King Lear, a tragic play by William Shakespeare, is the story of Lear and his three daughters. We watch Lear’s fall into madness after he hands over his kingdom to his two oldest daughters when they falsely claim love for him. His youngest is cast aside, which is a decision he soon learns is a mistake. Within the play is a secondary story line about Gloucester and his two sons. Gloucester’s illegitimate younger son puts a plan in motion that leaves the older son and father estranged. This play is filled with madness, trickery, and bloodshed. Shakespeare explores the consequences of absolute command in the state and in the family as the play publicly shows the downfall of a King. Similar story lines are found in earlier works that are seen as source material for William Shakespeare’s King Lear. On the stage and in films, King Lear has been adapted in original and similar forms throughout history.
1. Characters
Lear – King of Britain
Goneril – Lear’s oldest daughter
Duke of Albany – Goneril’s husband
Oswald – Goneril’s steward
Regan – Lear’s second daughter
Duke of Cornwall – Regan’s husband
Cordelia – Lear’s youngest daughter
King of France – Cordelia’s suitor/husband
Duke of Burgundy – Cordelia’s suitor
Earl of Kent
Edgar (Brian Murry) & Gloucester (Alan Webb) in Brook's 1962 Production
Fool
Knight – serving Lear
Earl of Gloucester
Edgar – Gloucester’s oldest son
Edmund – Gloucester’s illegitimate younger son
Curan – gentleman of Gloucester’s
Old Man– tenant of Gloucester’s
Gentleman
Three Servants
Messengers
Doctor
Captains
2. Plot
2.1 Act 1:
2.1.1 Scene 1: The Earl’s of Kent and Gloucester discuss the King dividing up his kingdom to his three daughters. Gloucester introduces Edmund, his illegitimate son, to Kent. Lear asks his daughters to express their love for him and Goneril and Regan quickly do. In anger, Lear leaves Cordelia with nothing when she doesn’t. Kent is banished for trying to interfere. The Duke of Burgundy will no longer marry her but the King of France will and takes her away. Goneril and Regan discuss their father and the need to quickly take all his power from him. 2.1.2 Scene 2: Edmund comes up with a plan to steal legitimacy from his brother Edgar. He shows Gloucester a fabricated letter from
The Fool (Sylvester McCoy) & Lear (Ian McKellen) in Nunn's 2007 Production
Edgar that asks Edmund to help him over turn their father. Edmund then goes to tell Edgar that Gloucester is angry at him and he needs to stay away. 2.1.3 Scene 3: Goneril tells her steward, Oswald, to treat Lear and his knights coldly in an attempt to drive her father to her sister’s home. 2.1.4 Scene 4: Kent returns in disguise and becomes one of Lear’s servants. The Fool shows up and tells Lear he made a mistake in leaving his power to Goneril and Regan. Lear is outraged by Goneril’s treatment and curses her before leaving. Goneril sends Oswald with a letter to Regan’s. 2.1.5 Scene 5: Lear sends Kent with a letter for Regan before leaving Goneril’s home.
2.2 Act 2:
2.2.1 Scene 1: Curan informs Edmund about the possible conflict between Albany and Cornwall. Edmund tells Edgar that both Albany and Cornwall are angry with him. He convinces Edgar to pull out his sword when he hears Gloucester coming. Edgar runs off and Edmund wounds his own arm, blaming Edgar because he wouldn’t go along with his brother’s plan to kill their father. Gloucester sends men to capture Edgar and condemns him to his death. He makes Edmund his new heir. Regan and Cornwall arrive and learn about Edgar and welcome him into their service. 2.2.2 Scene 2: Oswald and Kent are at Gloucester’s. Kent insults Oswald and challenges him to a fight. As Kent starts to beat him, the noise attracts Edmund, Gloucester, Cornwall, and Regan who come runnin
Kent (Jonathan Hyde) & Lear (Ian McKellen) in Nunn's 2007 Production
g. Cornwall and Regan send Kent to the stocks as punishment. 2.2.3 Scene 3: Edgar disguises himself as a poor mad man to escape from his death sentence. 2.2.4 Scene 4: Lear arrives to find out what happened to Kent. He goes to Regan, seeking sympathy for her sister’s treatment but she tells him to go back to Goneril’s home and apologize. Goneril arrives and the two sisters tell Lear that he can stay with them as long as he dismisses all of his men. In anger, Lear yells he will have revenge and runs out into a storm. Refusing to get the King back, Goneril and Regan tell Gloucester to shut the door against the approaching storm.
