Great Britain into three portions, divided amongst my most beloved daughters. But before this, tell me, my dear daughters, amongst the three of you, who do love me the most?

And so, being the eldest, Gloria, you shall start first. And please remember that the most filial shall receive the most.

Princess Gloria; my dearest father, my love for you cannot be said in words. I love you more than my eyes, my property, and my freedom. The love I have for you cannot be measured.
King Lear; ha-ha! Gloria, a third of the Land in Great Britain is now yours! How about you, my beloved Meagan?
Princess Meagan; My love for you is as what my sister Gloria has said. No, in fact far more. Because I only know that loving you, my father, is my only happiness, and this happiness is way over what all other senses can allow me to feel!
King Lear; Haha! And the land is now yours, my dear Meagan! It is such joy having you as my daughters! And so, my beautiful Claudia, I have reserved the best land for you, let us now hear of your love for me.
Princess Claudia; [Now what should I say? Must I speak like my sisters? I don’t want to become like them.] Father, the love I have for you is not just a facade. I love you as a daughter should, no more, no less.

[Shocked silence]

King Lear; What did you say? My dear Claudia, how could such un-filial words be from your lips? I shall give you another chance, my dear Claudia, or else it would be to your regret!

[Great tension in the banquet hall]

Princess Claudia; I’m unable to exaggerate my love for you like my sisters. If my sisters really love you the way they have said, they would not have abandoned you and have gotten married. I love you as a daughter should. If I should be married in the future, I would half my love for you to my husband. Just like how you have loved and raised me, Father, I would do my best to serve, love and respect you.
King Lear; You! This ungrateful wretch! Is that how a daughter should speak to her father? If I sever ties with you, then you shall me worthless in my eyes!
Princess Claudia; But father! I am speaking honestly from the bottom of my heart!
King Lear; Shut up! You are no longer my daughter! The land that I have reserved for you shall be now evenly distributed to your sisters! [The old king Lear was no longer able to differentiate between right and wrong]
Lord Ken; Your Highness, Princess Claudia she…
King Lear; I do not wish to hear, Lord Ken! Listen here, I shall now evenly distribute my land and the throne to my two daughters! I keep only the title of the king. Other than this, I am going to sever ties with that haughty Princess Claudia and leave nothing for her!

Two older sisters; sneering away.
Lord Elbony; [Aiyoh, that crazy Claudia…]
Lord Klevin; [Hmm… Nice show coming up. Interesting…]
King of France; [Alamak. (massages head) That girl… =Thinks hard=]
Sir Edmund; [Some show. Sad case. (crosses his hands) Now we shall see how things go…]

King Lear; And I will bring a hundred knights with me to alternate my stay with my two daughters.
Lord Ken; Your highness, please retrieve your order. The way that you have distributed your land is very hasty! Princess Claudia just does not know how to use honeyed words to suck up to your majesty! If there is anything wrong with my judgment, please take my life, but before this, please open your eyes and see clearly, your majesty. Retrieve your order, and reconsider your options!
King Lear; You call my hasty? You tell me to open my eyes! This unreasonable betrayer! How dare you speak of me thus!
Lord ken; But your highness! Princess Claudia just…
King Lear; Shut up! You this betrayer! [The King lost his senses]
The joker; Your highness…
King Lear; I give you five days to move! If you are still in Britain by the dawn of the sixth day I will have you executed on the spot!
Lord Ken; … If this is so, then take care, my king. [bows]
Lord Ken; I’m no longer able to protect you, Princess…
Princess Claudia; Lord Ken…
Lord Ken; And to my two Princesses, I do hope you are able to keep your word, and do your utmost duty to serve his majesty.
Gloria and Meagan; Hmph!

And so Lord Ken leaves in everyone’s regret. But even so, the Princess who does not know her own future was relatively calm.

King Lear; Here stands that un-filial daughter of mine. I shall leave nothing for her but my rage. If anyone of you here wishes to take her, please do, and then please bring her out of my sight!
Duke of Burgundy? Are you still willing to marry her?

