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maddog202038
maddog202038
Student
High School - 11th Grade

To what does Goneril attribute Albany's change in Shakespeare's play, "King Lear"?

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Posted by maddog202038 on Wednesday May 14, 2008 at 2:02 PM and tagged with albany, characters, goneril, king lear.

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  1. dymatsuoka

    Goneril attributes her husband Albany's change in attitude to "the cowish terror of his spirit" (IV,ii,12); in other words, she says he is cowardly and afraid.  

    The steward Oswald reports that in addition to telling Albany that the French Army had landed, he gave him news about his wife, Gloucester, and his son which should have caused concern, but received little response.  Oswald observes that "what most he should like seems pleasant to him, what like, offensive" (IV,ii,10-11).

    Albany comes in soon after Goneril has described him as a coward to Edmund and Oswald.  He is appalled at her behavior towards her father King Lear, and berates her, telling her "You are not worth the dust which the rude wind blows in your face" (IV,ii,31-32).  Goneril is unphased by his diatribe and unrepentant, calling Albany a "milk-livered man" (IV,ii,51).

    Sources:
    http://www.enotes.com/kl/act-iv-scene-2-summary-analysis
    http://www.enotes.com/kl/albany-character-analysis

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    Posted by dymatsuoka on Wednesday May 14, 2008 at 3:44 PM