King Lear characters
Like her sister, the second daughter of King Lear, Regan, is distinguished by cunning and unprecedented malice. At first, Shakespeare portrays her as a very kind and pretty girl. She is polite to her father, does not argue with men and is upset when she learns of Edgar's betrayal. But her...
Cordelia, the youngest daughter of King Lear, embodies honesty and decency. She does not flatter her father, for which he condemns her to exile. But she does not cease to love and respect him. A striking manifestation of her compassion serves the tears with which she meets the news of the ruler'...
Goneril is the personification of cruelty and vindictiveness. In order to get half of the kingdom, the eldest daughter of King Lear first tries to convince him of her love, and after conceiving the cold-blooded murder of her father. The atrocities are more suited to her character, because, as...
The ruler of Britain constantly struggles with troubles. As the possessor of absolute power, he is accustomed to servility and sincerely surprised when citizens refuse to obey him. But instead of making wise decisions, he prefers to entertain himself and indulge in illusions. For Lear, there are...
After an exile of Cordelia, Fool becomes not just the king's defender, but his conscience. He, like a theater prompter, comments on all actions and conversations of the characters, suggesting the correctness about the choice they made. Although Fool is loyal to Lear, his devotion does not...
The Duke of Cornwall is described by Shakespeare as the cruel spouse of Regan. The dominant features of his character are anger, frenzy and fanatical ambition. He is prone to cunning and duplicity, which is clearly manifested in the episode with a greeting from Edmund. Cornwall decides to harbor...
The Duke of Albany is the husband of King Lear's eldest daughter, Goneril. At first, he seems like someone who’s henpecked, powerless to resist the wishes of his wife to kill her father. He is her complete opposition. The brutality and pragmatism of Albany's spouse compensate with...
Earl of Kent is a faithful and candid dignitary of King Lear. By the efforts of enemies, he is doomed to exile. But instead of meekly accepting the verdict, he becomes a different person. His mission is to be with the governor and support him. It's no wonder Kent seeks to play a role of some...
One of the dominant features of the Earl of Gloucester is his spiritual blindness, which by the end of the play turns into a physical ailment. This is very symbolic of Shakespeare's works. The old man, Gloucester, was unable to recognize falsity and flattery in Edmund's speeches, as well...
Edgar is one of those characters that evoke genuine sympathy. Due to circumstances, he is forced to flee and avoid his own father, although it is Edgar who is the only legitimate heir to Earl of Gloucester. He is distinguished by excessive honesty, childish naivety, and nobility of nature. He...
King Lear is surely a central hero of the play. Before us, the governor is avid for flattery and compliments. It is his passion for empty-headedness that causes the death of many worthy people. He rejects the honesty of younger daughter Cordelia, choosing fake instead of common sense. Lear cannot...