King Lear- William Shakespeare

Details Of The Book

Title: King Lear
Author: William Shakespeare
Creation Date: Around 1605-1608 (Early version)

About The Author

William Shakespeare ( baptism: April 26, 1564 – April 23, 1616) was an English playwright. He is famous with his creation, including 39 plays, 154 sonnets, 3 long narrative poems, and more. 4 of his plays are also named the four great tragedies, which are Hamlet, Othello, King Lear, and Macbeth.

About The Play

Main Characters

• Lear – King of Britain
• Earl of Gloucester
• Earl of Kent – Lear’s loyal subject, later disguised as Caius
• Fool – Lear’s fool
• Edgar – Gloucester’s first-born son
• Edmund – Gloucester’s illegitimate son
• Goneril – Lear’s eldest daughter
• Regan – Lear’s second daughter
• Cordelia – Lear’s youngest daughter
• Duke of Albany – Goneril’s husband
• Duke of Cornwall – Regan’s husband
• Gentleman – attends Cordelia
• Oswald – Goneril’s loyal steward
• King of France – suitor and later husband to Cordelia
• Duke of Burgundy – suitor to Cordelia
• Old man – tenant of Gloucester
• Curan – courtier

Plot Summary

The aged King Lear intends to abdicate and leave his kingdom to his three daughters, saying that he will reward the largest part of his domain to those who love him most. Goneril and Reagan have flattered him, saying they love him more than anything in the world. Cordelia did not want to flatter him, believing that her love could not be expressed in words, and consequently angered the king. In his fury, King Lear disinherited Cordelia and divided the kingdom between Goneril and Reagan. Kent considered this move unjust and objected. Lear was furious and banished him. Lear summoned the Duke of Burgundy and the King of France, both of whom proposed to Cordelia. When he learns that Cordelia has been disinherited, the Duke of Burgundy revokes the engagement, while the King of France marries her out of genuine love for her.

Lear announces that he will take turns living at Goneril and Regan, and reserves a hundred knights for himself as an attendant. The private conversation between Goneril and Regan reveals their hypocrisy, calling Lear nothing more than a decrepit old man.

Edmund hates his illegitimate son’s name and designs to trap his brother Edgar. He sends a false letter to his father, the Earl of Gloucester, claiming that Edgar wants to embezzle his property. Kent disguises himself as Caius and Lear rehires him as a servant. Lear finds Goneril in power and treats herself with great contempt. She ordered her father to behave properly and cut the number of his attendants. Lear left in a fit of rage and went to Regan . The trickster mocked Lear’s misfortune. Edmund pretends to be attacked by Edgar, and Gloucester is tricked into banishing Edgar.

Kent is ordered to Regan’s house, meets Oswald at the Earl of Gloucester, argues with him, and is shackled by Reagan and his husband, the Duke of Cornwall. When Lear arrives, he is upset over his servant, but Reagan turns a deaf ear. Lear is furious, but can do nothing. Goneril appears and joins forces with Regan against his father. Lear explodes and loudly rebukes his ungrateful daughter in a soliloquy, while the crowd mocks him with their words. Kent appears and tries to protect him. Gloucester protests against what has happened to Lear. After the storm, Lear wanders through the heather woods and runs into Edgar, disguised as the madman Tom o’ Bedlam. With Edgar babbling and Lear cursing his daughter, Kent takes them both to the resting place.

Edmund betrays Gloucester to Cornwallis, Goneril and Regan . He presented a letter of help from his father to the King of France; just at that moment, the French army landed. When Edmond and Goneril left to warn the Duke of Albany about the invasion, the Duke of Cornwall had Gloucester’s eyes gouged out. At this point, a servant saw this and could not stand it any longer and struck Cornwall down. Regan kills the servant and tells Gloucester that Edmund has betrayed him; she then banishes him to the heather as well. In disguise, Edgar encounters his father, who has lost both eyes. Gloucester does not recognize him and begs “Tom” to take him to Dover so he can jump off a cliff and kill himself.

Goneril finds Edmund very attractive and considers her honest husband, Albany , a coward. Albany is enlightened by the ungratefulness and cruelty of his daughters and rebukes Goneril. Goneril sends Edmund to Regan and, learning that Cornwall is dead, fears that Reagan has taken Edmund and has Oswald send a letter to him. Kent takes Lear to the French troops under Cordelia’s command. But Lear had gone mad, and was very ashamed of his earlier folly. At Reagan’s urging, Albany joins forces with her against the French. Goneril’s suspicions of Regan are confirmed when Regan tells Oswald that he is the one who is worthy of Edmund. Edgar pretends to lead his father to the cliff and suddenly changes his voice to tell him of his suicide attempt. Lear appears, having gone completely insane, and leaves after rebuking the world for being corrupted.

Oswald appears, searching for Edmund. On Regan’s orders, he attempts to assassinate Gloucester, but is successfully countered by Edgar. In Oswald’s pocket, Edgar finds a letter from Goneril, revealing that she encouraged Edmund to kill her husband to facilitate the duo’s plot. Kent and Cordelia take care of Lear, who gradually returns to normal. Reagan, Goneril, Albany and Edmund fight against the French. Albany insists on repelling the invaders, but protects Lear and Cordelia. Goneril and Regan are jealous of each other over Edmund. Edmund has his feet in two boats and after thinking about it, he designs a plot to kill Albany , Lear and Cordelia. Edgar gives Goneril’s letter to Albany . The British and French armies meet, the British win and Lear and Cordelia are captured. Edmund gives secret orders to execute the two.

The British commander-in-chief meets and Regan declares that Edmund belongs to himself. But Albany exposes Edmund and Goneril and declares Edmund treasonous. Regan fell ill, was carried behind the curtain, and then collapsed and died. It turns out that Goneril had poisoned his food. Edmund resists the order and Edgar appears and wins a duel with Edmund. Albany produces a letter and testifies against Goneril, who flees in shame. Edgar reveals his true identity and reports that Gloucester is overjoyed to learn of this.

Goneril is so guilty that he commits suicide behind the scenes. A dying Edmund tries to recover the secret order, but Lear then makes an appearance holding Cordelia’s remains. Lear finally recognizes Kent, but is unable to tell the relationship between him and Caius. Albany persuades Lear to return to the throne, but a distraught Lear finally collapses. Albany persuades Kent and Edgar to take the throne. Kent declines, claiming that his master told him to go on his way. The play does not reveal Kent’s afterlife. Eventually, either Albany (quarto) or Edgar (folio) gives the final statement, hinting at the arrival of a new king.