King LearKing Lear
When we are born, we cry that we are come to When we are born, we cry that we are come to this great stage of fools. this great stage of fools.
- Lear, Act IV Scene 4- Lear, Act IV Scene 4
By Shakespeare
What does that mean?
Dramatis PersonaeDramatis Personae► LearLear – king of Britain – king of Britain► GonerilGoneril – his eldest daughter – his eldest daughter► ReganRegan – his second daughter – his second daughter► CordeliaCordelia – his youngest and favorite daughter – his youngest and favorite daughter► AlbanyAlbany – Goneril’s husband – Goneril’s husband► CornwallCornwall – Regan’s husband – Regan’s husband► KentKent – a faithful nobleman – a faithful nobleman► GloucesterGloucester – another loyal nobleman – another loyal nobleman► EdgarEdgar – Gloucester’s rightful son – Gloucester’s rightful son► EdmundEdmund – a bastard of Gloucester – a bastard of Gloucester► FoolFool – a loyal clown who entertains Lear – a loyal clown who entertains Lear
Our story begins a long, long time ago, Our story begins a long, long time ago, in a place far, far away…in a place far, far away…
► SettingSetting: England: England►TimeTime: ??: ??
Lear and his three daughtersLear and his three daughters
At Lear’s castle…At Lear’s castle…► Lear decides to give up his throne and divide his kingdom Lear decides to give up his throne and divide his kingdom
among his three daughtersamong his three daughters► His daughter, Cordelia, has two suitors – the king of France His daughter, Cordelia, has two suitors – the king of France
and duke of Burgundyand duke of Burgundy► Lear asks his daughters how much they love himLear asks his daughters how much they love him► Goneril and Regan flatter, but Cordelia says that she loves him Goneril and Regan flatter, but Cordelia says that she loves him
no more than a daughter loves her fatherno more than a daughter loves her father
““Unhappy that I am, I cannot heave my heart into my mouth: I love your Unhappy that I am, I cannot heave my heart into my mouth: I love your majesty according to my bond; nor more nor less.”majesty according to my bond; nor more nor less.”
► Angered, Lear disowns Cordelia and divides his Angered, Lear disowns Cordelia and divides his kingdom between Goneril and Regankingdom between Goneril and Regan
► Kent tries to defend Cordelia, but Lear banishes him Kent tries to defend Cordelia, but Lear banishes him from Britainfrom Britain
► Lear gives Cordelia to the king of France, and though Lear gives Cordelia to the king of France, and though Cordelia is not happy about leaving her father with Cordelia is not happy about leaving her father with her sisters, she leaves England with her husbandher sisters, she leaves England with her husband
► Lear gives his power to Albany and Cornwall, the Lear gives his power to Albany and Cornwall, the husbands of Goneril and Reganhusbands of Goneril and Regan
The treachery begins… The treachery begins… ► Lear settles down to live with Goneril with 100 of his Lear settles down to live with Goneril with 100 of his
knightsknights► Goneril tells her steward, Oswald, to be disrespectful Goneril tells her steward, Oswald, to be disrespectful
towards Leartowards Lear► Kent returns, disguised as a man named Caius and Kent returns, disguised as a man named Caius and
defends Leardefends Lear► Goneril offends Lear and dismisses 50 of his knightsGoneril offends Lear and dismisses 50 of his knights► Lear is angered and storms out of Goneril’s palace with Lear is angered and storms out of Goneril’s palace with
his knights and Foolhis knights and Fool► He sends Caius (Kent) with a letter to GloucesterHe sends Caius (Kent) with a letter to Gloucester
Meanwhile…Meanwhile…
►Edmund shows his father Gloucester a forged Edmund shows his father Gloucester a forged letter that said that Edgar was planning to take letter that said that Edgar was planning to take over his landsover his lands
►Edmund pretends to help Edgar, but is actually Edmund pretends to help Edgar, but is actually plotting to have Edgar removedplotting to have Edgar removed
►He persuades Edgar to flee and wounds himself He persuades Edgar to flee and wounds himself to make it seem that Edgar attacked himto make it seem that Edgar attacked him
