Act 1 #2: Goneril and Regan

From the inside, most people do things because they think they are doing what is right. They are driven because they believe what they are doing is the best thing for them especially if what they are they are planning on doing is for the benefiting them whether it is mentally or physically. These are known as monstrous individuals. Goneril and Regan are both monstrous characters who are willing to do whatever they can in order to get what they want. In Act 1, these characters have relied on flattery to persuade their fathers that they love him so much that words cannot express their love in order to get the land from King Lear, their father. They are willing to lie and go behind their father’s back because they are so greedy. The image of the world in their heads is that everyone else in the world should be doing what they are doing because it is the right thing to do. They often look at others as fools because they are able to trick them into what they want. Often times when monstrous individuals like Goneril and Regan have a plan, it is not a positive one. In relation to the world today, I would consider the two sisters to be bullies. Bullies do what they want to other people no matter what the other person may feel like emotionally or physically as a result. Their purpose is to make themselves feel good about themselves by putting others down and harming them in any way. Bullies usually do this because they have low self-esteem, however, I do not believe that Goneril and Regan have low self-esteem nor insecure of themselves. These characters are simply greedy and want their father’s land and all that he has so they are going to do whatever they feel is right in order to trick their father. I honestly cannot relate to neither one of these sisters.

Act 1 #1: Good ol Edmund

Edmund is one of Gloucester’s two sons. He is the younger and illegitimate son. Edmund is a bastard who has came up with a scheme in Act I that tricked his brother, Edgar, into thinking that his father is upset with Edgar and that Edgar should carry a sword around his father and be cautious around him. Gloucester is angry with Edgar because Edmund made it so his father thinks that Edgar wrote a letter to kill to his father and take his authority and power away from him, but in reality Edmund has set Edgar up. Edmund’s actions make me believe that he is either jealous of the connection between his brother and his father or he yearns to exclude his brother entirely from his father and become Gloucester’s favorite. Edmund has made it seem like he is the good child and is telling his father to basically watch his back of what Edgar intends to do. I think that Edmund feels like he does not get enough attention from his father and decides to go behind his own brother’s back and make it seem like his father is the bad guy just because he wants his father to recognize him as the good son. I strongly believe that families and parents tend to have their favorites and pay more attention to a certain child. I do not think the parents realize they are doing it but the child that is getting less attention can tell and in this case the child would be Edmund. Also, I do not think there is anything to respect about Edmund. He has betrayed and tricked both his father and brother to thinking that Edgar is the bad guy and his father is angry with Edgar for basically something that is not even real or true. Gloucester treats him the way he does after he has “told” on Edgar with good treatment because he believes Edmund is being truthful with him because of the way he set up the whole trick. The human instinct is to wonder what the paper said on it since Edmund tried to put it away so fast, thus, his father asked and believes Edmund is telling the truth since he has written proof. Modern equivalence to this would include an example of what I see by my older niece frequently. Morgan is the my oldest neice, she is three and is not as needy as Madison, who is one. Morgan will do things to get your attention like roll around on the floor, scream, or keep hitting you [playfully] because she can tell that you are laughing more and giving Madison more attention. Another example would be that you want your parents to think you are the good child so you are going to keep making it known of all your achievements, how good you are doing in school, what you have done to clean the house, snitching on your siblings, etc. even though your sibling is doing the same things. You are making it seem like you are the better child so your parents can reward you more, but in reality you are just speaking up more and you are as equal as your brother or sister.