King Lear Summary

 

 

King Lear

By William Shakespeare (1564-1616)

Key facts

Compose date: 1604–1605

Published date: First Folio edition, 1623

First performance: 1606

Place setting: Great Britain

Time setting: 8th century BC because Lear was legendary king of Britons, present name Britain, in 8^th century BC and Shakespeare wrote this story in Jacobean period.

Protagonists: King Lear and Cordelia

Antagonists: Goneril, Regan and Edmund

Themes

1. Blindness
2. Justice and power
3. Flattery
4. Lechery
5. Treachery
6. Insanity
7. Regeneration

Character analysis

King Lear: He is the protagonist of the tragedy. His characteristic features are:

1. Egoistical
2. Lack of judgment
3. Imperiousness
4. Passionate hatred
5. Passionate affection
6. The passionate urge for flattery
7. Revival of humanity
8. Hardly heroic

Three daughters of King Lear: Goneril, Regan and Cordelia.

Cordelia: She is Lear's youngest and most beloved daughter. She is the heroine of the tragedy. Her characteristic features are:

1. Kind hearted
2. Truthfulness and sense of duty
3. Perfect judgment power
4. Dignity and repose
5. Paradigm of self-controlling power
6. Simplicity

Goneril: She is Lear's eldest daughter. Her characteristic features are:

1. Flatterer
2. Power hungry
3. Ruthless
4. Lecherous
5. treacherous

Reagan: She's the middle daughter of King Lear. She is as power-hunter and imperious as her sister Goneril, although she often follows Goneril's leadership, she exceeds Goneril in the villain at least a little bit.

Gloucester: He is a nobleman of Britain. He has two sons. His characteristic features are:

1. loyal to King Lear
2. Simple manner
3. Lack of judgement
4. Superstitious nature
5. A mixture of opposites
6. A redemptive character
7. His circumstances are quite similar to Lear

Edmund: He is the youngest and illegitimate son of the nobleman named Gloucester. He is the villain of the tragedy. His characteristic features are:

1. Treacherous
2. Lecherous
3. Schemer
4. Powerful
5. Resentful
6. Wit and wickedness

Edgar: He is Gloucester's legitimate and oldest son. His characteristic features are:

1. A goodman of noble qualities
2. Victim of conspiracy
3. Insane beggar for security
4. Powerful and heroic

Kent: He is a nobleman, much like Gloucester, and is loyal to Lear. His full name in the drama is The Earl of Kent.

Albany: He is Goneril's husband.

Cornwall: He is Regan's husband. He is cruel and violent.

The Fool: The Fool is Lear's jester and the only person who is allowed to criticize and mock him directly.

In-depth Summary

The play begins with two noblemen, Gloucester and Kent, talking about the fact that King Lear is planning to divide his kingdom. But their conversation changes when Kent asks Gloucester to introduce his son. Gloucester presents Edmund, explaining that Edmund is his illegitimate son, raised away from home, but that he still cares for him deeply.

Lear, the king of Britain, comes into his throne room and announces that he wants to divide his kingdom among his three daughters. He explains that he wants to give up the responsibilities of ruling and spend his old age visiting his children. Lear commands his daughters to declare how much they love him, promising the biggest share of the kingdom to the one who shows the greatest love.

Lear’s two older daughters, Goneril and Regan, flatter him with exaggerated words, claiming that they love him more than anything else in the world. But Cordelia, Lear’s youngest and favorite daughter, refuses to exaggerate. When asked, she says that she cannot “heave her heart into her mouth,” meaning she cannot put her true love into fancy words. She explains that she loves him as much as a daughter should love her father, no more and no less, and she adds that if her sisters really loved him as much as they claim, they would not want husbands. Lear becomes furious at this response, disowns Cordelia, and divides her part of the kingdom between her two sisters.

The earl of Kent, a loyal nobleman who has faithfully served Lear for many years, is the only one who speaks against the king’s decision. Kent boldly tells Lear that he is foolish to believe the flattery of his older daughters and to reject Cordelia, who truly loves him more than the others. Lear turns his anger on Kent as well, banishes him from the kingdom, and orders him to leave within six days.

