King Lear

I. So What?



A. Main Characters



1. King Lear- Lear means well. Nonetheless, within the play's opening scene he has unknowingly sealed his tragic fate. Lear commits the first and most important act of betrayal when he condones his daughter Cordelia and banishes her from the kingdom. Foolishly entrusting his kingdom and inheritance amongst his remaining daughters Goneril and Regan, Lear soonafter falls into a permanent madness.



2. Cordelia- Lear's youngest daughter. She loves her father the most, but cannot heave her heart into her mouth, and as a result is disowned. Impressed by her virtuous character (not her dowry), she marries the King of France. Edmund orders her hanged, and even after he changes his order, it is too late and Cordelia dies in the closing scene.



3. Goneril- Lear's oldest daughter and Albany's wife. She manipulates Lear through false flattery in order to obtain a piece of the kingdom. Once she bequethed power, Goneril defies her father's authority. She also initiates an affair with Edmund. In the end she commits suicide after poisoning her sister, Regan.



4. Regan- Lear's middle daughter. She, like Goneril, cleverly betrays her father to obtain the power and glory she seeks. Also like Goneril, Regan pursues Edmund. In the end, Regan is poisoned by Goneril.



5. Edmund- the bastard son of Gloucester. Edmund schemes to trick his father into bestowing him, not Edmund the legitimate son, his fortune. He is a formidable character, succeeding in almost all of his schemes and wreaking destruction upon virtually all of the other characters.



B. Essential Plot Elements



1. Introduction- King Lear calls in his three daughters to divide his kingdom. Whoever can produce the greatest flattery will recieve the most fortune. Cordelia cannot produce anything to say and she is banished. Goneril and Regan adorn their father with flattery and subsequently are given land and power.



2. Rising Action- Goneril and Regan begin scheming against Lear in order to obtain more authority and power. Meanwhile, Edmund sets to scheming against his brother Edgar in order to recive fortune from his own father, Gloucester.



3. Climax- Gloucester learns of Goneril and Regan's collusions and attempts to help Lear. Regan discovers Gloucester helping Lear. As punishement, his eyes are gauged out.



4. Falling Action- In Dover, a French army led by Cordelia arrives to help Lear. The English are led by Edmund to Dover and defeat the French.



5. Cordelia is captured and hung, Edgar kills Edmund, Goneril poisions Regan, and then Goneril stabs herself. Edgard, Albany, and Kent are the only characters left.



Setting

• England, 8th Century B.C.

Central Conflicts