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King Lear Summary | Play by William Shakespeare | Neb English Support Class 12
King Lear by William Shakespeare
SHORT STORYLINE
King Lear by William Shakespeare
King Lear divides his kingdom, banishes his daughter, goes mad, there's a storm, and everyone dies at last.
SHORT SUMMARY
King Lear by William Shakespeare
King Lear divides his kingdom among the two of his daughters, who flatter him much, and banishes the third, who loves him. Later, his two eldest daughters reject him at their homes, so Lear gets mad and wanders through a storm. His exiled daughter returns with her army, but they lose the battle. Finally, Lear, all his daughters, and others die.
Act I
This play, "King Lear," starts as the Earl of Gloucester introduces his illegitimate son, Edmund, to the Earl of Kent. King Lear of Britain enters his court. Now that King Lear is old, he has decided to divide his kingdom among his three daughters. The division of the kingdom will depend on the quality of the declarations of love made by each princess to their father before the court. Both Goneril, Duchess of Albany, and Regan, Duchess of Cornwall, speak quite enthusiastically and gain their father's praise in court. But Cordelia, the youngest, says nothing because she cannot express her deep love for Lear in words. Misunderstanding his daughter Cordelia, Lear disowns her and banishes her from the kingdom. He also banishes the Earl of Kent, who had supported and taken Cordelia's side against the King.
This particular action by the king divides the kingdom both figuratively and literally. Cordelia's suitor, Burgundy's Duke, rejects her once she is without a dowry, but the King of France gives value to her honesty and accepts her as his wife. The kingdom of Leir is shared between Goneril and Regan and their suitors (the Dukes of Albany and Cornwall, respectively). Lear decides to alternate living with each of them.
Act II
Meanwhile, Edmund is determined to be recognised as Gloucester's worthy son. With the help of a trick, he convinces his father that his legitimate brother, Edgar, is plotting against his (Gloucester's) life. Warned by Edmund that his life is in danger, Edgar runs away and disguises himself as a Bedlam beggar. Edmund becomes Goneril's courtier. Goneril, meanwhile, becomes increasingly agitated by the behaviour of Lear's Hundred Companions, who are troubling her life at the castle of Albany, and she starts criticising her father.
Kent has returned from exile in disguised form and won a position as Lear's servant. Kent goes with Lear when, in a rage against her criticisms, he curses Goneril and leaves. Lear moes unannounced to stay with his next daughter, Regan, and her husband, Cornwall, who are revealed to have gone out to visit Gloucester. When Lear arrives at Gloucester's house to find Regan, she abandons him and his followers, namely his devoted companion, the Fool.
Act III
Despairing for his daughters and deeply remorseful for rejecting Cordelia, Lear goes insane at the height of a great storm. He and the Fool run wild on the heath until Gloucester takes them to a cottage for shelter. Later, he enlists the aid of Kent to escort them to the coast, where Cordelia has landed with a French army to fight for her father against her sisters and their husbands. Next, Gloucester leaves and returns home.
Meanwhile, Edmund acts as a messenger between the sisters and is accompanied by each in turn. He explains to Cornwall that Gloucester (his father) is an enemy because he has been in contact with France and helped Lear when they were turned away by Regan. As punishment for Gloucester's seeming betrayal, both Cornwall and Regan pluck out his eyes and leave him. During the time of blinding Gloucester, a servant stabs Cornwall, who dies. But Regan continues to rule with the help of Edmund.
Act IV
Out in the storm, Lear finds shelter where Edgar, who has also taken refuge, still seems to be in the disguised form of a beggar. The fool, the mad king, and the disguised "mad" beggar become unlikely companions before parting ways. Edgar finds Gloucester wandering the Heath, alone and in pain. Since his father is blind, Edgar takes the despondent man to shore and helps him on the journey to come to an acceptance of his life. Later, Gloucester meets Mad Lear on Dover Beach, near the camp of Cordelia. With Kent's assistance, Lear is rescued and reunited with Cordelia. Now reunited with Edgar, Gloucester dies quietly alone.
Act V
The French army is overcome by Albany's forces, led by Edmund, and both Lear and Cordelia are captured. In their jealous rivalry for Edmund's attention, Goneril has already poisoned Regan. Edgar, now disguised as a loyal knight, challenges Edmund to a fight and mortally wounds him. Seeing no way out, Goneril kills herself, and a dying Edmund confesses all his misdeeds and releases Cordelia. However, it is too late to save Cordelia from the executioner. Lear's heart breaks when he takes the body of his beloved youngest daughter, Cordelia, in his arms, and he dies. Both Albany and Edgar are left to reorganise the kingdom and resolve all the civil wars.
QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS
King Lear by William Shakespeare
1. Why does Lear banish Cordelia?
Answer:
Lear banishes Cordelia because she cannot express her love in words, leading him to misunderstand her intentions.
2. Why does Edmund hate his family?
Answer:
Edmund hates his family because he is Gloucester's illegitimate son and seeks recognition as worthy, leading him to scheme against his legitimate brother, Edgar.
3. Who is "Poor Tom"?
Answer:
"Poor Tom" is the disguised form of Edgar, who pretends to be a mad beggar to escape danger.
4. Why does Cornwall blind Gloucester?
Answer:
Cornwall blinds Gloucester as punishment for his perceived betrayal, having helped Lear and been in contact with France.
5. Who rules Britain at the end of the play?
Answer:
At the end of the play, both Lear and Cordelia die, leaving Albany and Edgar to reorganize and rule Britain.
6. Why does King Lear divide his kingdom?
Answer:
King Lear divides his kingdom based on the declarations of love from his daughters, favoring flattery over genuine affection.
7. What is Cordelia’s response to King Lear’s love test?
Answer:
Cordelia responds to King Lear's love test by saying nothing, unable to express her deep love for him in words.
8. Why do Goneril and Regan betray King Lear?
Answer:
Goneril and Regan betray King Lear due to their greed for power and dissatisfaction with his behavior, leading to their rejection of him.
9. Who is Caius?
Answer:
Caius is a disguised Kent, who returns from exile to serve Lear and support Cordelia.
10. How does Edmund trick Edgar?
Answer:
Edmund tricks Edgar by framing him as a traitor and convincing Gloucester that Edgar is plotting against his life.
11. Why does King Lear leave Goneril’s house?
Answer:
King Lear leaves Goneril's house in rage after she criticizes him, cursing her and seeking refuge with Regan.
12. What does the Fool’s prophecy mean?
Answer:
The Fool's prophecy suggests that calamities and chaos will follow Lear's unwise decisions.
13. Why does King Lear change his mind about Cordelia?
Answer:
King Lear changes his mind about Cordelia when he realizes the depth of her love after banishing her unjustly.
14. Why does the Fool disappear?
Answer:
The Fool disappears, and his absence is not explicitly explained in the text.
15. How do King Lear and his daughters die?
Answer:
King Lear and his daughters die through a series of tragic events: Goneril poisons Regan, Edgar wounds Edmund in a fight, Goneril kills herself, and Lear dies of a broken heart while holding Cordelia's lifeless body.
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