Meanwhile, the king of France and the duke of Burgundy are present at Lear’s court, waiting to know which one of them will marry Cordelia. Lear calls them in and announces that Cordelia no longer has land or a title. Burgundy refuses to marry her without the promised dowry, but the king of France admires Cordelia’s honesty and chooses to marry her anyway, making her his queen. Lear sends her away harshly, without his blessing.

After this, Goneril and Regan secretly plot together. They realize that they now have complete power over the kingdom, but they also agree that they must take steps to weaken whatever authority their father still has left.

Lear is spending the first part of his retirement at Goneril’s castle. Goneril complains to her steward, Oswald, that Lear’s knights are becoming noisy and out of control. She also says that Lear himself is a rude and annoying guest. Wanting to start a fight with her father, she orders her servants to be disrespectful toward Lear and his followers. Kent, now disguised as a poor commoner named Caius, arrives at Goneril’s castle. He places himself in Lear’s path and talks with him. Kent (as Caius) insists that he is an honest and plainspoken man. Lear likes this and accepts him as one of his servants.

Meanwhile, Lear’s knights begin to notice that Goneril’s servants no longer obey their orders. When Lear asks Oswald where Goneril is, Oswald rudely walks away without answering. When he comes back, his disrespectful replies make Lear so angry that he strikes him. Kent quickly comes to Lear’s aid and trips Oswald.

The Fool then appears. Through jokes, puns, and wordplay, he tells Lear that he was foolish to give away his power to Goneril and Regan. After some time, Goneril herself enters to speak with her father. She accuses Lear’s followers of behaving badly and tells him that he must send some of them away, whether he agrees or not.

Lear is stunned that Goneril, his daughter, would betray him in this way. But Goneril stands firm and demands that he dismiss half of his one hundred knights. Lear becomes furious and regrets giving his authority to her. He curses Goneril, praying that she will never have children. Shocked by the tears running down his face, Lear calls for his horses. He declares that he will live with Regan instead, believing she will treat him as a true daughter should. After Lear leaves, Goneril argues with her husband, Albany, who disapproves of how harshly she treated her father. Goneril tells him she has already written to Regan, who also does not want Lear and his hundred knights in her house. Lear sends Kent with a message for Gloucester. The Fool continues to tease Lear about his poor choices and warns him that Regan will treat him just as badly as Goneril has. Lear prays to heaven to protect him from losing his sanity. Then Lear and his followers set out for Regan’s castle.

At Gloucester’s castle, Gloucester’s servant Curan tells Edmund that he has told Gloucester about the unexpected visit of the duke of Cornwall and his wife, Regan, who will arrive that night. Curan also mentions vague rumors about political conflict between Cornwall and Albany.

Edmund is pleased to hear this news because he sees an opportunity to use Cornwall for his own plans against Edgar. He calls Edgar out of hiding and tells him that Cornwall is angry with him for taking Albany’s side in their quarrel. Edgar is completely confused and has no idea what Edmund is talking about. Edmund then warns Edgar that Gloucester knows about his hiding place and that he should escape quickly under cover of night. When Gloucester approaches, Edmund draws his sword and pretends to fight Edgar, while Edgar runs away. To make his trick more believable, Edmund wounds his own arm and then lies to Gloucester, saying that Edgar tried to persuade him to join in a plot to kill Gloucester, and when he refused, Edgar tried to murder him. Gloucester, shocked and miserable, praises Edmund’s supposed loyalty and vows to hunt down Edgar, sending men to chase after him.

Cornwall and Regan then arrive at Gloucester’s house. They believe Edmund’s story about Edgar. Regan even asks if Edgar is one of the unruly knights who follow Lear. Edmund answers yes, and Regan goes further, suggesting that these knights encouraged Edgar to plan his father’s murder in order to get Gloucester’s wealth. Regan then turns to Gloucester and asks for his advice about how to answer letters she has received from both Lear and Goneril.
Outside Gloucester’s castle, Kent, still disguised as a poor peasant, meets Oswald, the steward of Goneril’s household. Oswald does not recognize Kent from their earlier fight in Act 1, Scene 4. Kent insults him harshly, calling him cowardly, vain, foolish, overdressed, and a groveling flatterer. Oswald continues to deny knowing Kent, which makes Kent even angrier. Kent draws his sword and attacks him.

