It would be easy within the first few scenes for a feminist critic to find things that they are at odds with. Shakespeare’s reflection of a predominantly male oriented society if apparent in the roles females play within his plays. They are subject to dominated, disgraced, and always at fault. The historical fact that all female characters were played by men shows that society had an issue with the capacity of a woman perform accordingly, in life and in theatre.

Lear asks his daughter to express their undying love for their father, dependent on how they respond Lear divided his empire accordingly. In this sense the daughters are prostituting themselves out for the assets of their father’s kingdom. As we will learn later in the play there is no emotional attachment to their claims, which would make the reader think that they are sincere.

Feminist critics would also have an issue with Lear disowning Cordeilia for her lack of expression for how much she loves her father. Lear takes tosses her away as if she was a piece of property, The Duke of Burgundy also drops all attempts to marry her after he finds out she is worthless. As Cixous states “women are either passive or no existent”(p.230) , this is the case with Cordelia, she could submit like her other sisters and make a theatrical profession of her love for her father, or she could refuse and face the consequences. Her choice of the latter resulted in her the erasing of her existence, she no longer has any worth or value.