Manipulation In King Lear

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The Tragedy of King Lear, The Miller’s Tale and Sons & Lovers present the superficiality of love through manipulation. Through love triangles, the one who is the object of desire exploits the affection they receive, for personal gain. In Shakespeare’s King Lear, Edmond uses the lustful obsession Goneril and Regan have towards him in order to acquire a political advantage over Lear. In Act 5, Scene 1, Edmond states “To both of these sisters have I sworn my love…both? One? Or neither? Neither can be enjoyed if both stay alive.” He admits to using the sisters’ royal status to his own advantage through the superficial façade of idealised romance. As a result, after gaining what he’s needed, he completely disregards their emotions and what they’ve

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