Goneril
and Regan are passionate in their pouring out of praises to their father as
exemplified by such phrases as Goneril’s expression that her love is “a love
that makes breath poor, and speech unable” (1.1.2). Regan has a similar
passion, but she speaks about how her love his similar to that of her sister’s
except that she is “alone felicitate” (1.1.79) in love for her father. In
contrast, Cordelia favors reason. She picks out the troubling inconsistency
that her sisters’ claim to love their father completely and only despite their
marriages. Kent rightly analyzes that Cordelia should not be punished for her
honesty. Especially in the light of what Cordelia pointed out, what the other
daughters said was really just a lot of flowery language. While her sisters are
speaking, Cordelia worries what to say as she squirms under the dilemma between
light and heat. Cordelia has a desire for independence or at least a pragmatic
attitude toward her father’s banishment. Normally, a woman would not say that
she could not love someone in front of an audience even after he has already
rejected his desire for her. She also tells her sisters subtly that, in the
end, her honesty is better by saying “time shall unfold what plighted cunning
hides, who covers faults, at last with shame derides” (1.1.309-310). Despite
her criticism, her last words to her sisters before leaving are “Well may you
prosper!” (1.1.311). She tries to tell the truth in love although she tends to
fail on the second part, while her sisters tend to fail in the first part.
Regan advises Cordelia to try to please France and that she has been unwisely
disobedient, so the words of wisdom are not Cordelia’s alone. Just as Regan
follows and nearly copies Goneril’s expression of love, Goneril leads her
sister throughout their discussions throughout the first act. Goneril has a
personality that favors leadership. Goneril and Regan are motivated by a desire
to be approved and to fit in while Cordelia wants to be right.
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