King Lear

Content

• Origin
• Characters
• Plot

-Act I

-Act II

-Act III

-Act IV

-Act V

• Themes

Origin

Shakespeare's rather infamous tragedy "King Lear" has presumably been written between 1603 and 1606. It bases on a legend dealing with the acutal King Lear, who was said to have reigned in Britain 800 years BC and his three daughters. The legend was famous in Elizabethan times. After the play didn't draw as many spectators as other Shakespeare tragedys he editet it and gave it a happy ending, which increased it's popularity.

Characters

• King Lear
• Goneril (King's daughter)
• Regan (King's daughter)
• Cordelia (King's daughter)
• Earl Gloucester
• Edmund (Earl's illegitimate son)
• Edgar (Earl's son)
• Cornwall (Regan's husband)
• Albany (Goneril's husband)
• Kent
• Fool (Earl's jester)
• Oswald

Plot - Act I

The old King Lear wants to divide his kingdom into three pieces, each for one of his daughters. The daughter who performs the act that show the most love is promised to receive the greatest part of his territory. Goneril and Regan, his two oldest children declare to love him more than the other sisters, hoping to win his trust and to gain the biggest part. The youngest daughter, Cordelia, refuses to make great promises to her beloved father, convinced that her true love will win over her sisters false words. Lear doesn't recognise Cordelias plan, which results in him getting outraged about her behaviour and denies to give her a part. The kingdom gets split up in two shares, for Goneril and Regan.

The King of France, who is currently visiting King Lear, realizes that Cordelia is the only honest daughter, and takes her home to France with him, planning to make her his queen.

Gloucesters illegitimate son Edmund is fed up with the way society treats bastards like him. He plans a scheme against his brother legitimate brother Edgar, and therefore convinces their father that he was planned to be killed by Edgar. His father believes him,

King Lear, spending time at Gonerils castle, and his men find out that Gonerils servants don't obey his commands. Lear questions that, which leads to Goneril opening up to him about sending his servants away, because they misbehaved. Lear is outraged about his daughters transformation that he angrily leaves her castle, fleeing to Regan. He believes that she at least is a loyal and loving daughter.

Plot - Act II

In Gloucesters castle, Edmund continues his scheme against his brother, fake fighting him and hurting hisself on purpose. He later explains to his father that Edgar hurt him because Edmund did not want to join him in a plot against their father. Once again, Gloucester believes his illegitimate son, and even their visitors Regan and her husband Cornwell are convinced of Edgars fault.

Kent, one of Lears servants, gets in a conflict with Cornwall, Regan and Gloucester. They decide to put him in the stocks as a form of punishment. Edgar, hunted by Gloucesters men, arrives in the stocks, and hides there, disguised as a beggar. Lear is not amused by the way Regan and Cornwall treated Kent, since he is one of his servants. They avoid talking about it to him, and Lear is fine with that. He talks to Regan about Gonerils behaviour towards him, begging for shelter at Regans. She refuses to help her father and tries to convince him that he is wrong.

When Goneril arrives at Regans castle, she bonds with her sister against her father, They prohibit him having servants anymore. Lear leaves, facing a heavy storm outside. Even though Gloucester begs the Kings daughters to let him back in, they lock the doors and shut their father out.

Plot - Act III

Kent, searching for King Lear, meets one of Lears knights, who reveals to him that Lear is somewhere in the area, with his only company being the fool. Kent therefore tells the knight about friends in Dover, who can help Lear. He gives him a ring to deliver to Cordelia. He ensures him that she knows who sent the knight when she receives it.

Meanwhile, Lear and the Fool wander around the woods, challenged by the poor weather conditions. The Fool tries to persuade his leader to seek shelter somewhere, but King Lear remains stubborn. They encounter Kent, who finally manages to make the King want to seek shelter in a nearby hovel.

In his castle, Gloucester opens up to Edmund about his feelings about King Lears daughters and their malicious behaviour against their father. They even prohibited him from talking about Lear. He informs him about a French army invading England. Gloucester decides to assist King Lear, and to seek him. Edmund is told to not say a word about Gloucesters absence, since that could bring him in trouble. After Gloucester leaves, Edmund takes the opportunity to betray his father, speaking up to Cornwall about Gloucesters decision to help Lear.

After arriving at the hovel, Lear refuses to go in, ensuring that his emotions are stronger than the cold storm. He sends his Fool inside the shelter, who quickly returns, saying that there is a spirit inside. The spirit is Edgar, still in disguise. He acts mad, and Lear in his dejected circumstances sympathises with him.

Gloucester gets to the hovel, convincing Lear to join him back to the castle. Lear agrees, under the condition that he may bring his new companion the beggar, who actually is Edgar. The return to Regans castle is prevented by the incoming information of someone plotting Lear's death. He gets send to Dover, to be safe.

Regan, Cornwall, Goneril and Edmund plan Gloucesters death as the revenge for his betrayal towards them. Regan and Cornwall rip out his eyes, making him blind. Gloucester calls Edmund for help, when he finds out that he was the one to turn him in. Gloucester realizes that his elligitimate son was the one lying, and that Edgar was innocent from the beginning on.

Plot - Act IV

Gloucester is let out in the woods, where he meets his still disguised son Edgar, whom he tells how blind he has been, judging the wrong son. Edgar promises to accompany him to Dover, where Gloucester wants to commit suicide.

Edmund and Goneril kiss when he brings her back to her castle. When she hears that Cornwall has died in a fight with one of Gloucesters servants, she is scared that Regan will now try to seduce Edmund. Meanwhile Gonerils husband Albany declares that he is on Lears and Gloucesters side.

Cordelia, with the French, has got to Dover, where she finds out about her fathers horrible condition. She sends many of her men to find him. Edgar manages to prevent his father from killing himself, tricking him to thinking he jumps of a cliff when actually he only jumps of a small step.He convinces Gloucester that the gods didn't want him to die. Oswald, one of Regans servants, tries to kill Gloucester, but Edgar succesfully defends his father. Oswald hands him a letter to Edmund, in which Goneril asks him to kill her husband Albany.

Cordelia finally gets to talk to her beloved father, where they excuse their behaviour towards each other.

Plot - Act V

Albany, Goneril, Edmund and Regan, despite personal deviation, decide to work together against the french invadors. Regan and Goneril continue to fight over Edmund, who is still uncertain which daughter to give his heart to.

After defeating the french troops, Edmund imprisons Lear and his youngest daughter. Lear declares his love to Cordelia, and that she is the only thing that matters to him anymore. Albany, Regan, Goneril and Edmund come together for a vitory meeting. In this conference Goneril and Regan once again fight over Edmund, even though Gonerils husband Albany is around too. He arrests Goneril and Edmund for planning his death, which equals to treason. Goneril reveals that she poisoned her sister Regan, and stabs herself. Edgar decides to battle Edmund, but he is told not to kill him, so that Albany can imprison him. Edmund is wounded, and confesses his guilt.

Cordelia has died in prison, just like Edmund has commanded it before being arrested. King Lear mourns about his loss, the last thing he loved, his only loyal daughter Cordelia. Her death makes him so depressed that he dies.