Made of the self-same metal (1.1.69-78)

REGAN

Sir, I am made Of the self-same metal that my sister is, And prize me at her worth. In my true heart I find she names my very deed of love; Only she comes too short: that I profess Myself an enemy to all other joys, Which the most precious square of sense possesses; And find I am alone felicitate In your dear highness' love.

CORDELIA

[Aside] Then poor Cordelia! And yet not so; since, I am sure, my love's More richer than my tongue.

Regan matches Goneril in her speech with the same formality and the same start of saying “sir” - which once again is odd considering how close you would expect them to be with such extreme declarations of affection. Regan (according to herself) is “made of the self-same metal” as her sister. The use of “metal” is significant as it is hard and tough and can be weaponised. This describes the two sides of Regan’s love perfectly: she wants it to appear as strong, but its strength will be used not for love, but for attaining power. Its ductility also foreshadows Regan’s (and Goneril’s as it is “self-same”) character arcs - which both involve flexible attitudes towards Lear and flexible mentalities in general. The verb “prize” and the noun “worth” serve to make Regan seem money-seeking; this is interesting when compared to Goneril’s telling that she loves Lear more than “rich or rare” things. Perhaps Goneril is better at controlling her emotions than Regan? Regan seems to need to outdo Goneril with Goneril rarely outdoing Regan; this trend is first introduced here when she says “she comes too short”. This also imbues the character with cunning and ruthlessness: she will cut down all who stand in the way of gaining power. She “profess[es]” herself “an enemy to all other joys”; this is a really obvious lie as she is married and therefore has experienced the joy of marriage. The sibilance of “precious square of sense possesses” paired with the frequently extended sentences, makes Regan feel eloquent, especially when compared to Cordelia who answers “nothing”. Regan also makes it impossible for the other sisters to be above her when she says that she is “alone” in felicitating in Lear’s love, once again demonstrating her cunning. In the final line of the speech, Regan utilises an argumentative technique (where one mimics another’s characteristics to make the other side comfortable) when she uses the adjective “dear” to describe her father in the same way he did her: “dearest Regan”. Cordelia once again speaks aside, expressing her inability to respond but this time she realises that her “love’s more richer than [her] tongue”. “Richer” recalls “champains rich’d” and therefore inextricably links Cordelia and nature. It’s particularly interesting that when Goneril and Regan both turn Lear away, it is nature which receives him, and so Cordelia (who he banishes) who receives him. In a strange way, Lear’s wish to be hosted by his daughter comes true. Moreover, it is his experiences with the elements that teach him the truth, and therefore Cordelia’s brutal honesty which teaches him the truth.