Sympathy In Shakespeare's King Lear

Of the many aspects of human nature, the ability to sympathize and show compassion is perhaps the most intriguing. To many authors, giving characters the capacity to feel pity gives them a sense of authenticity and depth. Sometimes, however, the author chooses to omit this personality trait from characters, making them apathetic to the suffering of others. This is shown prominently in William Shakespeare’s King Lear, where some of the characters remain indifferent to the misery of others, in order to serve as contrast to the morally good characters of the play. The villains of Shakespeare’s King Lear are completely ruthless and lacking in sympathy, as demonstrated by the inhuman actions of Edmund, Regan and Goneril.

The antagonists of King

Goneril demonstrates this through her unfair treatment of Lear. From the beginning, Goneril makes it known to everyone to the extent at which she despises Lear. She hurls insults directed to Lear’s wisdom, calling him an “idle old man” (1.3.131). Goneril dismisses Lear’s questionable decisions as “poor judgement” (1.1.294), and continuously uses his age as a means to discredit Lear and his intelligence. This culminates into the rejection of Lear, which Goneril attempts to justify: “Tis his own blame; hath put himself from rest / And must need taste his own folly” (2.4.290). Goneril’s repeated offences towards Lear are evidence of her poor morals and lack of sympathy. Additionally, Goneril’s harsh nature becomes prominent with her relationship with Albany. Throughout the play, their dysfunctionality is made very clear. Despite their relationship, Goneril proceeds to have an affair with Edmund. In order to further their romance, Goneril pressures Edmund to murder her current husband: “Our wishes on the way/ May prove effect… (If you dare venture in your own behalf)” (4.2.15-16, 20). Goneril is willing to break her bonds with Albany and sacrifice his life so her relationship with Edmund will flourish.

Her willingness to sacrifice the life of others for personal interest is further demonstrated when she poisons her sister, Regan. Goneril is blind by her love for Edmund and prioritizes

As observed in the play, the presence of both morally ambiguous characters and downright evil characters work to create an interesting dynamic. Despite seeming rather one dimensional, the antagonists of King Lear still prove to be compelling characters due to their motivation towards their ultimate goal and their roles in the play’s primary conflict. Thus, not every fictional character is required to have a conscience for the sake of complexity. Even though the capacity to feel remorse is present in virtually every human, this ultimately need not be the case in fictional