The Duke; Princess Claudia, I am regretful that you have lost your father, but I am afraid you shall lose a fiancé too. [because he was after her assets]

King of France [from behind again =_=;]; If this is so, then let her marry me, your majesty.

[In shock, Princess Claudia turns around…]

King of France; Oh my beautiful Claudia, because you are now penniless, it boldens your riches, because you are abandoned, it shows that you are precious, because you are looked-down upon, you win my love. King Lear! I am willing to marry your abandoned daughter!
King Lear; Oh great King of France, on account of our relationship, I am truly unwilling to marry that daughter who burdens my rage to you. Find a better bride, dear king.
King of France; strangely, dear king Lear, it is this Princess who captures my heart so. [laughs]
[To Princess Claudia] O beautiful Princess Claudia, You are as beautiful in your heart as your looks. I am not worthy to have you as my bride, but will you marry me?
Princess Claudia; Your highness…
King of France; Then from now on, you are my bride and the queen of France.
King Lear; If you really do want her, then she is yours. Bring her out of my sight quickly!
King of France; Claudia, bid farewell to your merciless sisters and kingdom!
Princess Claudia; Father…

So Princess Claudia bids farewell to her homeland, but before she left, she begged her sisters to take good care of their father, however they were quite cold to her pleas.

Princess Meagan; We don’t need you to tell us what to do, Claudia!
Princess Gloria; Yes! And stop preaching, just serve your husband well and mind your own business!

However, Princess Claudia was very clear of the treachery her sisters had. But, worried as she was about her father, she could only carry a heavy heart and leave Britain for good. The people of the banquet were happy for the happiness that Princess Claudia had found although she was kicked out of her Kingdom, but feared that the King would be furious and kept their bubbling down. Only one man, and only him, was not happy for Princess Claudia. And he is Sir Edmund.

He was a very ambitious man. He had always wanted to marry his majesty’s beloved Princess Claudia and be the king of Britain but because he was a stepson he could not inherit the title of ‘lord’ from his father. He also had a brother, Edgar, who was the son of his father and his original wife and was one year older than him, coming of age to receive his title.

His brother was practicing sparring in their courtyard.

Sir Edgar; Edmund!
Sir Edmund; Its finally peace to the world, brother Edgar.
Sir Edgar; haha!
Sir Edmund; Our country just had a big shuffle, how could you have been able to stay here and practice sparring?
Sir Edgar; Its not like you don’t know that I have no interest in politics, my dear brother. Let us practice sparring together! [Throws over a sword]
[Fight… Fight… Fight… The sharp edge of Edmund’s sword was at his brother’s neck and Edmund seriously looked like he was about to kill his brother]
Sir Edgar; Haha! Edmund, your skills have improved!

If without his brother and his father, Edmund would be able to inherit the title and the riches, and so he thought up of a conspiracy… But on the other hand, a storm was approaching Britain swiftly and silently.

And the story gets confusing from now on so I shall just briefly summarize it.

In short, according to his will, he moved to Princess Gloria’s castle but in her care he lived worse than a servant. In exasperation he sent a messenger to inform Princess Meagan of his not-so-well-being and hoped that Princess Meagan would help him but instead she threw her father’s messenger into the dungeon. The both started making requests like to shrink his knights from a hundred to fifty, than from fifty to twenty-five, then to none. In the end King Lear realized how he had been fooled by his daughters and wandered off into the wilderness in exasperation.

At this juncture, Princess Claudia in France woke up in shock for she had been dreaming about her father wandering in the wilderness. She was most troubled to have such a dream.

[Castle in France]
Princess Claudia; Father! [Wakes up in shock]
[Realized she was in her bedroom with her husband beside her]
Princess Claudia; Oh… So it was a dream…
King of France; Did you have nightmares about your father again?
Princess Claudia; Your Highness… I dreamt that my father was wandering alone in a very cold and deserted place.
King of France; Thank goodness it was only nothing but a dream. Don’t worry too much, my love, he should be very safe and sound.
(Hug each other to sleep. Awww…)

[Next day]
King of France; It has been less than one month and they are already revealing their true colors… *Sigh* It is indeed to be worried about. So it seems like it is time for me to do something about this! [Tells servant] In the name of the Queen of France, write a letter to King Lear’s loyal subjects and shape up the army. I am going to find Claudia’s most beloved father for her, and do my best to get rid of those two women. [Looks faraway at Princess Claudia in the garden]

