Dear daughter, I confess that I am old.
Age is unnecessary. On my knees I beg
That you’ll vouchsafe me raiment, bed, and food.
– William Shakespeare
King Lear, Act 2, Scene 4. Lear responds to Regan on his knees, after she accuses her father of failing to see that he is an old man. He begs her to grant him the basics of clothes, bed and food. Lear’s words said while on his knees confirm his dramatic descent and the fall from power of a once mighty king. This exchange also speaks to the generational conflict between parent and children, when an old man like Lear is regarded as a nuisance by his children. It raises issues of ageism and the care, treatment and usefulness of older people. Lear’s words said while on his knees also confirm the dramatic fall from power of a once mighty king.