Plot Summary of _King Lear

Lear's palace. Gloucester introduces his illegitimate son Edmund to Kent. Lear announces his plan to divide his kingdom among his three daughters, reserving to himself only the title "king" and a retinue of 100 knights. He questions the daughters on their love for him in a public exhibition. Goneril (married to Albany) and Regan (married to Cornwall) flatter Lear and receive in return great bequests. Cordelia, Lear's favorite and only loving daughter, refuses to speak. Lear, over Kent's objection, disinherits and exiles her on the spot. He also banishes Kent. The king of France marries Cordelia for her goodness. Lear and his knights will spend alternate months with Goneril and Regan. Goneril and Regan begin plotting to control Lear.

Gloucester's castle. Edmund announces his plan to gain Edgar's inheritance. He tricks his father with the forged letter. He then tricks Edgar into fearing Gloucester.

Albany's palace. Goneril complains to her servant Oswald of Lear's conduct in her house, and orders that her servants henceforth behave unhospitably toward Lear. She will advise Regan to follow a similar course.

Albany's palace. The loyal Kent, who has disguised himself as a commoner rather than go into exile, gets himself hired as a servant to Lear. Kent trips Oswald for being rude to Lear. The Fool appears for the first time, making wise observations in the guise of jokes. Goneril demands that Lear reduce his train by half. Lear angrily curses her and sets out to stay with Regan. Albany is puzzled by his wife's conduct but does nothing. Goneril orders Oswald to take Regan a letter explaining the plan to reduce Lear's retinue.

Gloucester's castle. Edmund learns that Regan and Cornwall will visit the Gloucester (to be away from home, in response to Goneril's and Lear's letters; see II.i.122-24). Edmund tricks Edgar into a mock swordfight as Gloucester approaches. He tells Edgar to flee Gloucester's wrath, then wounds himself slightly. Edgar's flight and Edmund's wound are enough to persuade Gloucester that Edgar is planning parricide. Gloucester orders Edgar's arrest. Cornwall and Regan arrive just after and hear of Edgar's alleged plan. They blame Lear's riotous knights for leading Edgar astray.

Gloucester's castle. Kent and Oswald fight. Over Gloucester's objections that it will be an insult to Lear, Cornwall and Regan order Kent placed in the stocks. Kent reads a letter from Cordelia.

Near Gloucester's castle. Edgar announces that to escape arrest he will disguise himself as a madman.

Gloucester's castle. Lear finds Kent in the stocks and learns that Cornwall and Regan had brought Kent with them to Gloucester's castle before putting him in the stocks. Cornwall and Regan delay greeting Lear but eventually appear and free Kent from the stocks. Goneril arrives and together she and Regan make plain that Lear must give up his entire retinue. Lear rails in futile anger, the storm begins, and Lear exits. The daughters order Gloucester to lock Lear out.

On the heath in the storm. Kent and Gentleman talk about the king exposed to the ferocity of the storm. Kent alludes to rumored division between Albany and Cornwall, and to Cordelia with French forces secretly arrived at Dover to win back the kingdom for Lear.

On the heath. Lear rails at the storm, comparing its assaults favorably with those of his two ungrateful daughters. The Fool, who accompanies Lear, comments ironically on Lear's wisdom. Kent leads them to a hovel. The Fool utters an ironic prophecy.

Gloucester's castle. Gloucester has received and hidden away a letter indicating imminent military support for Lear. Gloucester tells Edmund and adds that they must side with Lear. Edmund plots to reveal to Cornwall both the letter and Gloucester's intent.

On the heath. Kent, Lear, and the Fool arrive at the hovel. Lear continues to ruminate on the storm and filial ingratitude. He sends the Fool ahead of him into the shelter of the hovel and meditates on the misery of the needy. The Fool, surprised in the hovel by Edgar (now pretending to be the mad "Poor Tom of Bedlam"), runs back outside in fright. Kent, Lear, and the Fool enter the hovel together. Lear contemplates the madman and attributes the madness to unkind daughters. In the madman's nakedness he recognizes his own humanity unadorned by pomp and privilege and takes off his robe (ll. 96-103). Disobeying Cornwall's orders, Gloucester has gone out in search of Lear and now joins the group at the hovel. He intends to take Lear to a cottage, where there is food and a fire. He compares Lear's murderous daughters to his supposedly murderous Edgar. He doesn't recognize Edgar and behaves kindly toward him.