►Gloucester is convinced and vows to capture Gloucester is convinced and vows to capture EdgarEdgar
Betrayed!Betrayed!► Kent (Caius) gets into a fight Kent (Caius) gets into a fight
with Oswaldwith Oswald► Cornwall and Regan break up Cornwall and Regan break up
the fightthe fight► The loyal Caius is placed in the The loyal Caius is placed in the
stocks for 24 hoursstocks for 24 hours► Lear arrives and demands that Lear arrives and demands that
Caius; Regan refuses, but Caius; Regan refuses, but allows Lear to stay at her palaceallows Lear to stay at her palace
► Regan dismisses all of Lear’s Regan dismisses all of Lear’s knights, and Lear leaves in knights, and Lear leaves in angeranger
Lear goes insaneLear goes insane► Goneril, Regan, and Goneril, Regan, and
Cornwall are glad that Cornwall are glad that Lear is gone, but Lear is gone, but Gloucester is worried for Gloucester is worried for his king’s healthhis king’s health
► A storm approaches and A storm approaches and Lear and his last servants Lear and his last servants (Caius and the Fool) (Caius and the Fool) walk into a healthwalk into a health
► Lear stands in the rain Lear stands in the rain and curses his daughtersand curses his daughters
The storm builds upThe storm builds up
► Kent sends a man to Dover to tell Cordelia of her father’s Kent sends a man to Dover to tell Cordelia of her father’s plightplight
► Kent brings Lear into a nearby cave, where they meet Kent brings Lear into a nearby cave, where they meet Edgar, who disguises himself as a madman (“Poor Tom”)Edgar, who disguises himself as a madman (“Poor Tom”)
► Gloucester then arrives and takes them to a farmhouseGloucester then arrives and takes them to a farmhouse► Edmund decides to betray his fatherEdmund decides to betray his father
► He tells Cornwall that Gloucester was helping LearHe tells Cornwall that Gloucester was helping Lear► At the farmhouse, Gloucester tells Lear, the Fool, and At the farmhouse, Gloucester tells Lear, the Fool, and
Caius to flee because Cornwall was planning to kill Caius to flee because Cornwall was planning to kill themthem
► Cornwall arrives and captures GloucesterCornwall arrives and captures Gloucester► Gloucester is tortured, his eyes are ripped outGloucester is tortured, his eyes are ripped out► A servant wounds Cornwall and helps Gloucester A servant wounds Cornwall and helps Gloucester
escapeescape► They meet Edgar (in disguise still as a madman) and They meet Edgar (in disguise still as a madman) and
Edgar leads his blind father the rest of the way to Edgar leads his blind father the rest of the way to Dover, where a French army under Cordelia is stationedDover, where a French army under Cordelia is stationed
► Gloucester realizes that he had mistaken EdgarGloucester realizes that he had mistaken Edgar
Blind GloucesterBlind Gloucester
The plot tightensThe plot tightens
► On the way to Dover, Edgar On the way to Dover, Edgar and Gloucester meet Oswaldand Gloucester meet Oswald
► Edgar fights Oswald and kills Edgar fights Oswald and kills him; he finds a letter from him; he finds a letter from Goneril to Edmund, telling Goneril to Edmund, telling him to kill Albany so that she him to kill Albany so that she could marry himcould marry him
► We learn that Cornwall had We learn that Cornwall had died from the wound, and the died from the wound, and the Regan is also in love with Regan is also in love with Edmund…Edmund…
► There is conflict between There is conflict between sisters nowsisters now
The storm breaks…The storm breaks…
► At Dover, Cordelia sends At Dover, Cordelia sends a sentry to find her fathera sentry to find her father
► Father and daughter are Father and daughter are finally reunitedfinally reunited
► Lear is unconscious Lear is unconscious when they find him, but when they find him, but when he wakes, he when he wakes, he recognizes Cordelia and recognizes Cordelia and asks for her forgivenessasks for her forgiveness
The final battleThe final battle
►The English and French are at warThe English and French are at war►At the English camp, Goneril argues with At the English camp, Goneril argues with