2.3 Act 3:
Lear (Robert Stephens) & the Fool (Ian Hughes) in Noble's 1993 Production
2.3.1 Scene 1: Searching for Lear, Kent runs into a gentleman who tells him the King is alone with the Fool out in the storm. Kent tells the gentleman about the French coming to England. He then goes off in search of the King. 2.3.2 Scene 2: Lear is yelling at the storm and the Fool is trying to convince him to go back to his daughters. Kent finds them and leads them to a small shelter. 2.3.3 Scene 3: Gloucester tells Edmund he will go to help the King even though it goes against what Goneril and Regan want. He also tells Edmund about a letter, which talks about the French invasion. 2.3.4 Scene 4: Lear, Kent, and the Fool reach a small shelter. The Fool enters first and finds Edgar inside, disguised as “Poor Tom.” Gloucester finds them and brings them to another shelter. 2.3.5 Scene 5: Edmund goes behind Gloucester’s back and tells Cornwall about the letter from France. Cornwall makes Edmund the Earl of Gloucester. 2.3.6 Scene 6: In madness, Lear imagines Goneril and Regan on trial and that himself, the Fool, Edgar, and Kent are judges. Kent gets Lear to lie down and rest. Gloucester tells Kent there is a plot for the Kings death and should take him away. 2.3.7 Scene 7: Calling Gloucester a traitor, Cornwall sends men to capture him. He then sends Goneril and Edmund to tell Albany about the French army. Regan and Cornwall bind Gloucester to a chair and puts out one of his eyes. A servant intervenes and Regan kills him. Cornwall then puts out Gloucester’s other eye. Gloucester calls out for Edmund but Regan tells him it was Edmund who brought this to their attention. Cornwall was injured by the now dead servant.
2.4 Act 4:
2.4.1 Scene 1: Edgar still in disguise comes across Gloucester and the old man. Gloucester sends the old man away and has Edgar lead him to Dover. 2.4.2 Scene 2: After Goneril and Edmund arrive at her and Albany’s home, she sends Edmund back to Cornwall. Albany yells at her for the way she treated Lear and a messenger appears reporting Gloucester’s blinding and Cornwall’s death. 2.4.3 Scene 3: Kent and a gentleman talk about Cordelia’s reaction to what has been going on. Kent tells him Lear is filled with shame by his earlier actions and doesn’t want to see her.
Lear (Greg Hicks) & Gloucester (Geoffrey Freshwater) in Farr's 2010 Production
2.4.4 Scene 4: Cordelia orders soldiers to find Lear. She asks the Doctor if he can restore Lear’s mind and he tells her through plants and herbs there is a way. A messenger comes to tell Cordelia of British troops coming. 2.4.5 Scene 5: Regan asks Oswald about Goneril and Edmund. She tells Oswald it is more appropriate for her to marry Edmund and he should convince Goneril of this. 2.4.6 Scene 6: Edgar pretends to lead Gloucester up a cliff where in despair Gloucester wants to jump off. He tricks him into thinking he has survived the leap by gods saving him. Edgar and Gloucester run into a mad Lear and Cordelia’s search party comes. Lear runs away from them. Oswald comes and tries to kill Gloucester. Edgar intervenes and kills Oswald, finding on him a letter from Goneril to Edmund talking about killing Albany. 2.4.7 Scene 7: The Doctor wakes Lear up, who then reunites with Cordelia.
2.5 Act 5:
2.5.1 Scene 1: Regan questions Edmund about Goneril. He tells her he doesn’t have an intimate relationship with her. Goneril and Albany bring up the importance of being united with Regan and Edmund. Edgar comes in asking to speak with Albany, showing the letter that plots Albany’s death. While alone, Edmund questions which sister to marry and that Lear and Cordelia will be killed. 2.5.2 Scene 2: Edgar leaves Gloucester in a safe spot while he goes to fight. He returns and tells Gloucester that the French lost and Lear and Cordelia have been taken. 2.5.3 Scene 3: Edmund sends Lear and Cordelia to prison. He hands a note to the captain that plans
their deaths. Albany asks for Lear and Cordelia and Edmund lies to him. Albany accuses Edmund of treason and challenges him to a duel. The Herald sounds the trumpet and Edgar, still disguised, comes in to fight with Edmund. Edmund falls wounded but Albany saves him so he can charge him with treason. Edmund admits he
Edmund (Philip Winchester) & Goneril (Frances Barber) in Nunn's 2007 Production
is guilty and Edgar reveals who he is. Edgar then explains how he has been disguised and describes Gloucester’s death. A gentleman reveals that Regan and Goneril are dead. Goneril poisoned Regan before killing herself. Albany asks Edmund where he has taken the King and Cordelia. Edmund admits he has ordered their deaths. Albany sends a soldier to stop it. Edmund is carried away and Lear comes in holding Cordelia’s body. He doesn’t recognize Kent or realize that Kent was disguised as Caius. A messenger comes in, telling them Edmund is dead. Albany gives Lear back the throne and restores Kent and Edgars rights. Lear dies. Kent and Edgar are to share rule but Kent says he will soon die as well. They exit.
