King LearStandard Ebooks King Lear is a tragedy by Shakespeare, written about 1605 or 1606. Shakespeare based it on the legendary King Leir of the Britons, whose story is outlined in Geoffrey of Monmouth’s pseudohistorical History of the Kings of Britain (written in about 1136). The play tells the tale of the aged King Lear who is passing on the control of his kingdom to his three daughters. He asks each of them to express their love for him, and the first two, Goneril and Regan do so effusively, saying they love him above all things. But his youngest daughter, Cordelia, is compelled to be truthful and says that she must reserve some love for her future husband. Lear, enraged, cuts her off without any inheritance. The secondary plot deals with the machinations of Edmund, the bastard son of the Earl of Gloucester, who manages to convince his father that his legitimate son Edgar is plotting against him. After Lear steps down from power, he finds that his elder daughters have no real respect or love for him, and treat him and his followers as a nuisance. They allow the raging Lear to wander out into a storm, hoping to be rid of him, and conspire with Edmund to overthrow the Earl of Gloucester. The play is a moving study of the perils of old age and the true meaning of filial love. It ends tragically with the deaths of both Cordelia and Lear—so tragically, in fact, that performances during the Restoration period sometimes substituted a happy ending. In modern times, though, King Lear is performed as written and generally regarded as one of Shakespeare’s best plays. This Standard Ebooks edition is based on William George Clark and William Aldis Wright’s 1887 Victoria edition, which is taken from the Globe edition. This book is part of the Standard Ebooks project, which produces free public domain ebooks. |
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... lives hence , and banishment is here . ( TO CORDELIA . ) The gods to their dear shelter take thee , maid , That justly think'st , and hast most rightly said ! ( TO REGAN and GONERIL . ) And your large speeches may your deeds approve ...
... live the beloved of your brother , EDGAR . ” Hum - conspiracy ! - " Sleep till I waked him — you should enjoy half his revenue , " My son Edgar ! Had he a hand to write this ? a heart and brain to breed it in ? -When came this to you ...
... 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 How ...
... lives in mercy . Oswald , I say ! ALBANY Well , you may fear too far . GONERIL Safer than trust too far : Let me still take away the harms I fear , Not fear still to be taken : I know his heart . What he hath utter'd I have writ my ...
... lives: He dies that strikes again. What is the matter? REGAN CORNWALL OSWALD KENT The messengers from our sister and the king. What is your difference? speak. I am scarce in breath, my lord. No marvel, you have so bestirred your valour ...