Antagonist

Character Role Analysis

Goneril and Regan

What makes King Lear such a famous (and totally hard to watch) tragedy is that the conflict takes place within a single family... and the incredible cruelty of the main characters' actions are all directed at their own flesh and blood. Goneril and Regan, Lear's two older daughters, have gone down in history as the worst children ever. Of course, their husbands are also on the bad side (especially Cornwall).