King Lear Lesson Plan

What kind of marriage do Albany and Goneril have? How does it compare to the relationship between Regan and her late husband, Cornwall?

It's safe to say that Albany and Goneril don't have the best marriage, since Goneril is plotting to have her husband killed so she can marry another man. They seem contemptuous of each other. Goneril resents Albany for what she considers his "weakness" (meaning his moral decency), and Albany is disgusted with Goneril's lack of moral decency.

On the surface, Regan and Cornwall seem like a pretty good match, and they seem to abide by a very similar moral code (or lack thereof). Readers will notice that Regan recovers from her husband's...