Gloucester's castle. Edmund, feigning conflicted feelings over blood ties and loyalty to Cornwall, has betrayed his father to Cornwall, who strips Gloucester of his title and makes Edmund Earl of Gloucester.

In a cottage near Gloucester's castle. Gloucester takes temporary leave of Lear to get more supplies. Lear, now out of his mind, tries his daughters for their treason against him. (The daughters are absent, but as the Fool indicates in l. 51 Lear distractedly takes a joint-stool for Goneril.) Gloucester returns with news of a plot to murder Lear and tells Kent to take Lear to Dover. The Fool goes with them and does not appear again in the play. Edgar, left alone on stage, meditates on the relative lightness of his own misery.

Gloucester's castle. Cornwall sends servants to arrest Gloucester, and dispatches Goneril and Edmund to alert Albany to the French invasion. The servants drag Gloucester onstage, where Regan and Cornwall accuse him of treachery and Cornwall plucks out one of Gloucester's eyes. Before Cornwall can pluck out the other, his long-time servant objects, they draw swords and fight, Regan fatally stabs the servant from behind. Cornwall plucks out Gloucester's other eye and then reveals that the servant wounded him badly in the sword fight. (In IV.ii.70-72 we learn that the wound is fatal.) When Regan and Cornwall exit, Cornwall's other servants comment on Regan's wickedness and bandage Gloucester's eyes.

Near Gloucester's castle. Edgar, still disguised as Poor Tom, meets Gloucester, led by a man who has been Gloucester's tenant and Gloucester's father's tenant for 80 years. Edgar agrees to lead Gloucester to the cliffs overlooking Dover.

Albany's palace. Oswald reports Albany's reaction to the news of a French invasion on Lear's behalf. Albany has at last recognized Goneril's and Edmund's evil (ll. 6-9). Goneril mistakes Albany's moral outrage for cowardice. Goneril announces her intention to take command of the troops and sends Edmund to rally Cornwall's troops. With a farewell kiss and a lover's favor, she indicates her budding love for Edmund. Albany accuses Goneril of behaving unnaturally to Lear. Goneril mocks Albany's manliness. A messenger brings news of Cornwall's death, though he mistakenly reports that Cornwall killed the servant (l. 76). Albany, dismayed at the treatment of Gloucester, is thankful that there is justice in the universe, after all. Goneril begins to plot against Albany (she wants to marry Edmund) and Regan (who rules half the kingdom and may prove a rival for Edmund's love). Albany learns of Edmund's betrayal of Gloucester and swears vengeance.

Dover. Kent and the gentleman (III.i) speak of the French king's return to France (leaving Cordelia and the French army in Dover) and of Cordelia's sorrow at the news of Goneril's and Regan's treatment of Lear. Kent tells the gentleman that out of shame Lear has refused to see Cordelia. The gentleman confirms that Albany's and Cornwall's troops are on the march to Dover. In fact, Cornwall's army has not yet set out (IV.v.16).

Dover. Cordelia has learned of Lear's madness and commands that he be found and brought to her for safety. A messenger arrives to report the approach of Albany's and Cornwall's troops. Cordelia, who already knows, reveals that the French are invading Britain not for ambition and conquest but for love of Lear.

Gloucester's castle. Oswald has arrived with a letter from Goneril for Edmund, but Edmund has left to murder Gloucester, whose misery arouses popular pity. Regan, suspicious that Goneril loves Edmund, tries to learn the contents of the letter, but Oswald refuses to let her see it. She indicates to Oswald that she and Edmund have already agreed to marry, and wishes Oswald both to remind Edmund of it and to tell Goneril to back off. She also tells Oswald that whoever kills Gloucester can expect reward.

