In this extract the extent of Goneril’s mercenary and ruthless behaviour towards her father and Gloucester has already been exposed. Within this extract Goneril is established as the ultimate villain and her husband the hero. Goneril’s relationship juxtaposes through her relation with both her husband and her lover, Edmund. This scene consists of great intensity with much drama, conflict and action as Shakespeare uses both Goneril and Albany to illustrate both chaos and order in relationships.
Goneril is portrayed as being sexually assertive, her use of euphemisms such as ‘mistress’, ‘stress and thy spirits’, and the imperative ‘decline your head: thus kiss’ implies of her sexual and intimate interactions with Edmund. This also is highlighted through Shakespeare’s use of sibilance with the repetitive‘s’ sound reinforcing Goneril’s seductive nature. Despite Goneril’s sexual desire emphasised in the extract lexis such as ‘conceive’ along with her mode of address towards Edmund such as ‘my lord’ suggests she has a genuine affection but is consumed by her passion and overriding emotions. Shakespeare uses sex as a symbolism of power within this extract to show his audience that through Goneril’s affair with Edmund her demise of the kingdom is becoming more apparent.
Goneril’s attitude towards Albany is portrayed negatively through her insults of male prowess. She uses labels him negatively as ‘mild’, ‘cowish terror’ and her modes of address such as ‘fool’ expresses her disgust and hatred towards her husband. She further humiliates her husband by accusing him of not being honourable because he is not fulfilling his duty of protecting his kingdom; this itself is ironic as Goneril’s affair with Edmund puts her own kingdom in jeopardy. Albany attitude towards Goneril is also one that is portrayed negatively. This is reinforced by the mode of address use such as the subhuman “devil” and “monster” along with the animalistic imagery lexis such as “tiger”. This contradicts the Elizabethan view ideology of women at the time as they were mild and timid not “barbarous” and “degenerate” which was more synonymous with masculine traits of the time.
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