King Lear Act 1 Daughters

When King Lear is dividing the kingdom among his three daughters, he demands that each of them profess her love for him. Both Goneril and Regan insincerely flatter him to gain his favor and receive the greatest share of his bounty. They repeatedly say that they love him more than anything else. Their heir lobbying lacks substance because they are incapable of describing their love in words or providing concrete examples of their affection. They are unsympathetic to their father, who they consider to be going senile. They are motivated by their greed and self-interest.

Goneril is the leader of the two older sisters. After she speaks to the king, Regan does not form her own ideas but instead agrees with her same speech, adding in the end that she deserves her father's love the most. Goneril first has the idea of taking advantage of his old age by scheming to take the remainder of his wealth and authority, while Reagan readily follows. Regan prefers to have more time to think before acting. However, Goneril is rash, like King Lear, and decides to immediately take action. When she becomes aggravated with her father, she sneakily provokes him by ordering the servants to behave rudely so he will leave, instead of openly confronting her father with her problems. She treats him harshly and is not concerned about his wellbeing. She seems to be in league with Regan, but she quickly sends him to Regan, so she will have to deal with him.

Cordelia is disgusted by her sisters' ridiculous and hollow efforts to convince her father of their love. She is too proud to reduce herself to their level of insincerity, even though it means she will be disowned. She is independent and not afraid to speak truthfully. She loves him more than her sisters, so she believes that her actions prove her devotion to him better then any words. King Lear feels most betrayed by her because he had been especially fond of her and expected her to take care of him, so she has always been faithful to her father. Cordelia values integrity over wealth.