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The Duke of Albany may be Goneril’s husband, but he is hardly like her in perspective and demeanor. Unlike his cruel and greed-driven wife, Albany proves himself to be an honorable man by the play’s end. He also serves as a distinct foil to Cornwall, Lear’s other son-in-law who engages in traitorous behavior alongside Goneril and Regan. While Albany ultimately stands up to his wife and aims to set things right in England, he initially struggles to listen to his instincts. When Goneril expresses her concerns about her father’s knights, for example, Albany tries to appease her by suggesting that getting involved may backfire and cause more harm than good. She quickly dismisses his perspective, however, and he goes on to support her despite his better judgment. With this power dynamic in place, Goneril feels emboldened and takes action to support her best interests.
Many of these plans do not involve Albany directly, and as a result, he does not make another appearance on stage until Act IV, Scene 2. His prolonged absence reinforces the notion that he is rather helpless as a character, especially when it comes to navigating his marriage to Goneril. When Albany does finally reappear, he does so with much more confidence and sense of self. He harshly criticizes Goneril for her treatment of her father and expresses disgust toward her lack of loyalty. This shift in Albany’s character works to fully distance him from the treasonous acts committed by the rest of the family and highlights his honorable nature. In the end, his realizations about the extent of Goneril’s capacity for evil come too late, and he cannot stop the numerous deaths that plague the kingdom. Albany’s survival, however, speaks to the idea that honor and morals have the potential to withstand the pressures of corruption.