Lear (Ian McKellen) & Cordelia (Romola Garai) in Nunn's 2007 Production
3. Date and Text
Scholars place the composition of King Lear to 1604-05. Printed as two different versions, it first showed in print in a Quarto published in 1608, called M. William Shak-speare: His True Chronicle Historie of the life and death of King Lear.1 In 1619 a second Quarto was printed, essentially Q1 was reprinted with the same title but contained many corrections and changes.2 In 1623, a second version known as the First Folio, The Tragedie of King Lear was printed along with other tragedies. There are about one hundred Folio lines not printed in the Quarto and about three hundred lines in the Quarto not printed in the Folio. However, many scholars feel that “the 1608 text of Lear represents the pla
Title Page of Q1, 1608
y as Shakespeare first wrote it and that the 1623 text represents a substantial revision.”3 For most of the century, editors chose the Folio on the basis that Q1 was believed to be in shorthand or a reconstruction by the actors. But lately editors are favoring Q1, under the belief that it’s directly from Shakespeare. Under a theory that, the Folio, is a version redone by another dramatist. However, this theory fights against another one that feels Q1 and the Folio should not be combined because they are their own distinct works done by Shakespeare. A third theory relies on the belief that Q1 was printed from Shakespeare’s manuscript and the Folio is a rewrite by Shakespeare after Q1 was printed. Scholars continue to debate about this; which leaves just how both forms became to be a question.4 Some modern printings of King Lear have the text side by side, so the reader can see the difference. Other modern printings combine the two to include both versions.5
The First Folio, 1623
Examples: Act 1 scene 4, The First Quarto and The First Folio side by side
LEAR It may be so, my lord. Hark, nature, hear:
Dear goddess, suspend thy purpose if
Thou didst intend to make this creature fruitful.
Into her womb convey sterility.
Dry up in her the organs of increase,
And from her derogate body never spring
A babe to honour her. If she must teem,
Create her child of spleen, that it may live
And be a thwart disnatured torment to her.
Let if stamp wrinkles in her brow of youth,
With cadent tears fret channels in her cheeks,
Turn all her mother’s pains and benefits
To laughter and contempt, that she may feel—
That she may feel
How sharper than a serpent’s tooth it is
To have a thankless child. –Go, go, my people!
LEAR It may be so, my lord.
Hear, nature; hear, dear goddess, hear:
Suspend thy purpose if thou didst intend
To make this creature fruitful.
Into her womb convey sterility.
Dry up in her the organs of increase,
And from her derogate body never spring
A babe to honour her. If she must teem,
Create her child of spleen, that it may live
And be a thwart disnatured torment to her.
Let it stamp wrinkles in her brow of youth,
With cadent tears fret channels in her cheeks,
Turn all her mother’s pains and benefits
To laughter and contempt, that she may feel—
That she may feel
How sharper than a serpent’s tooth it is
To have a thankless child. Away, away!
4. Sources
The story line in King Lear is first seen in Geoffrey of Monmouth’s Historia Regum Britanniae in the 12th century. The story is then summarized in Higgin’s Mirror for Magistrates in 1574, in Holinshed’s Chronicles in 1587, and in Spenser’s The Faerie Queene in 1590. Another source can be found in Philip Sidney’s 1590 prose, Arcadia, where the story of Gloucester and his two sons originates. However, Shakespeare gets rid of Sidney’s happy ending.6
The anonymous play, The True Chronicle History of King Leir, is considered Shakespeare’s main source. It was published in 1605 but can be dated earlier to around 1594. Another possible inspiration was a lawsuit that happened in 1603. Sir Brian Annesley’s two oldest daughters tried to get him certified as insane, which would allow them to take over his estate. His youngest daughter, Cordell, fought against this.7
5. Famous Adaptations
The most famous adaptation of William Shakespeare’s King Lear is from Nahum Tate. In 1681, he reworked Shakespeare’s play from a tragedy to a tragicomedy. Tate changed Shakespeare’s ending and made it more like its original source, The True Chronicle History of King Leir. Audiences were looking for happy endings and during the Restoration women became actors. This allowed Tate to expand female roles and even put in a love affair between Cordelia and Edgar.8He cut the role of the Fool and increased Cordelia’s role so that she was seen more throughout the play. Also, in Tate 's version, Lear and Cordelia live.9 Tate’s revision became extremely popular and was the version that was seen on stage.
