William Shakespeare 's ' The Bastard Of Gloucester ' Essay

Goneril shares her inheritance of half the kingdom with her husband Albany. But, the relationship between Goneril and Albany is weak, crumbling, distrustful, and full of hate. Goneril and Albany often have different opinions, which leads to quarrels. Moreover, Goneril seems to overpower Albany, having more authority and control over the servants and the kingdom. Disinterested in Albany’s love, Goneril pursues a younger and more attractive gentleman Edmund. In a letter written to Edmund from Goneril, it says: “‘Let our reciprocal vows be remembered. / You have many opportunities to cut him off: if your / will want not, time and place will be fruitfully offered” (114), which is intercepted by Edgar and delivered wrongfully to Albany. Goneril wants Edmund to kill her husband, so that they can be together. Goneril tells the truth to Edmund, and it backfires as Albany finds out about her affair and

The power that Lear gives to Goneril and Regan makes them treacherous and deceitful. Lear offers his

He also tells Edgar that Cornwall is not pleased with him over a dispute between Albany and Cornwall that Edgar knows nothing about. He then urges Edgar to flee just before he lies to Gloucester about Edgar’s intent. Gloucester, believing Edmund’s lies condemns Edgar to death and promises Edmund his lordship. Edmund, having disposed of his brother and securing his eventual reward sees an opportunity to acquire his land and status a little more swiftly. When Gloucester flees to help Lear he entrusts Edmund with ensuring Cornwall does not discover Gloucester’s plans and the location of letter regarding an imminent French invasion. Edmund immediately betrays his father and shows Cornwall the letter, making him believe Gloucester is working for the French. Gloucester is soon after discovered and brought before Cornwall and Reagan. While Gloucester is being blinded by Cornwall, Edmund is busy courting Goneril outside of her palace. Edmund decides to double his chances of becoming King by courting Reagan as well. Edmund’s final act of treachery occurs when he gives orders to the Captain to hang Lear and Cordelia. He lies even in his dying breath as he stalls in order to ensure the death of Cordelia: “Despite of mine own nature. Quickly send-/ Be brief in it - to th’ castle, for my writ/ Is on the life of Lear, and on Cordelia./ Nay, send in time.” (Shakespeare 5.3.292-295) Edmund’s actions led

In this soliloquy, the audience gets its first glimpse of the character of Goneril. The full spectrum of her greed and selfishness will not be revealed until later, but this is certainly a good sample of her personality. Her profession of love is so large that it seems almost artificial, and it also seems motivated by the fact that possession of land is involved. Still, Lear seems immensely pleased by her statement, and requests a similar profession of love from his other daughter, Regan. She obliges, and in her declaration she tells her father that she loves him even more than Goneril does. Regan emerges from her

     Shakespeare uses subplots to dramatize the action of the play and give spark on the contrast for the themes in King Lear. Sub plots usually improve the effect of dramatic irony and suspense. The latter, which is used in King Lear, gives us the understanding of the emotions of the characters in the play. This follows the parallelism between Gloucester and King Lear.

Upon hearing this, Edmund presents himself as sympathetic and supportive towards Gloucester. After his father leaves, Edmund reveals to the reader his true intentions of betraying his father and taking his title. This abrupt transformation of attitude and objective is part of the theme of “Appearance vs Reality.” Although he appears to be loyal and innocent to Gloucester, the reality is that he is planning to overthrow Gloucester and is apathetic towards his

Friar Laurence plays a most intriguing role in Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet. He is a priest, and a friend to Romeo. With the absence of Montague parental scenes, Friar Laurence also becomes like a surrogate father to Romeo. Romeo seeks him out to marry him and Juliet, obviously assuming that the friar would without parental permission. The friar greets him and addresses Romeo's past love. He even tells Romeo that he mistook what he felt for Rosaline as love when it was not, and therefore not be too haste, " They stumble that run fast" (2.2.94). Therefore, not only has Romeo discussed matters of the heart with the friar, but also the friar himself feels in the position to be able to

Edmund is disloyal to his father as well just so he can move up in ranks. Gloucester's decides he needs to change the table around as the evil has prevailed throughout the story and it starts with Gloucester's action to disobey Duke of Cornwall. Edmund takes advantage of the even and schemes his way to

In the story King Lear by William Shakespeare, Regan is mean to her father and treats him like he is nothing to her. Her father asks them to tell him how much they love him and Regan tells her father that’s she loves him so much and things and he gives her half of the land and so after he does that Goneril tells him then his last daughter ,Cordelia, goes and say, well dad I love you and will always love you but king Lear dint want to hear that he wanted to hear more than that because she is always telling him how much she loves him so he gets mad and tell her to leave the city. So Regan and her sister has more land and the king now wants to live 30 days with both of his daughters.

