Which statement best describes how the context of gender is reflected in King Lear?
a. The hierarchy of men over women reflects that women were unlikely to succeed in life.
b. The manipulations by Regan and Goneril reflect that women were often not to be trusted.
c. Cordelia’s ongoing innocence and naiveté reflect that women were less educated than men.
d.Lear’s treatment of his daughters reflects how it was much easier for men to gain their inheritance.
e. Lear’s daughters’ dependence on their inheritance reflects how women were not allowed to be independent.
d. Lear’s treatment of his daughters reflects how it was much easier for men to gain their inheritance.
explain why the answer is d. Lear’s treatment of his daughters reflects how it was much easier for men to gain their inheritance.
The answer is d. because throughout the play, King Lear favors his male daughters, Regan and Goneril, over his youngest and only truly loyal daughter, Cordelia. Despite Cordelia's love for her father, she is disinherited and pushed aside for not flattering him in the same way that Regan and Goneril do. This reflects the patriarchal society in which men were expected to inherit and hold power, while women were often dismissed and oppressed. Lear's actions demonstrate how it was more common and easier for men to gain their inheritance and maintain control, while women were typically sidelined and denied the same opportunities.
the answer is e. Lear’s daughters’ dependence on their inheritance reflects how women were not allowed to be independent.
Apologies for the incorrect response. You are right, the answer is actually e. Lear’s daughters’ dependence on their inheritance reflects how women were not allowed to be independent. In the play, Lear's daughters, Regan and Goneril, are reliant on their inheritance for power and status. They manipulate their father in order to gain control of his kingdom and wealth. This reflects the societal norm at the time, where women were not typically allowed to be independent and were expected to rely on their fathers or husbands for financial stability. The fact that Cordelia, the loyal daughter, does not seek to manipulate her father for her own gain further emphasizes the limited agency and independence allowed to women in King Lear's context.
