King LearThe Signet Classics edition of one of William Shakespeare’s greatest tragedies. Full of cruelty and betrayal, King Lear is the timeless and tragic story of a kingdom held in the thrall of an aging ruler’s descent into madness. Desperate for praise, he banishes those who would guide him with honesty and surrounds himself with sycophants—an action that leads to his ultimate downfall.... This revised Signet Classics edition includes unique features such as: • An overview of Shakespeare's life, world, and theater • A special introduction to the play by the editor, Russell Fraser • Selections from Raphael Holinshed's Chronicles of England, Scotland, and Ireland, Sir Philip Sidney's Arcadia, and The True Chronicle History of King Lear, the sources from which Shakespeare derived King Lear • Dramatic criticism from Samuel Johnson, A. C. Bradley, John Russell Brown, and others • A comprehensive stage and screen history of notable actors, directors, and productions • Text, notes, and commentaries printed in the clearest, most readable text • And more... |
From inside the book
Results 1-5 of 37
Page
Hamlet's “less than kind” probably means (1) Hamlet is not of Claudius's family or nature, kind having the sense it still has in our word mankind; (2) Hamlet is not kindly (affectionately) disposed toward Claudius; (3) Claudius is not ...
Hamlet's “less than kind” probably means (1) Hamlet is not of Claudius's family or nature, kind having the sense it still has in our word mankind; (2) Hamlet is not kindly (affectionately) disposed toward Claudius; (3) Claudius is not ...
Page
envy Event excrement fact fancy fell fellow fond free glass hap , haply head humor imp intelligence kind malice outcome outgrowth ( of hair ) evil deed ( 1 ) love ( 2 ) imagination cruel ( 1 ) companion ( 2 ) low person ( often an ...
envy Event excrement fact fancy fell fellow fond free glass hap , haply head humor imp intelligence kind malice outcome outgrowth ( of hair ) evil deed ( 1 ) love ( 2 ) imagination cruel ( 1 ) companion ( 2 ) low person ( often an ...
Page
Another kind of theater has been called the “private theater” because its much greater admission charge (sixpence versus the penny for general admission at the public theater) limited its audience to the wealthy or the prodigal.
Another kind of theater has been called the “private theater” because its much greater admission charge (sixpence versus the penny for general admission at the public theater) limited its audience to the wealthy or the prodigal.
Page
We have already discussed some kinds of spectacle in the preceding section, and now we will begin with other aspects of visual language; a theater, after all, is literally a “place for seeing.” Consider the opening stage direction in ...
We have already discussed some kinds of spectacle in the preceding section, and now we will begin with other aspects of visual language; a theater, after all, is literally a “place for seeing.” Consider the opening stage direction in ...
Page
We have already glanced at governmental censorship, but there are also other kinds. Take one of Shakespeare's most beloved characters, Falstaff, who appears in three of Shakespeare's plays, the two parts of Henry IV and The Merry Wives ...
We have already glanced at governmental censorship, but there are also other kinds. Take one of Shakespeare's most beloved characters, Falstaff, who appears in three of Shakespeare's plays, the two parts of Henry IV and The Merry Wives ...
What people are saying - Write a review
Reviews aren't verified, but Google checks for and removes fake content when it's identified
User Review - Flag as inappropriate
wonderful review and unique comments inside an important work
Other editions - View all
Common terms and phrases
action actors Albany answer appears arms bear better called cause characters comes Cordelia Cornwall course daughters death draw Edgar Edmund effect Elizabethan Enter evil Exeunt Exit eyes F omits fall father feel Folio follow Fool fortune give Gloucester gods Goneril Hamlet hand hath head hear heart hold human Kent kind King Lear Lear’s less lines live look lord master means mind nature never night noble Oswald performance perhaps person pity play poor present prints production question reason reference Regan roles scene seems sense servant Shakespeare sister sometimes speak speech stage stand storm suffering suggest tell theater thee things thou thought tragedy true turn women
Bibliographic information
| Title | King Lear Signet classic Shakespeare Works, William Shakespeare |
| Author | William Shakespeare |
| Editor | Russell Fraser |
| Publisher | Penguin, 1998 |
| ISBN | 1101142278, 9781101142271 |
| Length | 352 pages |
| Export Citation | BiBTeX EndNote RefMan |