The second contention for Goneril's wickedness stems from her ordering Oswald, a steward, to snub Lear's men, and from her extreme exaggeration of the men's supposedly decadent antics. This argument, however, does not take into account the sentiments of Goneril as a married woman, a lady of the house. In saying, "if he dislike it, let him to our sister," she reveals her intent to use negligent servants as a modus operandus for getting Lear out of her castle and on the road to that of Regan (1.3, 14). The mere act of begrudging a former king some of the luxury surrounding his previous position hardly seems

Within the first act of the play, it is shown that both Gloucester and King Lear are ignorant to their children’s true character. First, when King Lear is determining the division of his kingdom, he only hears the surface of what Reagan and Goneril are saying. Although they claim to love him “beyond what can be valued,” (1.1.57) it is becomes obvious that these are just words, rather than truths. In a similar fashion, Gloucester is quick to believe the words of Edmund. Edmund claims to have found a letter from his brother Edgar plotting to kill their father. Just as King Lear was manipulated by his daughters, Gloucester falls for Edmund’s trap. Gloucester banishes Edgar on the spot and now it under Edmund’s thumb. While Gloucester turns against his eldest son, King Lear turn against his youngest daughter Cordelia. She is banished as well, similarly to Edgar, for being honest with her father. She tells him that she only loves him “according to [her] bond,” (1.1.93) Both characters

In these situations, the cast confronts instances of betrayal and eventually self-growth. The story initiates with King Lear’s urgency for flattery, which drives him to commit a decision that instigated the power-hungry course of his daughters. The betrayal of Goneril and Regan caused Lear to separate from his man-made principles and praise those of nature. Besides the change in Lear, the audience also observed Gloucester’s position concerning the legitimacy of his two sons. Societal views were a detriment regarding the rights of illegitimate children, like Edmund. Seeing his brother Edgar conquer all his father’s treasures, Edmund left his praise of nature behind and instead exploited the reliance of status and relationships in his royal family to overcome the laws of society, forming a great deception against his own family.

The remainders of Act I and Act II in Eyre’s film focus on the conflict between Lear and his two daughters, Goneril and Regan. Goneril and Regan begin looking down on their father and take away more of his privileges every chance that they get. They reduce Lear’s hundred knights down to fifty. Goneril and Regan’s tone of voice when arguing with Lear about reducing his number of knights down is vehement. Goneril complains about how the palace seems more like a tavern because of Lear’s knights’ demeanor, her voice quivers slightly, making it seem like she doesn’t want to have to argue with her father, in the play this change of tone is absent. This suggests that although Goneril cares more about the way others see her and material objects than the safety of her father. Both Shakespeare and Eyre emphasize the consequences of Lear’s choice to give up his power and give it to his two eldest daughters, Regan and Goneril.

Goneril tells Lear that he needs a smaller troop, more decorous in behavior and better suited to the king’s rank and age. The king is very angry and says he will pack up his people and move to Regan’s palace. Lear’s anger continues to build, and he calls upon nature to curse Goneril’s womb. In response, Goneril turns out 50 of Lear’s retinue. As the subplot develops, Edmund wounds himself slightly, pretending that Edgar has attacked him. Certain that Edgar will also try to kill him, Gloucester promises to find the means to make Edmund his heir. After his escape into the woods, Edgar decides that he will disguise himself as a Bedlam beggar, who will be known as Poor Tom. Meanwhile, Cornwall orders an impassioned Kent placed in the stocks. Lear arrives and quickly realizes that Regan has joined Goneril in seeking to reduce Lear’s authority. Lear reminds his daughters that he gave them all that they now enjoy, but they are unmoved. An angry Lear calls for his horse, and rides into the storm with his Fool for protection. Exposed to the storm, the Fool attempts to reason with his king, but Lear will have no part of submission, especially before his daughters. Soon the king and Fool are joined by Edgar disguised as Poor Tom. Gloucester tells Edmund of the plot to save the king, unaware that he is divulging the plans to a traitor. Edmund immediately resolves to tell Cornwall of the plan. Edmund soon receives his reward: Gloucester’s title and lands. The captured

In sum, Goneril believes Albany is a coward. This is arguably another demonstration of King Lear’s daughter being dominant. Furthermore, Goneril says "I must change names at home, and give the distaff / Into my husband's hands" (4.2.16-17). This quote is Goneril expressing her desire to become the head of her household while her husband plays a more caretaking role, such as a housewife. This dynamic was uncommon in the seventeenth century. It was traditional for the man to be in charge and for the woman to be a housewife. Despite already being the one with power, Shakespeare illustrates Goneril’s deviousness by having her sharing this information with Edmund. Goneril has always been more powerful than her husband, but by disclosing her feelings about Albany to Edmund, she believes this will seduce Edmund. (Kelly,