Act 2 blog 1!!!!

2. What is it—what could it conceivably be—that would make children turn against their parent as completely as Goneril and Regan have turned against Lear? They’ve gone beyond irritation and its consequent neglect to outright cruelty. You may consider this question either specifically in reference to the two women (imagine their backstory the way you did Edgar’s) or consider it in general. Where do the terrible resentments of children for their parents come from? What is so very powerful about that relationship?

There are several factors that are involved in Goneril and Regan’s blatant disrespect and subversion of the king (their father)’s power. Primarily, the girls are just inherently greedy and evil. They had been brought up as princesses their entire lives and thus knew nothing other than getting whatever they wanted. However, this cannot be the entire problem, because Cordelia did not follow in the footsteps of the other two, although she grew up in the same household. Somehow the dichotomy exists in which Regan and Goneril view their father as the King, and when he loses his Kingly power, they lose all respect and trust for him. On the flip side, Cordelia still loves and respects him as her father. Thus somehow in their childhood something switched on for Cordelia and not for Goneril and Regan. However another level to it is the fact that Cordelia had always been the favored child, and Goneril and Regan knew this. Their utter cruelty to their father could be their way of trying to get back at him for treating them like second-class daughers (though it is difficult to know in the book how much differently he really treated them). However, sometimes to a child, even the knowledge that one is viewed as inferior can be damaging. Thus although Goneril and Regan are mostly at fault for this, Lear could also be to a degree. To add on to this, Lear simply gave his kingdom away to his daughters, and to whichever daughter could sweet talk him into thinking she loved him more than the others. He obviously has a very skewed idea of what love is, as he simply cannot understand his own love for his daughters. He gives away his entire kingdom to them, rightfully expecting them to treat and love him like their father still, and yet they don't, but it could have something to do with that the doesn't really treat and love them like his daughters. I already mentioned that he picks favorites; he is quick to be offended and quick to claim hatred of and renounce one of his daughters. (This happens with not only Cordelia but later Goneril).