Oswald’s cries for help bring Cornwall, Regan, and Gloucester to the scene. When they demand an explanation, Kent answers them rudely. Offended, Cornwall orders Kent to be put in the stocks, a wooden frame that locks a person’s legs and forces them to sit in humiliation. Gloucester protests, saying that punishing Lear’s messenger in this way is an insult to Lear himself and will surely anger him. But Cornwall and Regan insist that Kent deserves it for attacking Goneril’s servant, and so they lock him in the stocks.

After they leave, Kent sits alone. He reads a letter he has received from Cordelia, in which she writes that although she is now in France, she will find a way to help improve the situation in Britain. Feeling unhappy but accepting his fate, Kent eventually falls asleep in the stocks.

Lear arrives at Gloucester’s castle with the Fool and a knight. He is shocked to see his loyal servant Kent locked in the stocks and cannot believe that Regan and Cornwall would do such a thing. Kent explains that they put him there, but Lear refuses to believe it until he demands to speak with them.

At first, Regan and Cornwall refuse to meet Lear, saying they are tired from their travels. Lear grows angry but tries to calm himself, thinking sickness may excuse rude behavior. Eventually, Regan comes out. Lear complains to her about Goneril’s cruelty, but Regan suggests that Goneril may be right—Lear is growing old and unreasonable. She advises him to go back to Goneril and ask her forgiveness.

Lear, upset, begs Regan to keep him in her house instead. Regan refuses, and when Goneril arrives, the two sisters join forces against their father. Together, they tell Lear that if he wants to stay with either of them, he must dismiss most of his knights.

Lear tries to bargain: first he asks to keep a hundred knights, then fifty, then even fewer—but the sisters refuse. Finally, they tell him he cannot keep any followers at all.

Furious and heartbroken, Lear curses his daughters and rushes outside into the coming storm. Gloucester pleads with the sisters to let Lear back in, but they coldly refuse and order the doors locked, leaving their father out in the wild night.

A violent storm rages on the heath. Kent looks for Lear but cannot find him. He meets one of Lear’s knights, who tells him that Lear is wandering the area with only his Fool for company. Kent secretly explains that there is tension between Albany and Cornwall and that French spies are already in England. He sends the knight to Dover, where friends of Cordelia and the French may help Lear. Kent gives the knight a ring to show Cordelia so she will know who sent him. Then Kent goes back to search for Lear.

Lear is out in the storm, shouting at the wind and rain, daring the weather to destroy him. His thoughts are confused, but he keeps returning to his anger at his two ungrateful daughters. The Fool begs Lear to humble himself and ask his daughters for shelter, but Lear refuses. Kent eventually finds them and urges Lear to take cover in a small hut nearby. Lear agrees at last, and they go toward the hovel. The Fool ends the scene by speaking a strange, puzzling prophecy.

At Gloucester’s castle, Gloucester confides in his son Edmund. He says he is deeply troubled that Regan, Goneril, and Cornwall have locked Lear out in the storm. When Gloucester tried to help Lear, they became angry, seized his castle, and ordered him not to speak for the king. Gloucester also reveals that a French army has landed in England and that war between Albany and Cornwall is coming. He decides to risk everything to help Lear. Gloucester tells Edmund about a secret letter with details of the French invasion and asks Edmund to distract Cornwall while he slips out to find Lear.

As soon as Gloucester leaves, Edmund celebrates his luck. He plans to betray his father immediately by revealing both the letter and Gloucester’s plan to Cornwall. By doing so, Edmund expects to gain his father’s lands and title once Gloucester is punished and executed.

Kent leads Lear through the storm to a small hut. He urges him to go inside, but Lear refuses, saying his heartbreak hurts him more than the storm. He sends the Fool inside for shelter, then kneels and prays, realizing that as king he never cared enough for the poor who must face storms without protection.

