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King Lear may be valued within a feminist context in 21st C as a representation of female roles in early times as compared to contemporary society. In the 21st C female insubordination, and assertiveness is a concept, which is slowly celebrated due to increased concentration on equal rights of all. At the end of the play no women are alive, however in today’s society women are reaching high positions in fields such as business and politics. The play could also been see from a family based reading demonstrating the complexities of family dynamics. King Lear is a conflict ridden and possessive father. Goneril and Regan are products of Lear’s bullying as shown through animal imagery. The imagery of sea monsters applied to Goneril and Regan by Lear “struck me with her tongue, most serpent-like, upon the very heart” reinforces the idea of Goneril and Regan becoming predators. Lear’s bullying has become a cycle of violence and abuse where Goneril, a victim of her father’s tyranny, bullies her husband “O vain fool! … Marry, your manhood – mew” and Regan calls for the blinding of Gloucester “One side will mock another; th’ other too”.
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