Albany and fights with Regan for EdmundAlbany and fights with Regan for Edmund►Albany decides to cooperate with Goneril and Albany decides to cooperate with Goneril and
Regan only because of the French invasionRegan only because of the French invasion►The French army under Cordelia loses, and she The French army under Cordelia loses, and she
and her father are captured by the evil Edmundand her father are captured by the evil Edmund►Edmund sends them to jail and orders the Edmund sends them to jail and orders the
captain to have both of them hangedcaptain to have both of them hanged
The ending…The ending…► Edgar brings Goneril’s letter Edgar brings Goneril’s letter
to Albany, and he decides to to Albany, and he decides to fight against Goneril and fight against Goneril and ReganRegan
► Another battle occurs, and in Another battle occurs, and in the climactic scene, Edgar the climactic scene, Edgar fights Edmund and wounds fights Edmund and wounds his evil half-brotherhis evil half-brother
► Edmund admits to all his Edmund admits to all his crimes and repentscrimes and repents
► Meanwhile Goneril poisons Meanwhile Goneril poisons her sister Regan and commits her sister Regan and commits suicide herself after learning suicide herself after learning of Edmund’s defeatof Edmund’s defeat
► Edgar and Caius sent people to save Lear and CordeliaEdgar and Caius sent people to save Lear and Cordelia► The save Lear, but they are too late for CordeliaThe save Lear, but they are too late for Cordelia► Lear enters, holding Cordelia’s bodyLear enters, holding Cordelia’s body► Howl, howl, howl, howl! O! you are men of stones: had I your tongues and eyes, I'd Howl, howl, howl, howl! O! you are men of stones: had I your tongues and eyes, I'd
use them so that heaven's vaults should crack. She's gone for ever. I know when one is use them so that heaven's vaults should crack. She's gone for ever. I know when one is dead, and when one lives; she's dead as earth.dead, and when one lives; she's dead as earth. - - Lear, Act V Scene 3Lear, Act V Scene 3
► Edgar reveals himself to his dying father, GloucesterEdgar reveals himself to his dying father, Gloucester► Caius reveals himself as Kent to Lear, who in grief over Caius reveals himself as Kent to Lear, who in grief over
Cordelia finally recognizes his most loyal servantCordelia finally recognizes his most loyal servant► Lear though is completely mad and dies of grief over Lear though is completely mad and dies of grief over
his daughter’s deathhis daughter’s death► Albany and Kent are left to restore order following the Albany and Kent are left to restore order following the
tragedytragedy
Lear carrying CordeliaLear carrying Cordelia
The EndThe End
Questions to talk about…Questions to talk about…► What is Lear’s weakness?What is Lear’s weakness?► Was Cordelia’s answer to her father appropriate?Was Cordelia’s answer to her father appropriate?► Why do you think Lear went insane?Why do you think Lear went insane?► Did Lear deserve what happened to him?Did Lear deserve what happened to him?► Who do you think displayed the greatest courage in the play?Who do you think displayed the greatest courage in the play?► Who do you feel the most sympathy for? Why?Who do you feel the most sympathy for? Why?► Who do you think has the most admirable character?Who do you think has the most admirable character?► Who is the true hero of the play?Who is the true hero of the play?► What is the significance of insanity? What does it symbolize?What is the significance of insanity? What does it symbolize?► Do you see a parallel between different characters?Do you see a parallel between different characters?► How many people died in this play?How many people died in this play?► Where is the climax of the story?Where is the climax of the story?► What is the theme of the play?What is the theme of the play?► Would the play have the same effect on you if it ended as “they lived Would the play have the same effect on you if it ended as “they lived
happily ever after”? Do you think a tragic ending is better, or a happy one? happily ever after”? Do you think a tragic ending is better, or a happy one? Why?Why?
