King Lear

Synopsis

King Lear announces his intention to abdicate his power to his three daughters. His eldest, Goneril, is married to the Duke of Albany, his middle child, Regan, to the Duke of Cornwall. The Duke of Burgundy and the King of France are at the Court, both to woo Lear's youngest daughter, Cordelia. Before revealing the details of the division of the kingdom, Lear asks each of the daughters to tell how much she loves him, intimating the largest share will go the daughter who expresses the most affection. Goneril speaks an embellished expression of endearment and Regan does her best to follow suit. Cordelia remains silent, and when pressed, offends both her father and sisters, saying that it is only natural that her future husband will have half her love. Lear flies into a rage; he disowns Cordelia, leaving her share of the kingdom to Cornwall and Albany to “digest.” He banishes his faithful ally, the Earl of Kent, for coming to his daughter’s defense and does his best to discourage her suitors. The King of France refuses to be dissuaded, and agrees to marry Cordelia without a dowry and they leave for France.

The Earl of Gloucester’s illegitimate son, Edmund, deceives him into believing that Gloucester’s legitimate son, Edgar, is laying a plot to kill their father in order to come into his inheritance early.

Lear and his Knights visit Goneril and Albany’s estate on a hunting trip. When she criticizes the behaviors of the Knights and Lear’s Fool, Lear lays a hurtful and devastating curse of infertility upon her and storms off to stay with Regan.

Fleeing the manhunt his father has set for him, Edgar disguises himself as a religious beggar, calling himself “Poor Tom.”

Regan and Cornwall visit the Earl of Gloucester, hoping to secretly enlist him in a civil war against Goneril and Albany. Lear, accompanied by the Fool, tracks Regan to Gloucester’s estate and is angered to find his messenger (Kent in disguise) placed in stocks on Cornwall’s order. Goneril arrives and the daughters join forces to demand that Lear dismiss his Knights. Lear flees into a freezing thunderstorm, accompanied by the Fool and the disguised Kent.

Cornwall and Regan arrest Gloucester for his aid to Lear; they accuse him of treason before Cornwall savagely blinds him. Cornwall receives a mortal wound from a servant who comes to Gloucester’s defense. Edgar, in the disguise of “Poor Tom”, discovers his father being led by a faithful servant. At Gloucester’s request “Poor Tom” leads him toward the cliffs of Dover, where the old man intends to take his own life.

Edmund and Goneril, having become lovers during the journey, arrive at her estate. Albany castigates his wife for her cruelty to her father.

A French army, led by Cordelia in an effort to rescue her father, lands at Dover.

Regan, newly widowed and jealous of Goneril’s intentions towards Edmund, tries to entice her sister’s servant to let her read a letter Goneril has written to him.

Edgar deceives the despairing Gloucester into believing that he is on the precipice of the cliffs of Dover, rather than on level ground, and convinces him that he has survived his attempt at suicide.

Lear, wandering the countryside in his madness, stumbles upon Gloucester and Edgar. As Cordelia's army prepares to meet the English forces she is reconciled with her father, who begs her forgiveness. The English, led by Edmund, defeat the French. Lear and Cordelia are captured and Edmund secretly gives a command that they be executed. Edgar kills Edmund in a duel and tells Albany of his father’s death. Goneril, jealous of Regan’s romantic and political alliance with Edmund, poisons her. Goneril commits suicide after Albany exposes a plot between her and Edmund to kill him. Cordelia is executed in prison and Lear dies from grief at her passing. Kent, broken from the many sorrows, leaves to die and it is left to Edgar to lead the country out of a cloud of sorrow and regret.