![]() ![]() He tricks his father with a forged letter, making him think that Edgar plans to usurp the estate. Gloucester's son Edmund resents his illegitimate status and plots to dispose of his legitimate older half-brother, Edgar. After Cordelia bids farewell to them and leaves with the King of France, Goneril and Regan speak privately, revealing that their declarations of love were false and that they view Lear as a foolish old man. He reserves to himself a retinue of 100 knights, to be supported by his daughters. Lear announces he will live alternately with Goneril and Regan, and their husbands. King Lear: Cordelia's Farewell by Edwin Austin Abbey Meanwhile, Gloucester has introduced his illegitimate son Edmund to Kent. she whom even but now was your best object, / The argument of your praise, balm of your age. The King of France is shocked by Lear's decision because up until this time Lear has only praised and favoured Cordelia (". Learning that Cordelia has been disinherited, the Duke of Burgundy withdraws his suit, but the King of France is impressed by her honesty and marries her nonetheless. ![]() Lear then summons the Duke of Burgundy and the King of France, who have both proposed marriage to Cordelia. Enraged by Kent's protests, Lear banishes him from the country. Kent objects to Lear's unfair treatment of Cordelia. The Earl of Gloucester and the Earl of Kent observe that, by dividing his realm between Goneril and Regan, Lear has awarded his realm in equal shares to the peerages of the Duke of Albany (Goneril's husband) and the Duke of Cornwall (Regan's husband). Infuriated, Lear disinherits Cordelia and divides her share between her elder sisters. When it is finally the turn of his youngest and favourite daughter, Cordelia, at first she refuses to say anything ("Nothing, my Lord") and then declares there is nothing to compare her love to, no words to express it properly she says honestly but bluntly that she loves him according to her bond, no more and no less, and will reserve half of her love for her future husband. He then awards to Regan her share as soon as she has spoken. Moved by her flattery, Lear proceeds to grant to Goneril her share as soon as she has finished her declaration, before Regan and Cordelia have a chance to speak. The eldest, Goneril, speaks first, declaring her love for her father in fulsome terms. King Lear of Britain, elderly and wanting to retire from the duties of the monarchy, decides to divide his realm among his three daughters, and declares he will offer the largest share to the one who loves him most. Characters Ĭordelia in the Court of King Lear (1873) by Sir John Gilbert In his A Defence of Poetry, Percy Bysshe Shelley called King Lear "the most perfect specimen of the dramatic art existing in the world", and the play is regularly cited as one of the greatest works of literature ever written. The play was often revised after the English Restoration for audiences who disliked its dark and depressing tone, but since the 19th century Shakespeare's original play has been regarded as one of his supreme achievements.īoth the title role and the supporting roles have been coveted by accomplished actors, and the play has been widely adapted. The quarto versions differ significantly from the folio version. The three extant publications from which modern editors derive their texts are the 1608 quarto (Q1) and the 1619 quarto (Q2, unofficial and based on Q1) and the 1623 First Folio. The first known performance of any version of Shakespeare's play was on Saint Stephen's Day in 1606. He becomes destitute and insane and a proscribed crux of political machinations. King Lear, in preparation for his old age, divides his power and land between two of his daughters. It is based on the mythological Leir of Britain. ![]() It does not store any personal data.King Lear is a tragedy written by William Shakespeare. The cookie is set by the GDPR Cookie Consent plugin and is used to store whether or not user has consented to the use of cookies. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Performance". This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookies is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Necessary". The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Other. The cookie is set by GDPR cookie consent to record the user consent for the cookies in the category "Functional". The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Analytics". These cookies ensure basic functionalities and security features of the website, anonymously. Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. ![]()
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