Near Dover. Edgar leads his blind father, pretending to walk to the cliff tops above Dover. When Edgar tells Gloucester that they have reached the edge of the cliff, Gloucester bids him farewell and falls forward in an attempted suicide. Because he is not on the cliff, the attempt is thwarted. Instead of killing himself, Gloucester merely faints. Edgar wakes him, pretending now to be yet another man, who watching from the bottom of the cliff, saw Gloucester float down like gossamer. He claims to have seen a monster with Gloucester at the cliff top. Lear enters mad. Gloucester and Lear soon recognize each other. Lear complains about the flatterers who let him believe he was greater than he really is. He questions the conventional moral judgments and indicate that he has come to terms with his own mortality. Edgar marvels at the pitiful sight of the two grief-wracked old men. The gentleman from Cordelia approaches, but Lear runs off. When the gentleman leaves, Gloucester repents of his attempted suicide. Oswald enters and attempts to kill Gloucester. Edgar intervenes and kills Oswald. On Oswald's body Edgar finds Goneril's incriminating love letter to Edmund. He will show it to Albany at an appropriate time.

The French encampment at Dover. Lear, exhausted and sleeping, is brought to Cordelia. Kent, though known to Cordelia, wishes to remain disguised. Cordelia wakes Lear, and, his sanity restored, they become reconciled.

The British encampment near Dover. Edmund criticizes Albany's vacillation over resisting the French and sends an officer to get Albany's firm intent. Regan comments that Oswald, whom they seem to have been expecting, must have met with some mischance (see IV.vi). Regan asks Edmund whether he and Goneril are lovers. Edmund denies it. Goneril and Albany arrive. In an aside Goneril reaffirms her love for Edmund and jealousy of Regan. Albany is willing to fight to keep the French out of Britain but not to destroy Lear and Cordelia. The British leaders go into consultation, except that Edmund delays joining them (l. 33). Regan, not wanting Goneril and Edmund left alone together, insists that Goneril go with her and Albany. Goneril yields to the request, but just then Edgar enters and detains Albany with a letter and exits. Edmund reappears urging Albany to hasten to the battle. When Albany leaves the stage, Edmund reveals that he is sworn lover to both sisters. He will let them work the difficulties out. Also, he announces his intention to do away with Lear and Cordelia.

Near Dover. Edgar leaves Gloucester in the shade of a tree. He returns almost immediately with the news that Lear and Cordelia have been captured.

Near Dover. Lear and Cordelia resign themselves to prison. Edmund secretly instructs a captain to hang Cordelia. Albany demands that Edmund turn over the captives to him. Edmund stalls. Albany, as superior, orders him to turn them over. Regan intercedes on Edmund's side, lending him her authority. Goneril speaks for Edgar, mainly to outdo Regan. The sisters compete jealously. Regan feels unwell (l. 73). Albany orders Edmund's arrest on charges of treason, namely for wooing Goneril. Goneril mocks Albany (l. 89). Albany challenges Edmund (whom he addresses by the title "Gloucester", l. 90) to single combat, unless another appear to make the charges stick. Regan feels worse, and we learn that Goneril has poisoned her (ll. 95-6). Edgar in armor and so unrecognizable answers the herald's call to prove Edmund's guilt. He refuses to identify himself except vaguely. He accuses Edmund of treachery. They fight; Edmund falls dying. Albany turns angrily on Goneril and reveals the love letter earlier taken from Oswald. Goneril rushes off. Edgar reports Gloucester's death from a broken heart (ll. 197-200). A gentlman announces Goneril's death. Edmund, breathing his last, suffers a change of heart and reveals that he has ordered the death of Cordelia. Lear carries the Cordelia onstage, thinking her still alive. He has killed the captain who hanged her. Lear at last acknowledges Cordelia's death and dies himself. Who will rule the kingdom is not clear, but Edgar seems the only one willing.