Regan and Goneril in “King Lear” by Shakespeare

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Regan and Goneril are portrayed with various defiant actions against the inequalities occurring in the contemporary society of the male-dominated world. It is an aspect that makes them be argued as relentless and formidable unfaltering women. These women are known to have great contempt for establishing the epitome of femininity and fertility embodied by Cordelia, who is killed. Indeed, it can be stated that the systematic oppressions produce these elements in the patriarchal society.

Some aspects confront the contextual and traditional ideas of the Jacobean, ideal and quintessential female. However, their actions are known to respond directly to exploitation, limitless and ingratitude incompetence of male counterparts and figures, both spousal and paternal. This article describes (with support) how Goneril and Regan show an inexhaustible will to commit atrocities and manipulation.

The sisters (Regan and Goneril) apply different strategies to pursue power and ensure that they live significantly in the patriarchal society. The strategies that these women employ play a vital role in concreting their positions as both relentless and strong women. Unlike them, the other women in the society are not only submissive but also silent. Indeed, Regan and Goneril are displayed as women who are defiant to the traditional submissiveness expected from them.

The female archetype is described as an element of the oppression (systematic) in the patriarchal community that supports oppression and neglect. The archetypal confrontation in this society is not only vital but also a necessity for survival. Indeed, Regan and Goneril show and pose active defiance from the paradigm of the culture, which should reflect an ideal woman. Indeed, this element is early established within the self-indulgence character of King Lear of “love test (Serpieri 13).” In this case, each of the daughters shows their manipulative capacity and boasts about their love (disingenuous) while trying to pursue power.

Goneril and Regan are cunning and wit, enhanced and demonstrated with astronomical imagery of space and eyesight. Quoting, “Sir, I love you more than word can wield the matter, Dearer than eyesight, space, and liberty; Beyond what can be valued rich or rare, No less than life, with grace, health, beauty, honor (Harkins 9).” More importantly, this quote also illustrates the apparent love (boundless) for the father. It is an element emphasized further with the alliterative expressions utilized repetitively in the text. Quoting, “word can wield,” “less than life,” “rich or rare.” This aspect draws the wealthy, affluent, and natural connotative visual imagery.

It is an aspect that contrasts with the fulfilled archetype of Cordelia, who is represented as a sublimated woman who is gauche and ineloquent in speech. Notably, her blind honest submission to King Lear and the norms of the society force her not only to death but also through imprisonment and exile.

Goneril is a woman who goes against the contextual Jacobean ideas and expectations of fidelity, faithfulness, and purity. This aspect is shown through her assertion to the sexually provocatively suggestive advances of manipulation towards Edmond. Quoting, “Wear this; spare speech. Decline your head. Then kiss, if it durst speaks, Would stretch thy spirits up into the air (Serpieri 32).” Indeed, this quote implicates that there is the repeated use of long, drawn-out and soft sibilant “s” sounds in the phrases “stretch they spirits,” “durst speak,” “kiss,” and “spare speech.” These phrases play a vital role in evoking sexually and femininely charged behavior that the Jacobean society demonizes. In this society, such display of lust and affection is taboo, and that is why it should be shunned with immediate effect. Goneril’s will to defy the social expectations demanded from her community exemplifies her strength as a woman who is manipulative and resilient when it comes to survival.

Regan’s and Goneril’s behaviors and actions stem from the incompetence and neglect of the male figures (masculinity) within their family. It is shown that their lives do not indicate their spousal or paternal support or fostering. For instance, Goneril goes on and implicates that her father is absent of any parental or divine wisdom when she states that his father is “old and reverend.” Quoting, Goneril states, “I do beseech you To understand my purposes aright: As you are old and reverend, should be wise (Harkins 23).”

These words implicate possessiveness in the language used with the terms within “my” and “you,” along with the imagery (visual) of reverend and old. The words play an essential role in exemplifying Regan’s and Goneril’s contempt of their dad. More importantly, the words “I would you would make use of your good wisdom, Whereof I know you are fraught,” also implicate her humor and sarcasm of being wisdom furnished (Harkins, 11). It is an element that indicates how her father is incompetent and also negligent to her duties both as a caring paternal father and as a king.

Regan’s and Goneril’s pursuit to ensure that they advance to the high rungs which the males dominate is an aspect that makes them go against the social order hierarchy. However, this aspect is problematic for them to achieve because it is more expensive in terms of the repercussions, rejections, and opposition they face. As a result, their capacity of mutilation, murder, and manipulation is exercised to a further extend, which is atrocious, quoting, “Pluck out his poor old eyes, nor thy fierce sister In his anointed flesh stick boarish fangs (Wahidah 17).” These words indicate the alarming scene where Gloucester’s eyes are being mutilated.

It is a situation displayed with contrast in old and poor, with boarish and fierce fangs. The situation escalates the scene of malicious and brutal punishment. In this case, the will of Goneril is to propel and excel into the upper echelons of the ruling. It is something that she intents and does with excess force and brutality and the extend of murder. Goneril’s actions ends up transforming herself into a monster.

In general, both Regan and Goneril present themselves as figures of pure defiance of female aspects into the social order of their patriarchal Jacobean society. As a result, they end up being and doing things that ensure that they go against the moral compass which should define women. More importantly, they sacrifice their morals as a way of finding their survival means. It is an aspect that makes them sometimes murder their servants with a sword.

These actions, amongst others, play a vital role in indicating their complete departure from gentle feminine qualities. They all use the possible means to ensure that they become an icon of masculinity with all means, even if it means using brutal ways of grasping power and being heard, such as mutilation and murder. Although the two sisters fight patriarchy relentlessly, they end up dying at the end unjustly, just like Cordelia. Due to Regan and Goneril, male chauvinism should be fought with all means because society is supposed to perceive both men and women with equal measures.

Works Cited

Serpieri, Alessandro. The Breakdown of Medieval Hierarchy in King Lear. De Gruyter Mouton, 2019.

Halpern, Richard. “WILLIAM SHAKESPEARE’S KING LEAR.” Theatre Journal 72.1 (2020): 81-85.

Harkins, Matthew. “The Politics of Old Age in Shakespeare’s King Lear.” Journal for Early Modern Cultural Studies 18.1 (2018): 1-28.

Wahidah, Nurul. “The Love and Fool Tragedy in “King Lear” Drama by William Shakespeare.” TAMUMATRA: Jurnal Seni Pertunjukkan 1.1 (2018).

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Regan and Goneril in “King Lear” by Shakespeare

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