Writer George Colman used Tate’s revision to write his own version. In the preface of his 1768 edition he wrote: “I have now endeavoured to purge the tragedy of Lear of the alloy of Tate, which has so long been suffered to debase it.”10 Even though he expressed objections towards Tate’s work, he still used it. The famous actor David Garrick, who played King Lear in Colman’s adaptation, also published a version based on Tate’s in 1786. For those who objected to Tate’s version, this satisfied them.
Actors and directors started to take Shakespeare’s tragic ending and put it back into either Colman’s or Tate’s revision in the early 19th century. In 1834, William Macready presented a restored version of Shakespeare’s King Lear. After a few years, Macready added the Fool back in. It wasn’t till the 20th century that Shakespeare’s version of King Lear became standard text.11
6. Performance History
6.1 17th & 18th Century:
The first recorded performance was at Whitehall Palace on December 26, 1606. Prior to this performance, the Globe was shut down due to a plague. Little is known about the early performances of King Lear and no records till after the Restoration. Except for the 1610 production at Gowthwaite Hall in Yorkshire, which was by Richard Chomely’s company, there are no known 17th century productions. During this time, Richard Burbage was the leading actor in Shakespeare’s company and played the role of Lear. It’s been a topic of debate as to whether the Fool was played by Robert Armin. He may have also played the role of Cordelia because it was common for actors to have more than one role and the Fool and Cordelia are never seen on stage together.
Theaters reopened in 1660, but Shakespeare’s text was changed due to the French influence the court brought back with them. In January 1664 at the Lincoln’s Inn Fields, Will Davenport’s company, the Duke’s Company, performed King Lear. Another recoded performance was at the Dorset Garden Theartre on June 25th in 1675. The company’s leading actor, Thomas Betterton, was believed to have played the part of Lear. However, there is no recording of the parts the actors played. It is believed that Shakespeare’s King Lear was not popular among the people during this time.
The revised version by Nahum Tate is suggested to be the more favorable version during the 18th century. A combination of Nahum Tate’s and Shakespeare’s King Lear is seen on the stage before others adapted new versions of the play.12
In 1737, the Theater Licensing Act was passed and it put restrictions on the contents of the plays performed. During this time King Lear wasn’t allowed to be performed because the madness of Lear was too close to the madness of King George III.13
6.2 19th Century:
After the death of King George III, Junius Brutus Booth was the first to play the role of Lear at Covent Garden in April 1820. In 1834, Macready revived Shakespeare’s ending. For the first time in London, Macready played Lear. But he didn’t add the Fool back in to the play till 1838.14
At Sadler’s Wells in November 1845, an almost complete version of King Lear was performed. With only a few alterations, Samuel Phelps kept true to Shakespeare’s version. Charles Kern produced and starred in the April 1858 production at the Princess Theatre. This production resembled Macready’s version of King Lear. In 1892, Henry Irving staged the play but with only 16 scenes rather than 26. It lasted from November 10th to February 6th.15
6.3 20th & 21st Century:
In a long career, beginning in 1931 and ending in 1994, John Gielgud both acted and directed King Lear. He first played the part of Lear at 27 years old and his final performance, at the age of 90, was at the Renaissance Theatre Company’s radio production. A significant performance in 1940, at the Old Vic, Gielgud was directed by Harley Granville Barker and Lewis Casson. In 1946 at the Old Vic, Laurence Olivier played Lear, directed, and produced with Alec Guinness as the Fool. In 1990, Brain Cox played Lear in Deborah Warner’s production at the Royal National Theatre. Helena Kaut-Howson directed the play at the Leicester Haymarket in 1997 with Kathryn Hunter as Lear. Also in that year, Ian Holm was Lear in Richard Eyre's studio production for the Royal National Theatre.
The Royal Shakespeare Company’s performances:
1936 - Randal Ayrton played Lear in this Theodore Komisarjevsky’s production.
1959 - Glen Byam Shaw directed Charles Laughton as Lear and Ian Holm as the Fool.
1962 - Peter Brook’s production with Paul Scofield as Lear. It had a long running world tour before being made into a film.
1968 - Trevor Nunn produced featuring Eric Portor as Lear.
