LEAR: O Regan, she hath tied
Sharp-toothed unkindness, like a vulture, here [indicating his heart].
– William Shakespeare
King Lear, Act 2, Scene 4. Lear, using an animal simile, complains to Regan about his daughter Goneril’s mistreatment of him. Goneril’s comparison with a vulture in this passage is a reminder that in many ways the characters in this play are no better than animals in the manner that they treat other humans.