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1-Page Summary of King Lear

A king decides to step down from the throne and divide his kingdom among his three daughters. He asks each daughter how much she loves him, but Cordelia remains silent because words cannot describe her love for him. The king flies into a rage and disowns Cordelia. She then marries the King of France without her father’s blessing.

Lear realizes that he made a bad decision. His daughters betray him by undermining his authority and taking over the kingdom themselves. He slowly goes insane because of this, but is accompanied by his loyal friend Kent and the Fool as he wanders around on a stormy night.

Meanwhile, an old nobleman is also having problems with his family. He has a son who is not legitimate and he doesn’t like him very much. A different person in the family tells him that his other son wants to kill him, so he runs away from home and hides himself as a crazy beggar.

When Gloucester realizes that his daughters have turned against Lear, he decides to help him in spite of the danger. Regan and her husband accuse him of treason, blind him, and turn him out to wander the countryside. He ends up being led by his disguised son toward Dover where Lear has also been brought.

In Dover, the French army lands and Cordelia’s forces are invading. Edmund is romantically involved with both Regan and Goneril, but Albany is starting to sympathize more with Lear. Goneril and Edmund conspire to kill Albany.

After the war, Edmund is killed in a sword fight by Edgar. Gloucester dies when he tries to commit suicide and Edgar saves him. The English are victorious over the French army led by Cordelia and Lear is captured. Regan kills her sister Goneril out of jealousy over Edmund’s affection for her. Albany learns that his wife has been poisoning his son, so he poisons her in return before she can kill him too; then both die from their own poison shortly after they finish each other off. In prison, Cordelia is executed because of Edmund’s betrayal and Lear finally dies from grief at losing his daughter again. Kent takes care of England with Albany, Edgar (Lear’s son), and an elderly gentleman who was loyal to Lear during the war.

Edgar: ”A man more sinn’d against than sinning.”

Gloucester: ”I have said nothing.”

Edmund: ”Nothing?”

Gloucester: ”Nothing.”

Edmund: ”Why then you have nothing to say.

Act 1, scenes 1–2

Act 1, scene 1

The play starts with two noblemen, Gloucester and Kent, talking about the fact that King Lear is dividing his kingdom. Their conversation quickly changes when Kent asks Gloucester to introduce his son. Gloucester introduces Edmund, explaining that he’s a bastard but still loves him dearly.

King Lear enters a room and announces his plan to give up the responsibilities of government, and spend his old age visiting his children. He commands them to say which daughter loves him the most, promising to give her the greatest share of land.

King Lear has three daughters, Goneril and Regan and Cordelia. He gives a test to his daughters to see who loves him the most. His two oldest daughters praise him so much that it seems they love him more than anything else in the world. However, Cordelia says she loves her father just as much as she should—not more or less. Her sisters would not have husbands if they loved their father too much like they say (1:90-91). King Lear is angered by this response and disowns Cordelia from receiving any inheritance from him when he dies.

Lear is an old king who has been betrayed by his children. Lear’s oldest daughters, Goneril and Regan, have flattered him so much that he believes they love him more than their sister Cordelia does. The Earl of Kent disagrees with the King’s decision because he knows that Cordelia truly loves her father and will not lie to make herself look better in front of others. But Lear refuses to listen to his loyal servant; instead, he banishes Kent from the kingdom for disagreeing with him.