Suddenly, the Fool rushes out, saying there is a spirit inside. It is actually Edgar, disguised as “Poor Tom,” a mad beggar. Edgar raves about being chased by devils and possessed by spirits. Lear, now close to madness himself, takes him seriously and asks if wicked daughters have ruined him too.

Lear asks Edgar what he was before going mad. Edgar claims he was once a rich nobleman who wasted his life on women and wine. Seeing Edgar’s near-naked body, Lear tears at his own clothes in sympathy.

Just then, Gloucester arrives with a torch, searching for Lear. He disapproves of Lear’s strange companions but begs him to return to shelter, even though Regan and Goneril may be angry. Kent and Gloucester finally persuade Lear to go with them, but Lear insists on bringing Edgar along, since he feels a connection to him.
Back in Gloucester’s castle, Cornwall rages against Gloucester after Edmund betrays his father by giving him the secret letter that proves Gloucester supports the French invasion. Edmund pretends to be shocked at his father’s “treachery,” but inside he is overjoyed. As a reward, Cornwall makes Edmund the new Earl of Gloucester. Cornwall then orders Edmund to go find his father. Edmund reasons that if he catches Gloucester helping Lear, Cornwall’s suspicions will be confirmed, ensuring Gloucester’s downfall.

Gloucester, Kent, Lear, and the Fool take shelter in a small hut or shed on Gloucester’s land. Gloucester goes out to get food for the king. Lear, whose mind is slipping further into madness, imagines a courtroom and holds a fake trial for his two wicked daughters. Edgar, Kent, and the Fool take part, speaking like madmen, while Lear delivers wild judgments against Goneril and Regan.

Gloucester rushes back in, terrified. He has overheard a plot to murder Lear. He begs Kent to get Lear out quickly and lead him to Dover, where friends are waiting to protect him. Kent, Gloucester, and the Fool leave with Lear. Edgar stays behind and, in his own true voice, reflects that compared to Lear’s terrible suffering, his own troubles seem far less important.
At Gloucester’s castle, Cornwall gives Goneril the letter proving that a French army has landed at Dover. He tells her to take it to her husband Albany. Then he orders his men to capture Gloucester so he can punish him. Cornwall also sends Edmund away with Goneril so that Edmund does not have to watch the violent punishment of his own father.

News arrives that Gloucester has helped Lear escape to Dover. Gloucester is brought in, tied up and mocked. Regan and Cornwall insult him, yank at his beard, and call him a traitor. Cornwall says he cannot kill Gloucester without a trial, but he can still punish him terribly.

Gloucester proudly admits that he helped Lear and swears that Lear’s wrongs will be avenged. Cornwall snarls, “You’ll never see that,” and gouges out one of Gloucester’s eyes, throwing it on the floor and stamping on it. Regan urges him to blind Gloucester completely.

One of Cornwall’s servants, unable to bear the cruelty, draws his sword to stop him. He wounds Cornwall in the fight, but Regan seizes another sword and kills the servant. Furious and bleeding, Cornwall then rips out Gloucester’s other eye.

Blind and in agony, Gloucester cries out for Edmund to help him, but Regan cruelly tells him that Edmund was the one who betrayed him. Realizing the truth, Gloucester finally sees that Edgar was the loving son all along. He prays for the gods to protect Edgar.

Regan and Cornwall order that Gloucester be thrown out of the house and left to “smell his way to Dover.” Cornwall, badly wounded, is helped away by Regan.

Left alone, the remaining servants are horrified. They treat Gloucester’s wounds and decide to give him to the disguised Edgar (“Poor Tom”), who can lead the blind man to Dover.

On the heath, Edgar reflects that things could always be worse. Just then, he sees his blinded father, Gloucester, being led by an old tenant who has served the family for eighty years. Gloucester tells the old man that if he could only touch his son Edgar once more, it would mean more to him than his sight. Hearing this, Edgar is deeply moved but still decides not to reveal himself and keeps pretending to be “Poor Tom.”

Gloucester asks the old man to fetch some clothes for Poor Tom, and he asks Tom to guide him to Dover. Gloucester explains that he wants to be taken to the top of the highest cliff. Edgar, still in disguise, agrees to lead him there.

