In King Lear, King Lear has three daughters: Goneril, Regan, and Cordelia. At the beginning of Shakespeare’s tragedy, Lear plans to divide his kingdom among them according to how convincingly each declares her love for him.
Goneril and Regan flatter their father with extravagant speeches, while Cordelia refuses to exaggerate her feelings. Lear reacts angrily, disinherits Cordelia, and gives her share to her two elder sisters. That decision begins the political and family collapse at the heart of the play.
The three daughters are not interchangeable. Goneril and Regan become increasingly ruthless, while Cordelia remains associated with honesty and loyalty. Their contrasting responses to Lear’s demand drive much of the tragedy’s emotional power.
Shakespeare drew on older British legends about King Leir, but his version intensifies the story’s tragic ending. A frequent confusion is that Lear also has a son, the legitimate heir Cordelia marries, while Gloucester has two sons; those family relationships belong to separate but closely connected plotlines.