Ambition And Pathos In King Lear

Rowan Slattery Mr. Godbout ENG4U1 April 21, 2024 Goneril, Regan, and Edmund: Ambition and Pathos In Shakespeare's tragedy of King Lear, the characters are battling strong ambition and motivation for power. Goneril, Regan and Edmund are complex characters that make the audience question sympathy for the antagonist. The three characters are motivated by the need for power and are willing to go to extreme lengths of manipulation and scheming to achieve it. Each character's ambitions eventually lead to the tragic fate of death. Goneril, Regan and Edmund are portrayed as ruthless cunning characters, but despite the sinister actions of the three, pathos can still be earned. Throughout Shakespeare's King Lear Goneril is deceived as an antagonist and ruthless character, however, when looking at the
At the beginning of Shakespeare's play, King Lear demands his daughters to publicly profess their love for him, when Goneril's sister, Cordelia doesn’t, he banishes her. The irrationality of Cordelia's banishment reveals Goneril the delusion of Lear as he grows older. “The best and soundest of his time hath been but rash; then must we look to receive from his age, not alone the imperfections of long-engraffed condition, but therewithal the unruly waywardness that infirm and choleric years bring with them.” (Shakespeare 1.1 295 - 299) The quote from Shakespeare's King Lear highlights the anticipation of goneril, regarding Lear's Age decline. Goneril expressed her concern that Lear may not be mentally stable enough to continue governing. Goenril's regard of Lear's “choleric years'' stresses the potential for instability and the continuance of Lear's mental deterioration. Goneril's quote foreshadows the chaos that transpires from Lear’s mental donation and ultimately explains actions to take over the kingdom and maintain