Re: Identical Claims of Lear and Goneril -- Mimetic Theory and Literary Study

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Date Posted: 06:54:34 02/04/08 Mon
Author: Cara
Subject: Re: Identical Claims of Lear and Goneril
In reply to: Jfish 's message, "Re: Identical Claims of Lear and Goneril" on 19:58:00 02/03/08 Sun

Of course Regan and Goneril are rivals to one another; but this doesn't necessarily mean their rivalry is one-dimensional. Even though they spend the play "infighting", other people can still factor in. They clearly held grudges against Cordelia in the beginning, most likely because of Lear's favoritism. Their whole reason for scapegoating her is to outdo her. They only really turn on each other after she is out of the way. Think about the sort of childhood they must have had. Lear was probably constantly engaged in political rivalry, so that they don't know how else to behave.

Though their rivalry eventually escalates to the point where they don't care about anything else, it started out much more complex than that, with more people involved. It begins many and various factors mixed in; but as the play progresses, it heats up an becomes more concentrated, until all that's left is their hatred for one another.

Muddy and wordy as this is, it's all to say that no mimetic situation is totally isolated, and Lear's behavior may have contributed to his daughters' rivalries.

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