King Lear is a tragedy by William Shakespeare about an ageing king who decides to divide his kingdom among his three daughters based on how much they say they love him. When his youngest and most honest daughter, Cordelia, refuses to flatter him, Lear disowns her and gives his power to his deceitful elder daughters, Goneril and Regan, who soon betray him. Stripped of authority and driven into madness, Lear wanders the wilderness during a storm while a parallel subplot sees the nobleman Gloucester betrayed and blinded by his illegitimate son Edmund, as his loyal son Edgar hides in disguise. In the end, Cordelia returns to rescue Lear but is captured and executed; Lear dies from grief, and the kingdom falls into chaos. The play explores themes of power, loyalty, deception, justice, and the fragile line between sanity and madness.
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King Lear
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Shakespeare: King Lear
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King Lear by William Shakespeare, written around 1605-1606, stands as one of the Bard’s most tragic and profound works. Set in ancient Britain, the play tells the story of King Lear, who, in a moment of tragic folly, decides to divide his kingdom among his three daughters based on their expressions of love for him. The consequences of this ill-fated decision lead to betrayal, madness, and ultimate tragedy. Lear’s descent into madness and the parallel narrative of Gloucester and his sons contribute to the play’s investigation of familial relationships, the consequences of pride, and the nature of authority.
An ageing king divides his kingdom amongst his three daughters in this story of power, mortality, family and betrayal.