Outside Goneril’s palace, Goneril and Edmund arrive together. Oswald tells them that Albany, Goneril’s husband, is unhappy with her and Regan’s cruelty, glad that the French army has landed, and upset that Goneril has returned home.

Realizing Albany is no longer on her side, Goneril criticizes him as weak. She sends Edmund back to raise Cornwall’s troops against the French while she herself takes control of her husband’s power. Before he leaves, she kisses Edmund, showing she wants to be his lover.

After Edmund departs, Albany enters. He fiercely condemns Goneril for her cruelty to Lear. Goneril insults him back, calling him a coward, and tells him to focus on fighting the French. Albany fires back, calling her a monster and accusing her of terrible crimes.

A messenger arrives with news: Cornwall has died from the wound he got while blinding Gloucester. Albany is horrified by the cruelty done to Gloucester and sees Cornwall’s death as divine justice. Goneril reacts differently—she is glad Regan has lost a husband, but she worries that Regan is now free to pursue Edmund. She leaves to answer Regan’s letters.

Albany then learns the truth—that Edmund betrayed his father to Cornwall and left deliberately so Gloucester could be blinded. Furious, Albany vows to take revenge on Edmund and help Gloucester.

In the French camp near Dover, Kent (still in disguise as a servant) talks with a gentleman. The man says that the king of France landed with his army but quickly returned home to deal with problems there, leaving Queen Cordelia in charge of the troops.

Kent asks how Cordelia reacted to his letters. The gentleman describes how she wept with grief when she read about her father’s suffering. Kent then explains that Lear has also arrived safely in Dover, but he is ashamed of how he treated Cordelia and refuses to see her. Finally, the gentleman reports that the British armies of Albany and the late Cornwall are marching out to fight the French.

Cordelia enters with her soldiers. She has learned that Lear is wandering in the fields, half-mad, covered in weeds and flowers, and singing to himself. She sends a hundred soldiers to search for him and bring him back.

Cordelia asks a doctor if her father can recover his sanity. The doctor says Lear mainly needs rest and that there are medicines to help him sleep. A messenger then brings word that Albany and Cornwall’s troops are advancing against the French army. Cordelia, already prepared for this, readies her soldiers for battle.

At Gloucester’s castle, Oswald tells Regan that Albany has finally set out with his army, though he is slow and hesitant. He adds that Goneril seems more determined and capable as a leader than her husband.

Regan becomes very curious about the letter Oswald is carrying from Goneril to Edmund, but Oswald refuses to show it. Regan guesses the truth—that it is about Goneril’s love affair with Edmund. Regan openly says that she wants Edmund for herself, since she is now a widow and her relationship with him would be proper, unlike Goneril’s adulterous one.

She gives Oswald either a letter or a token for Edmund and asks him to deliver it when he finds him. Finally, she promises Oswald a reward if he can track down and kill Gloucester.

Still disguised, Edgar leads his blind father Gloucester toward Dover. He pretends they are climbing steep paths and hearing the sea, until finally he says they have reached the cliff’s edge. Gloucester prays for forgiveness, then faints as if throwing himself down to die.

Edgar revives him, now pretending to be a gentleman instead of “Poor Tom.” He tells Gloucester that he saw him fall from the cliff and survive—a miracle showing that the gods want him to live. Edgar also claims the figure Gloucester met earlier was really a devil. Believing this, Gloucester accepts that he must endure his sufferings.

Then Lear wanders in, crowned with weeds and flowers. Clearly mad, he speaks nonsense mixed with bursts of strange wisdom. He recognizes Gloucester and mentions his adultery, then forgives him. Lear’s thoughts soon spin into a furious rant about women and lust, until he breaks off into incoherent cries.

Cordelia’s soldiers appear, searching for Lear. They are glad to find him and try to lead him away, but he runs, and they chase after him.

Soon Oswald appears and plans to kill Gloucester for the reward Regan promised. Edgar, disguising himself as a rough countryman, fights Oswald with a stick and kills him. As he dies, Oswald gives Edgar his letters.