Sir Edmund betrays France by telling the contents of the letter to the two Princesses, and was made a duke. He also seduced the two Princesses and gave them each a vow of his love. Lord Elbony started to realize that his wife was the mastermind of it all and cursed her. The Alost family [other than Edmund] were surrounded after Edmund’s betrayal and Lord Alost was murdered by Lord Kelvin, and so Edgar, to avenge his father, killed Lord Kelvin, who was as evil as his wife, Meagan. King Lear went mad after wandering long in the wilderness and so Claudia, seeing this, decided to return to Britain to help her father.

[Back to France]

King of France; I do not wish that you go back to Britain alone.
Claudia; I know you are worried, but I’m insistent and so please do not stop me. My father is exiled into the wilderness. Being his child, how could I ever let the job of rescuing my father rest on someone else?
King of France; You must promise me you will come back swiftly, safe and sound.
Claudia; I promise you, my majesty.

Now looking back, I’ve suddenly realized that I’ve never told you that I love you. If I do return safely, I must convey my heartfelt thoughts to you…

My dearest protector, do you know… how much I love you?

And so, Claudia left for England as the Queen of France. Claudia nursed her father back to health and her father was glad to see her. However, war started between the two countries. In the midst of the war, the King of France realized there was something wrong and immediately sent more troops and got himself to the battlefield to save his queen. However he was too late. Claudia and her father were held as captives in Britain.

So, as Edmund was flirting with now Queen Meagan, they were seen by now Queen Gloria kissing each other. Meagan had planned to seduce Edmund to replace her now dead husband Lord Kelvin but Gloria wanted him for her own.

So, whilst celebrating the success of their troops, Gloria offered her sister a cup of poisoned wine and said that she would wish the best for Edmund and her marriage.

However, Lord Elbony who was fighting in the war came back in time to expose Gloria of her treachery of trying to murder him so that she may be able to marry Edmund instead.

Of course Meagan was shocked to discover all this but she fell dead of the poison before she could curse her sister. [sad case]

Meanwhile whilst all this was happening, Edmund went to visit the captured Princess and was trying to persuade her to divorce that King of France for he thought that she had entered a forced marriage and would be more than willing to divorce that husband. What was more was that he had actually fallen for her since the banquet.

However what he did not expect was Claudia would really fall for the king of France. She refused his offer to free her and release her father from that dinghy cell in exchange for her heart and forsaking her place as the queen of France.

She refused.
He was a noble
But she did not want him

He loved her
But she had fallen for another

He could free her father
But she’d rather not betray herself

And so, he strangled her to death.
His theory was, what he couldn’t get he would not allow others to own.
Especially if the other party who would own his beloved Princess Claudia is a royalty.

As she was strangled, she called out to her love.

Your majesty!
Your highness…
Can you hear me?
If only…
If only… I knew it would end like this…
I should have told you.
This sentence buried in my heart…
That is…
I love you.

And so, at the other end, the king dropped the glass he was drinking from and gave orders to enter Britain immediately.

For…
He felt his heart break.

Edmund, on the other hand swaggered out of the cell in which laid the dead Princess and was led to the main hall where he was challenged by a masked stranger.

He accepted the challenge of a duel and so he was killed.
By his own brother.
Whom Edmund unmasked before he died.
But from the beginning of his treachery to the end, he never got what he wanted. Princess Claudia.
Seeing her lover die, Gloria came to realize that she could not forgive herself for what she had done either, so she drew the sword out from her husband Lord Elbony, who was very disappointed in her, and committed suicide.

King Lear, who was then released, saw his daughters dead on the floor, screamed his lungs out and died of grief. The King of France, who entered after all these, held Princess Claudia tenderly in his arms with tears in his eyes and left Britain forever.

Lord Elbony became King Elbony, destined to own Britain for the rest of his life.

And so, this story, which started with King Lear and his three daughters, dragged everyone else around them down, and faded into eternal time.

~END~

[wobbles]