The Trial: Regan, Soldier and Enabler (Act 1, scene 1)

Abstract

Regan need not be interpreted as a duplicate of her older sister, but instead can be portrayed as another fully realized woman who understands the dynamics of the political family in which she was raised. General issues of both obedient daughters have been addressed in the previous chapter, but now the focus shifts specifically to Regan herself. Critics write less about Regan than about either of her sisters, and yet questions persist, especially for performance. How can Regan’s journey be traced from her successful passing of the love test to her death at her sister’s hands? What causes her bitter participation in the Gloucester torture scene? How does she, as the middle daughter, see the action differently from her sisters? What clues does this first scene provide that help to re-vision a more comprehensive interpretation of this woman?