King Lear | Shakespeare’s Illustrated Classics

Lear, King of England, was old and tired. He decided to divide his kingdom into three parts, giving one each to his three daughters. His eldest daughter, Goneril, was married to the Duke of Albany. The second, Regan, was the wife of the Duke of Cornwall. His youngest daughter, Cordelia, had two suitors, the Duke of Burgundy and the King of France.

King Lear liked to be flattered a little. So, he asked his daughters how much they loved him before he rewarded them. Goneril was an evil and greedy woman who didn’t love her father at all, but she said that she loved him more than her beauty and honour! Regan, equally wicked, declared that she loved him more than her sister!

King Lear turned to his favourite daughter, Cordelia hoping she would say something even more special to please him, for he had kept the best part of the kingdom for her. But he was annoyed when she had nothing to say. She loved him as her father, neither more nor less. “For, I must love my husband too when I marry,” she added. She was not a flatterer like her sisters. In a fit of rage, King Lear exiled Cordelia and said that she would get nothing from him!

The Duke of Burgundy immediately withdrew his offer for Cordelia’s hand because he wanted the kingdom. But the wise King of France accepted her hand, proud to marry her and make her the Queen of France! One of Lear’s most loyal courtiers, the Earl of Kent, tried to tell the King that he was doing wrong, but Lear was so angry that he exiled Kent as well!

King Lear divided Cordelia’s part of the kingdom between his other two daughters. He kept a hundred of his knights with him, planning to stay with his two daughters turn by turn. Goneril disliked him and grumbled that he didn’t need a hundred knights any more. Her own servants could look after the old man!

Kent knew the true nature of Goneril and Regan, and realised that Lear would have to be protected. Therefore, he disguised himself and became a servant to Lear. The Fool, Lear’s court jester, also remained faithful to him.

Unhappy with Goneril’s ill-treatment, Lear went to stay with Regan. But Goneril had already told her sister what to do. Why did he need fifty or even five knights? She too asked Lear to get rid of them. Realising that his daughters really wanted to get rid of him, Lear walked out with Kent and the Fool.

It was a wild, stormy night and bitterly cold. Kent found shelter in a poor, dirty hut for Lear. Deeply shocked and hurt by his daughters’ neglect and harsh treatment, Lear began to go out of his mind. He often spoke of the ingratitude of Goneril and Regan, and remembered Cordelia. He finally realised how honest and loving she had really been.

Kent took him to Dover for safety and himself rushed to France to tell Cordelia what had happened. The King of France sent his army with Cordelia to win back the kingdom for King Lear. Kent led her to Dover.

Cordelia arrived at Dover with her army. She was griefstricken to see Lear wandering around like a mad man, with his head wreathed with a crown of weeds! She hugged him and gave him new clothes and fed him. He begged her to forgive him. “For, I am an old and foolish man!” Lear said.

Goneril had conspired with Edmund, a son of one of the courtiers, the Duke of Gloucester, to harm King Lear. The old Duke had also been blinded! The old Duke of Gloucester was also suffering because of the dreadful cruelty of his ungrateful son. Goneril was in love with Edmund but was jealous of Regan, for she thought that Regan too loved him.

Goneril and Regan had joined the armies of the Dukes of Albany and Cornwall to attack Cordelia’s army. The Duke of Albany was not aware of the truth. The sisters had said that Cordelia was leading the French army to conquer England. Their armies defeated the French force and Cordelia and Lear were thrown into prison!

Only then did the Duke of Albany get to know the truth about his wife’s wickedness. She, along with Regan and the Duke of Cornwall, had ill-treated Lear. Cordelia had come to restore her father to his rightful throne.

Furious at the wickedness of Goneril, the Duke of Albany decided to punish her. But, out of sheer fright, she drank poison and killed herself. But she made sure that she poisoned Regan too before she died, for she was jealous of her friendship with Edmund. King Lear was shocked to see his dead daughter, Goneril.

Before dying, Goneril also ensured Cordelia was destroyed. She sent a messenger to the prison to execute Cordelia. King Lear had knelt before his daughter and sought her forgiveness for his folly and harshness. But he could not save poor Cordelia who was killed. The Fool too was executed.

By the time the Duke of Albany’s messenger arrived, Cordelia was dead. King Lear carried her body to the Duke’s camp. The old King was a shattered old man and his heart finally broke and he died. The Earl of Kent revealed himself finally as he mourned for the great King and his courageous daughter Cordelia.

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