Abstract: Metaphor studies experienced a transition from rhetoric study to cognition study. Cognitive linguistics studies metaphor at conceptual level, and cognitive poetics introduces it into literary studies to analyze text meanings and themes. The function of metaphor is not only embodied at linguistic level but also in narrative understandings. An important tool for comprehending literary text,conceptual metaphor theory is the fundamental mechanism of narrative empathy and mindreading, providing a useful method for literary analysis. Story worlds are connected with the real world through metaphor,and the same source story helps to the understanding of many target stories.King Lear contains many conceptual metaphors originated from "balance" schema and "link" schema, among which the conceptual metaphor "LOVE IS INVESTMENT" is central and most important. Fathers regarded their children as private properties,and their love for children as investment. Such wrong ideas are responsible for the tragedies in King Lear. Conceptual metaphor theory can reveal the cognitive roots of the conflicts between the fathers and children, and highlight the thematic connotations and meanings of the tragedy.

Key words: conceptual metaphor, cognition, narration, King Lear, cognitive poetics