Gloucester is disappointed to still be alive, but Edgar reads one of the letters and is horrified: Goneril urges Edmund to murder Albany so she and Edmund can be together. Edgar decides to keep the letter and show it to Albany later. He buries Oswald and takes Gloucester to safety.

In the French camp, Cordelia talks with Kent. She knows his true identity but agrees to keep it secret. Lear, who has been sleeping, is brought in. He barely recognizes Cordelia and says he knows he is old and weak. He assumes Cordelia must hate him like her sisters. But Cordelia gently assures him that she forgives him for banishing her.

Meanwhile, word spreads again that Cornwall is dead and that Edmund now commands Cornwall’s army. The French and English forces prepare for battle.

At the British camp near Dover, Regan questions Edmund about Goneril. She asks if he loves her and if he has slept with her. Edmund denies both, but Regan is jealous and begs him not to get close to her sister.

Soon Goneril and her husband Albany arrive with soldiers. Albany admits he feels sympathy for Lear and the rebels who joined the French, but he says he will still fight against the French because they are invaders.

Goneril and Regan argue with each other, both jealous over Edmund, and all three leave together.

As Albany is about to go, Edgar—disguised as a peasant—stops him. He secretly gives Albany the letter he took from Oswald. The letter proves Goneril loves Edmund and even asks him to kill Albany. Edgar tells Albany to keep the letter safe, and if Albany wins the battle, he can call for a champion to defend the truth of the letter. Edgar then slips away.

Edmund returns and tells Albany the battle is about to begin. Albany leaves, and Edmund is left alone. He admits he has promised love to both sisters and cannot decide which to choose without angering the other. He puts the decision off until later. He also says that if Albany survives, Goneril can kill him herself. Finally, he vows that if Lear and Cordelia are captured, he will show them no mercy.

The fighting starts. Edgar, still dressed as a poor peasant, leads Gloucester to rest under a tree and goes off to fight for Lear’s side.

He soon comes back, shouting that Lear’s army has lost and that Lear and Cordelia have been taken prisoner. Gloucester says he will stay there and wait for capture or death, but Edgar encourages him not to give up—reminding him that death comes only at its appointed time. Gloucester agrees and goes with Edgar.

Edmund brings Lear and Cordelia as his prisoners. Cordelia hopes to confront Regan and Goneril, but Lear refuses, imagining a peaceful life with Cordelia, alone and hidden from the world. Edmund gives orders to the captain guarding them, speaking mysteriously about what should be done, and the captain agrees.

Albany enters with Goneril and Regan. He praises Edmund for fighting well for the British side and asks him to produce Lear and Cordelia. Edmund lies, claiming he sent them far away to prevent the troops from rising up. Albany scolds him, but Regan interrupts, claiming she wants Edmund as her husband. Goneril protests, but Regan, who is feeling suddenly ill, insists Edmund will be hers.

Albany arrests Edmund for treason and calls for a trial by combat. Edgar, in full armor, appears to challenge Edmund. He defeats Edmund, and Albany orders that Edmund be spared temporarily for questioning. Goneril tries to help Edmund, but Albany reveals the letter proving her plot against him. In despair, Goneril flees.

Edgar removes his helmet and reveals who he really is. He reconciles with Albany and explains how he led Gloucester safely through the countryside. Gloucester, overcome by joy and grief, has died.

A gentleman rushes in with terrible news: Goneril has killed herself, and before dying, she poisoned Regan. Their bodies are brought in.

Kent asks about Lear. Albany remembers that Lear and Cordelia are still imprisoned. Edmund, realizing his crimes, repents and gives orders to save Cordelia, sending a messenger. But the messenger arrives too late.

Lear enters, holding Cordelia dead in his arms. Grief and madness mix as he mourns her. Kent tries to speak, but Lear barely recognizes him. Another messenger announces Edmund has died. Lear tries to revive Cordelia, but she is gone. Overcome, Lear dies.

Albany restores power and titles to Edgar and Kent. Kent declines, feeling near death himself, but Edgar accepts. The remaining survivors leave sadly as a funeral march plays.