1976 - Trevor Nunn again produced with Donald Sinden playing Lear.
1982 - Adrian Noble was the producer with Michael Gambon as Lear and Antony Sher played the Fool.
1990 - Nicholas Hytner produced with John Wood as Lear and Linda Kerr Scott played the Fool.
1993 - Adrian Noble produced with Robert Stephens playing the part of Lear and Ian Hughes was the Fool.
2004 - Bill Alexander’s production, in a 20th century setting, with Corin Redgrave as Lear and John Normington as the Fool.
2007 - Trevor Nunn’s production featured Ian McKellen as Lear and Sylvester McCoy in the role of the Fool. A year later it was filmed at the Pinewood Studios.16
6.4 Film:
1909 – A short silent film that William V. Ranous directed and starred in.
1910 – “Re Lear” was directed by Gerolamo Lo Savio. It’s a 16 minute silent version of King Lear.
1953 – A black and white television drama of a shortened version that was directed by Andrew McCullough. Orson Wells plays the role of Lear.
1971 – A black and white movie version directed by Peter Brook. He based it on ideas expressed by theater critic Jan Kott. Lear is played by Paul Scofield.
1971 – a Russian version, titled “Korol Lir” was directed by Grigori Kozintsev and Iosif Shapiro. It arrived in the U.S.A. in 1975. Yuri Jarvet played Lear.
1974 – King Lear became a television series directed by Tony Davenall. Patrick Magee played Lear in this six episode series that was filmed in the U.K.
1982 – Jonathan Miller directed King Lear in a television movie and Michael Hordern played Lear. This movie was released in the U.K. before the U.S.A. And is also known under the name “The Complete Dramatic Works of William Shakespeare: King Lear”
1983 – Michael Elliot directed a television movie with Laurence Olivier as Lear. It was released in the U.S. in 1984.
1999 – a movie directed by Brian Blessed and Tony Rotherham. Brian Blessed played the role of Lear.
2008 – a U.K. television movie directed by Trevor Nunn starring Ian Mckellen as King Lear.17
7. References
Taylor, Gary and Stanley Wells. Ed. The Norton Shakespeare: based on the Oxford Edition. W.W. Norton & Company, Inc. New York. Second Edition, 2008: p. 2325 - 2335.
Mowatt, Barbara and Paul Werstine. King Lear by William Shakespeare. The Folger Shakespeare Library. Simon & Schuster Paperbacks, New York. 1993: lvi - lxvi.
See Note 1
See Note 2
The plot is derived from a combination of the first Quarto and the first Folio. The version is from Note 2
Lennard, John. William Shakespeares: King Lear. Humanities-EBooks, LLP. Tirril, 2010: p. 38 - 44.
See Note 1
Massai, Sonia. "Nahum Tate's Revision of Shakespeare's King Lear." Studies in English Literature 1500-1900. 40 3. 2000: p. 435 - 450.
Ioppolo, Grace. William Shakespeare's King Lear: A Source Book. Psychology Press, 2003: p. 68 - 70.
See Note 9
See Note 9
Halio, Jay L. The Tragedy of King Lear. Cambridge University Press, 2005.
Stevenson, Jay. The Complete Idiot's Guide to English Literature. Penguin, 2007: p. 96.
See Note 12
"A Shakespeare Encyclopedia." pub. Taylor and Francis. Google Books.
King Lear
Table of Contents
Introduction
King Lear, a tragic play by William Shakespeare, is the story of Lear and his three daughters. We watch Lear’s fall into madness after he hands over his kingdom to his two oldest daughters when they falsely claim love for him. His youngest is cast aside, which is a decision he soon learns is a mistake. Within the play is a secondary story line about Gloucester and his two sons. Gloucester’s illegitimate younger son puts a plan in motion that leaves the older son and father estranged. This play is filled with madness, trickery, and bloodshed. Shakespeare explores the consequences of absolute command in the state and in the family as the play publicly shows the downfall of a King. Similar story lines are found in earlier works that are seen as source material for William Shakespeare’s King Lear. On the stage and in films, King Lear has been adapted in original and similar forms throughout history.1. Characters
2. Plot
2.1 Act 1:
2.1.1 Scene 1: The Earl’s of Kent and Gloucester discuss the King dividing up his kingdom to his three daughters. Gloucester introduces Edmund, his illegitimate son, to Kent. Lear asks his daughters to express their love for him and Goneril and Regan quickly do. In anger, Lear leaves Cordelia with nothing when she doesn’t. Kent is banished for trying to interfere. The Duke of Burgundy will no longer marry her but the King of France will and takes her away. Goneril and Regan discuss their father and the need to quickly take all his power from him.2.1.2 Scene 2: Edmund comes up with a plan to steal legitimacy from his brother Edgar. He shows Gloucester a fabricated letter from
Edgar that asks Edmund to help him over turn their father. Edmund then goes to tell Edgar that Gloucester is angry at him and he needs
to stay away.
