Goneril

Is she scared? Is that why she loves Edmund?

I think she is bullied; she's seen her father love the others more, and she knows that the only way she gets attention from him is to fulfil her role as eldest, a sort-of second best male heir. She gets recognition when she takes control, when she shields her emotions; and here, she is doing that. She isn't being faithful to Lear as he is now, but rather to what he taught her as a child, that to be strong the throne should be preserved. She's built up her own family in her court (and that's why she's defending it from these infiltrators) and in Oswald; her real family have rarely been that to her. She is scared; but she wouldn't show it. She's sad about the decline of her ruler father, but not in a fatherly way. She's cut off from the others.

Not only this, sir, your all licensed fool but other of your insolent retinue do hourly carp and quarrel, breaking forth in rank and not to be endured riots.

Ok, so the fool is causing trouble; but this isn't anything I am unused to. I have to talk over him. I am disappointed; this is merely an example. I'm frustrated; I shouldn't be, but this acts as a reiteration of childhood neglect; the fool is more important than you.

Sir, I had thought by making this well known unto you to have found a safe redress; but now grow feared by what you yourself too late have spoke and done, that you protect this course, and put it on by your allowance, which if you should the fault would not scape censure, nor the redresses sleep, which in the tender of a wholesome wheal might in their bidding do you that offence which else were shame, that then necessity must call discreet proceeding.

He always used to listen, at least a little to me. He was a great ruler; he should know that allowances are being made that should not be tolerated. At sir, I think he moves away from me; which gives me course to command the imperative, "Sir!". I stay on the spot; I would not move to him.

Come sir, I would you would make use of that good wisdom whereof I know you are fraught, and put away these dispositions, which of late transport you from what you rightly are.

More kindly in tone. I am remembering that I do admire in him qualities of wisdom; am I maybe even scared for myself? That I'll go the same way? I want him to recover some of his sense to make this easier for me.

This admiration, sir, is so much the savour of other your new pranks, I do beseech you to understand my purposes aright, as you are old and reverend should be wise.

He isn't biting, so I reiterate the first point forcefully yet strongly.

Yet here you do keep a hundred knights and squires, men so disorderd, so debauched and bold that this, our court, infected with their manners shows like a riotous inn.

It's OUR court; not my court. Interesting. Trying to bring him into rulership, it's an issue of purity; an issue of what is making my space unclean.

Epicurism and lust make it more like a brothel or a tavern than a graced palace. The shame itself doth speak for instant remedy.

These two sins are what I cannot abide. They must be fixed; there cannot be shame, we must be strong. Note the we. It isn't his shame; it's ours. Our house- Goneril is loyal. Especially to Edmund.

Be then desired by her, who else may take the thing she begs; a little to disquantity your train, and the remainder, that shall still be left to be such men as may besort your age who know themselves and you.

I turn to leave at this point; the unspoken threat hangs in the air. I am worried about having made the threat, but glad that I have said it, and glad that there is honesty now after the speech I gave in the first act.

You strike my people, and your disordered rabble make servants of their betters.

I could turn back round and say this to Lear, but I stand and look off. He merely must know that I mean this. I am a lioness.