Character in King Lear
Goneril ♀ female
202Lines Spoken
1.1First Scene
5.3Last Scene
5.8%Of Play Dialogue
Goneril is the #7 largest role in King Lear, speaking 202 lines (5.8% of the play) across 8 scenes from Act 1 through Act 5. Below: scene-by-scene line counts, who Goneril shares the stage with most, and key speech examples.
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% |
How Goneril’s dialogue distributes across the play
Goneril’s dramatic peak falls in Act 1 with 122 lines — the act where the role carries the most weight on stage.
Voice signature
Opening line (Act 1, Scene 1): “Sir, I love you more than words can wield the matter;”
Representative speech (Act 1, Scene 3): “Did my father strike my gentleman for chiding of his fool?”
Who Goneril shares the stage with
| Scene partner | Shared scenes |
|---|---|
| Regan | 5 |
| Albany | 5 |
| Kent | 4 |
| Oswald | 4 |
| King Lear | 4 |
| Edmund | 4 |
| Gloucester | 3 |
| Cornwall | 3 |
| Cordelia | 2 |
| Edgar | 2 |
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 — a major role 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.