King Lear

King Lear is a tragedy by William Shakespeare based on the legend of King Leir of Britain.

Fast Facts

1. Writer: William Shakespeare
2. Setting: Eighth century b.c., England
3. Written between 1603 and 1606 - there is much debate on dating
4. First Performance: December 26, 1606
5. Considered one of Shakespeare's greatest tragedies
6. Two versions exist:
   1. The True Chronicle of the History of the Life and Death of King Lear and His Three Daughters - in quarto in 1608
   2. The Tragedy of King Lear - First Folio 1623
7. Major Source: The Chronicles of England, Scotlande, and Irelande 2nd. Ed. by Raphael Holinshed - 1587

Synopsis

When Lear, the King of the Britons, decides to step down and divide his kingdom up between his three daughters he puts them through a test to determine their love for him. His two older daughters, Goneril and Regan flatter the King, but his youngest and most favored, Cordelia, refuses, saying that she has no words to describe how much she loves her father and cannot be compelled to do so in dishonestly. Enraged by her response, Lear disowns Cordelia and divides his kingdom between Goneril and Regan only. The main action of the play follows this fateful decision by Lear, which leads to his betrayal by Goneril and Regan, Lear's gradual fall into insanity, a cataclysmic war between the forces of Britain and France, and the eventual death's of Lear's entire family.

Main Characters

1. King Lear: ruler of Britain whose misjudgment of his daughters brings about his downfall.
2. Cordelia: Lear's youngest daughter, she is disowned by her father for refusing to flatter him.
3. Goneril: Lear's treacherous eldest daughter and wife to the Duke of Albany.
4. Regan: Lear's treacherous second daughter, and wife to the Duke of Cornwall.
5. Earl of Gloucester: A nobleman loyal to King Lear, is also Edgar's father, and the father of the bastard, Edmund.
6. Edmund: The Earl of Gloucester's illegitimate son. The play's main villian, he schemes to usurp his father's title from his half-brother Edgar.
7. Edgar: the legitimate son of the Earl of Gloucester is deceived by Edmund and flees. Under disguise he blinds his father and assumes rule of the kingdom and restores the 'Divine Right of Kings' at the end of the play.
8. The Fool: a jester who is devoted to Lear and Cordelia. Maintains and close personal relationship to Lear.

Famous Quotes

• "Blow, Winds and crack your cheeks! rage! blow!"

• "Howl, howl, howl,howl! O! you are men of stones"

• "Nothing will come of nothing:speak again"

• "Come not between the dragon and his wrath"

• "How sharper than a serpent's tooth it is to have a thankless child."

• "Although the last, not least."

• "Who is it that can tell me who I am?"

• "Mend your speech a little, lest it may mar your fortunes."

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