2.1.3 Scene 3: Goneril tells her steward, Oswald, to treat Lear and his knights coldly in an attempt to drive her father to her sister’s home.
2.1.4 Scene 4: Kent returns in disguise and becomes one of Lear’s servants. The Fool shows up and tells Lear he made a mistake in
leaving his power to Goneril and Regan. Lear is outraged by Goneril’s treatment and curses her before leaving. Goneril sends
Oswald with a letter to Regan’s.
2.1.5 Scene 5: Lear sends Kent with a letter for Regan before leaving Goneril’s home.
2.2 Act 2:
2.2.1 Scene 1: Curan informs Edmund about the possible conflict between Albany and Cornwall. Edmund tells Edgar that both Albany and Cornwall are angry with him. He convinces Edgar to pull out his sword when he hears Gloucester coming. Edgar runs off and Edmund wounds his own arm, blaming Edgar because he wouldn’t go along with his brother’s plan to kill their father. Gloucester sends men to capture Edgar and condemns him to his death. He makes Edmund his new heir. Regan and Cornwall arrive and learn about Edgar and welcome him into their service.2.2.2 Scene 2: Oswald and Kent are at Gloucester’s. Kent insults Oswald and challenges him to a fight. As Kent starts to beat him, the noise attracts Edmund, Gloucester, Cornwall, and Regan who come runnin
2.2.3 Scene 3: Edgar disguises himself as a poor mad man to escape from his death sentence.
2.2.4 Scene 4: Lear arrives to find out what happened to Kent. He goes to Regan, seeking sympathy for her sister’s treatment but she tells him to go back to Goneril’s home and apologize. Goneril arrives and the two sisters tell Lear that he can stay with them as long as he dismisses all of his men. In anger, Lear yells he will have revenge and runs out into a storm. Refusing to get the King back, Goneril and Regan tell Gloucester to shut the door against the approaching storm.
2.3 Act 3:
Lear (Robert Stephens) & the Fool (Ian Hughes) in Noble's 1993 Production
2.3.1 Scene 1: Searching for Lear, Kent runs into a gentleman who tells him the King is alone with the Fool out in the storm. Kent tells the gentleman about the French coming to England. He then goes off in search of the King.2.3.2 Scene 2: Lear is yelling at the storm and the Fool is trying to convince him to go back to his daughters. Kent finds them and leads them to a small shelter.
2.3.3 Scene 3: Gloucester tells Edmund he will go to help the King even though it goes against what Goneril and Regan want. He also tells Edmund about a letter, which talks about the French invasion.
2.3.4 Scene 4: Lear, Kent, and the Fool reach a small shelter. The Fool enters first and finds Edgar inside, disguised as “Poor Tom.” Gloucester finds them and brings them to another shelter.
2.3.5 Scene 5: Edmund goes behind Gloucester’s back and tells Cornwall about the letter from France. Cornwall makes Edmund the Earl of Gloucester.
2.3.6 Scene 6: In madness, Lear imagines Goneril and Regan on trial and that himself, the Fool, Edgar, and Kent are judges. Kent gets Lear to lie down and rest. Gloucester tells Kent there is a plot for the Kings death and should take him away.
2.3.7 Scene 7: Calling Gloucester a traitor, Cornwall sends men to capture him. He then sends Goneril and Edmund to tell Albany about the French army. Regan and Cornwall bind Gloucester to a chair and puts out one of his eyes. A servant intervenes and Regan kills him. Cornwall then puts out Gloucester’s other eye. Gloucester calls out for Edmund but Regan tells him it was Edmund who brought this to their attention. Cornwall was injured by the now dead servant.
2.4 Act 4:
2.4.1 Scene 1: Edgar still in disguise comes across Gloucester and the old man. Gloucester sends the old man away and has Edgar lead him to Dover.2.4.2 Scene 2: After Goneril and Edmund arrive at her and Albany’s home, she sends Edmund back to Cornwall. Albany yells at her for the way she treated Lear and a messenger appears reporting Gloucester’s blinding and Cornwall’s death.
2.4.3 Scene 3: Kent and a gentleman talk about Cordelia’s reaction to what has been going on. Kent tells him Lear is filled with shame by his earlier actions and doesn’t want to see her.
