Character in King Lear
Goneril ♀ female
202Lines Spoken
1.1First Scene
5.3Last Scene
5.8%Of Play Dialogue
Goneril is the #7 role in King Lear by line count (202 lines, 5.8% of the play), sharing the stage most often with Regan — 5 scenes together across Acts 1 to 5.
Goneril’s position in the full cast
| # | Role | Lines | Share |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | King Lear | 752 | 21.5% |
| 2 | Edgar | 395 | 11.3% |
| 3 | Kent | 369 | 10.5% |
| 4 | Gloucester | 342 | 9.8% |
| 5 | Edmund | 319 | 9.1% |
| 6 | Fool | 227 | 6.5% |
| 7 | Goneril (this role) | 202 | 5.8% |
| 8 | Regan | 190 | 5.4% |
| 9 | Albany | 161 | 4.6% |
| 10 | Cordelia | 118 | 3.4% |
Who Goneril shares the stage with
| Scene partner | Shared scenes |
|---|---|
| Regan | 5 |
| Albany | 5 |
| King Lear | 4 |
| Edmund | 4 |
| Kent | 4 |
| Oswald | 4 |
| Gloucester | 3 |
| Cornwall | 3 |
| Fool | 2 |
| Cordelia | 2 |
Voice signature
Opening line (Act 1, Scene 1): “Sir, I love you more than words can wield the matter;”
Longest speech (Act 1, Scene 3): “Did my father strike my gentleman for chiding of his fool?”
Exit line (Act 5, Scene 3): “Say, if I do, the laws are mine, not thine:”
Every scene where Goneril speaks
| Act / Scene | Lines spoken | Share of scene |
|---|---|---|
| Act 1, Scene 1 | 30 | 9.0% |
| Act 1, Scene 3 | 24 | 88.9% |
| Act 1, Scene 4 | 68 | 19.3% |
| Act 2, Scene 4 | 15 | 4.4% |
| Act 3, Scene 7 | 2 | 1.7% |
| Act 4, Scene 2 | 40 | 36.0% |
| Act 5, Scene 1 | 7 | 9.0% |
| Act 5, Scene 3 | 16 | 4.1% |
How Goneril’s dialogue distributes across the play
Goneril’s dramatic peak falls in Act 1 with 122 lines.
Questions about Goneril
Is Goneril the lead role in King Lear?
Goneril is ranked #7 by line count among 26 speaking characters in King Lear — carrying 5.8% of the play’s dialogue.
What is Goneril’s longest scene?
Act 1 Scene 4, where Goneril speaks 68 lines.
Who does Goneril speak to the most?
Goneril shares the most scenes with Regan — 5 scenes together across King Lear.