SparkNotes - King Lear

SparkNotes No Fear Shakespeare will help you break through all that. Put the pieces together with our easy-to-read translations. Soon youll be reading Shakespeares own words fearlesslyand actually enjoying it. No Fear Shakespeare pairs Shakespeares language with translations into modern English-the kind of English people actually speak today. When Shakespeares words make your head spin, our translations will help you sort out whats happening, whos saying what, and why.

Lear is used to enjoying absolute power and to being flattered, and he does not respond well to being contradicted or challenged. At the beginning of the play, his values are notably hollowhe prefers his two older daughters obvious flattery over the actual devotion of Cordelia, and he wishes to maintain the power of a king while unburdening himself of the responsibility. Nevertheless, Lear inspires loyalty in subjects such as Gloucester, Kent, Cordelia, and Edgar, all of whom risk their lives for him. CordeliaLears youngest daughter, disowned by her father for refusing to flatter him. Cordelia is held in extremely high regard by all of the good characters in the playthe king of France marries her for her virtue alone, overlooking her lack of dowry. Cordelia remains loyal to Lear despite his cruelty toward her, forgives him, and displays a mild and forbearing temperament even toward her evil sisters, Goneril and Regan.

Despite her obvious virtues, Cordelias reticence makes her motivations difficult to read, as in her refusal to declare her love for her father at the beginning of the play. GonerilLears ruthless oldest daughter and the wife of the duke of Albany. Goneril is jealous, treacherous, and amoral. Shakespeares audience would have been particularly shocked at Gonerils aggressiveness, a quality that it would not have expected in a female character. Goneril challenges Lears authority, boldly initiates an affair with Edmund, and wrests military power away from her husband. ReganLears middle daughter and the wife of the duke of Cornwall.

Regan is as ruthless as Goneril and as aggressive in all the same ways. In fact, it is difficult to think of any quality that distinguishes her from her sister. When they are not egging each other on to further acts of cruelty, they jealously compete for the same man, Edmund. GloucesterA nobleman loyal to King Lear whose rank, earl, is below that of duke. The first thing we learn about Gloucester is that he is an adulterer, having fathered a bastard son, Edmund. Gloucesters fate is in many ways parallel to that of Lear: he misjudges which of his children to trust.

Also like Lear, Gloucester suffers tremendously for his mistakes. EdgarGloucesters older, legitimate son. Edgar plays many different roles, starting out as a gullible fool easily tricked by his brother, then assuming a disguise as a mad beggar to evade his fathers men, then carrying his impersonation further to aid Lear and Gloucester, and finally appearing as an armored champion to avenge his brothers treason. Edgars propensity for disguises and impersonations makes him a complex and at times puzzling character. EdmundGloucesters younger, illegitimate son. Edmund resents his status as a bastard and schemes to usurp Gloucesters title and possessions from Edgar.

He is a formidable character, succeeding in almost all of his schemes and wreaking destruction upon virtually all of the other characters. KentA nobleman of the same rank as Gloucester who is loyal to King Lear. Kent spends most of the play disguised as a peasant, calling himself Caius, so that he can continue to serve Lear even after Lear banishes him. Kent is extremely loyal but gets himself into trouble throughout the play by being exceptionally blunt and outspoken. AlbanyThe husband of Lears daughter Goneril. Although Albany allows Goneril, Regan, and Cornwall to abuse their power, Albany himself is good at heart, eventually denouncing and opposing their cruelty and treachery.

Yet Albany is indecisive and lacks foresight, not realizing the evil of his allies until quite late in the play. CornwallThe husband of Lears daughter Regan. Unlike Albany, Cornwall is domineering, cruel, and violent, and he works with his wife and sister-in-law Goneril to persecute Lear and Gloucester. FoolLears jester. The Fool uses double-talk and seemingly frivolous songs to criticize Lear for the latters foolish mistakes. OswaldThe steward, or chief servant, in Gonerils house.

Oswald obeys his mistresss commands and helps her in her conspiracies.