2.4.4 Scene 4: Cordelia orders soldiers to find Lear. She asks the Doctor if he can restore Lear’s mind and he tells her through plants and herbs there is a way. A messenger comes to tell Cordelia of British troops coming.
2.4.5 Scene 5: Regan asks Oswald about Goneril and Edmund. She tells Oswald it is more appropriate for her to marry Edmund and he should convince Goneril of this.
2.4.6 Scene 6: Edgar pretends to lead Gloucester up a cliff where in despair Gloucester wants to jump off. He tricks him into thinking he has survived the leap by gods saving him. Edgar and Gloucester run into a mad Lear and Cordelia’s search party comes. Lear runs away from them. Oswald comes and tries to kill Gloucester. Edgar intervenes and kills Oswald, finding on him a letter from Goneril to Edmund talking about killing Albany.
2.4.7 Scene 7: The Doctor wakes Lear up, who then reunites with Cordelia.
2.5 Act 5:
2.5.1 Scene 1: Regan questions Edmund about Goneril. He tells her he doesn’t have an intimate relationship with her. Goneril and Albany bring up the importance of being united with Regan and Edmund. Edgar comes in asking to speak with Albany, showing the letter that plots Albany’s death. While alone, Edmund questions which sister to marry and that Lear and Cordelia will be killed.2.5.2 Scene 2: Edgar leaves Gloucester in a safe spot while he goes to fight. He returns and tells Gloucester that the French lost and Lear and Cordelia have been taken.
2.5.3 Scene 3: Edmund sends Lear and Cordelia to prison. He hands a note to the captain that plans
their deaths. Albany asks for Lear and Cordelia and Edmund lies to him. Albany accuses Edmund of treason and challenges him to a duel. The Herald sounds the trumpet and Edgar, still disguised, comes in to fight with Edmund. Edmund falls wounded but Albany saves him so he can charge him with treason. Edmund admits he
3. Date and Text
Scholars place the composition of King Lear to 1604-05. Printed as two different versions, it first showed in print in a Quarto published in 1608, called M. William Shak-speare: His True Chronicle Historie of the life and death of King Lear.1 In 1619 a second Quarto was printed, essentially Q1 was reprinted with the same title but contained many corrections and changes.2 In 1623, a second version known as the First Folio, The Tragedie of King Lear was printed along with other tragedies. There are about one hundred Folio lines not printed in the Quarto and about three hundred lines in the Quarto not printed in the Folio. However, many scholars feel that “the 1608 text of Lear represents the plaExamples: Act 1 scene 4, The First Quarto and The First Folio side by side
Dear goddess, suspend thy purpose if
Thou didst intend to make this creature fruitful.
Into her womb convey sterility.
Dry up in her the organs of increase,
And from her derogate body never spring
A babe to honour her. If she must teem,
Create her child of spleen, that it may live
And be a thwart disnatured torment to her.
Let if stamp wrinkles in her brow of youth,
With cadent tears fret channels in her cheeks,
Turn all her mother’s pains and benefits
To laughter and contempt, that she may feel—
That she may feel
How sharper than a serpent’s tooth it is
To have a thankless child. –Go, go, my people!
Hear, nature; hear, dear goddess, hear:
Suspend thy purpose if thou didst intend
To make this creature fruitful.
Into her womb convey sterility.
Dry up in her the organs of increase,
And from her derogate body never spring
A babe to honour her. If she must teem,
Create her child of spleen, that it may live
And be a thwart disnatured torment to her.
Let it stamp wrinkles in her brow of youth,
With cadent tears fret channels in her cheeks,
Turn all her mother’s pains and benefits
To laughter and contempt, that she may feel—
That she may feel
How sharper than a serpent’s tooth it is
To have a thankless child. Away, away!
