Goneril

Goneril, Eldest Daughter of King Lear

Goneril, King Lear's eldest daughter, is a central antagonist in the play. Her ambition and deceitfulness drive much of the tragedy that unfolds, highlighting themes of power and betrayal.

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Background and Context

Goneril is the first to declare her love for Lear in an exaggerated and insincere manner to gain a portion of his kingdom. Once in power, she quickly reveals her true nature, plotting against her father and conspiring with her sister Regan and Edmund.

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Personality Traits

Goneril is ruthless, manipulative, and power-hungry. Her willingness to betray her father and conspire against her own family members showcases her moral corruption and ambition. She is also cunning and strategic, using deceit to achieve her aims.

Goneril about Lear to Oswald: "Put on what weary negligence you please,/ You and your fellows./ I'd have it come to question./ If he distaste it, let him to my sister,/ Whose mind and mine I know in that are one,/ Not to be overruled. Idle old man/ That still would manage those authorities/ That he hath given away. Now, by my life,/ Old fools are babes again and must be used/ With checks as flatteries, when they are seen abused./ Remember what I have said."

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Internal Conflict

Her relentless pursuit of power largely drives Goneril's internal conflict. While she occasionally shows signs of frustration with her husband Albany's morality, her primary focus remains on consolidating her control and eliminating any threats to her authority.

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Relationships

Goneril's relationships are defined by manipulation and betrayal. She feigns love for Lear to gain his kingdom, then treats him with cruelty.

Lear about Goneril: "Ingratitude, thou marble-hearted fiend,/ More hideous when thou show'st thee in a child/ Than the sea-monster!"

Her alliance with Regan is pragmatic and ultimately self-serving, leading to mutual distrust. Her affair with Edmund further complicates her marriage to Albany, whom she despises for his honourable nature.

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Tragic Flaw

Goneril's tragic flaw is her insatiable ambition, which leads her to commit numerous acts of treachery. Her ruthless pursuit of power ultimately results in her downfall as her schemes unravel, leading to Regan's murder, her own suicide, and the destruction of her family.

Goneril to Regan, conspiring against Lear and Cordelia: "Let us sit together."

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