4. Sources
The story line in King Lear is first seen in Geoffrey of Monmouth’s Historia Regum Britanniae in the 12th century. The story is then summarized in Higgin’s Mirror for Magistrates in 1574, in Holinshed’s Chronicles in 1587, and in Spenser’s The Faerie Queene in 1590. Another source can be found in Philip Sidney’s 1590 prose, Arcadia, where the story of Gloucester and his two sons originates. However, Shakespeare gets rid of Sidney’s happy ending.6The anonymous play, The True Chronicle History of King Leir, is considered Shakespeare’s main source. It was published in 1605 but can be dated earlier to around 1594. Another possible inspiration was a lawsuit that happened in 1603. Sir Brian Annesley’s two oldest daughters tried to get him certified as insane, which would allow them to take over his estate. His youngest daughter, Cordell, fought against this.7
5. Famous Adaptations
The most famous adaptation of William Shakespeare’s King Lear is from Nahum Tate. In 1681, he reworked Shakespeare’s play from a tragedy to a tragicomedy. Tate changed Shakespeare’s ending and made it more like its original source, The True Chronicle History of King Leir. Audiences were looking for happy endings and during the Restoration women became actors. This allowed Tate to expand female roles and even put in a love affair between Cordelia and Edgar.8He cut the role of the Fool and increased Cordelia’s role so that she was seen more throughout the play. Also, in Tate 's version, Lear and Cordelia live.9 Tate’s revision became extremely popular and was the version that was seen on stage.Writer George Colman used Tate’s revision to write his own version. In the preface of his 1768 edition he wrote: “I have now endeavoured to purge the tragedy of Lear of the alloy of Tate, which has so long been suffered to debase it.”10 Even though he expressed objections towards Tate’s work, he still used it. The famous actor David Garrick, who played King Lear in Colman’s adaptation, also published a version based on Tate’s in 1786. For those who objected to Tate’s version, this satisfied them.
Actors and directors started to take Shakespeare’s tragic ending and put it back into either Colman’s or Tate’s revision in the early 19th century. In 1834, William Macready presented a restored version of Shakespeare’s King Lear. After a few years, Macready added the Fool back in. It wasn’t till the 20th century that Shakespeare’s version of King Lear became standard text.11
6. Performance History
6.1 17th & 18th Century:
The first recorded performance was at Whitehall Palace on December 26, 1606. Prior to this performance, the Globe was shut down due to a plague. Little is known about the early performances of King Lear and no records till after the Restoration. Except for the 1610 production at Gowthwaite Hall in Yorkshire, which was by Richard Chomely’s company, there are no known 17th century productions. During this time, Richard Burbage was the leading actor in Shakespeare’s company and played the role of Lear. It’s been a topic of debate as to whether the Fool was played by Robert Armin. He may have also played the role of Cordelia because it was common for actors to have more than one role and the Fool and Cordelia are never seen on stage together.Theaters reopened in 1660, but Shakespeare’s text was changed due to the French influence the court brought back with them. In January 1664 at the Lincoln’s Inn Fields, Will Davenport’s company, the Duke’s Company, performed King Lear. Another recoded performance was at the Dorset Garden Theartre on June 25th in 1675. The company’s leading actor, Thomas Betterton, was believed to have played the part of Lear. However, there is no recording of the parts the actors played. It is believed that Shakespeare’s King Lear was not popular among the people during this time.
The revised version by Nahum Tate is suggested to be the more favorable version during the 18th century. A combination of Nahum Tate’s and Shakespeare’s King Lear is seen on the stage before others adapted new versions of the play.12
In 1737, the Theater Licensing Act was passed and it put restrictions on the contents of the plays performed. During this time King Lear wasn’t allowed to be performed because the madness of Lear was too close to the madness of King George III.13
6.2 19th Century:
After the death of King George III, Junius Brutus Booth was the first to play the role of Lear at Covent Garden in April 1820. In 1834, Macready revived Shakespeare’s ending. For the first time in London, Macready played Lear. But he didn’t add the Fool back in to the play till 1838.14At Sadler’s Wells in November 1845, an almost complete version of King Lear was performed. With only a few alterations, Samuel Phelps kept true to Shakespeare’s version. Charles Kern produced and starred in the April 1858 production at the Princess Theatre. This production resembled Macready’s version of King Lear. In 1892, Henry Irving staged the play but with only 16 scenes rather than 26. It lasted from November 10th to February 6th.15
6.3 20th & 21st Century:
In a long career, beginning in 1931 and ending in 1994, John Gielgud both acted and directed King Lear. He first played the part of Lear at 27 years old and his final performance, at the age of 90, was at the Renaissance Theatre Company’s radio production. A significant performance in 1940, at the Old Vic, Gielgud was directed by Harley Granville Barker and Lewis Casson. In 1946 at the Old Vic, Laurence Olivier played Lear, directed, and produced with Alec Guinness as the Fool. In 1990, Brain Cox played Lear in Deborah Warner’s production at the Royal National Theatre. Helena Kaut-Howson directed the play at the Leicester Haymarket in 1997 with Kathryn Hunter as Lear. Also in that year, Ian Holm was Lear in Richard Eyre's studio production for the Royal National Theatre.The Royal Shakespeare Company’s performances:
6.4 Film:
7. References