King Lear is one of the most complex plays written by Shakespeare, with its many characters, disguises, and surprising outcomes. HE examines universal themes such as the dangers of foolishness and manipulation, the consequences of greed, and the bittersweet happiness of redemption and reconciliation.
King Lear’s pride and love of flattery leads him to bestow his wealth and power to his daughters based solely on how well they could flatter him with words.
ANAGNORISIS
HUBRIS
As a result of King Lear’s foolish game, Goneril and Regan receive equal shares in the kingdom. Angered by Cordelia’s refusal to participate, King Lear disinherits her, leaving her no other option than to marry the King of France and leave England in the hands of her power-hungry sisters.
NEMESIS
PERIPETEIA
Goneril and Regan are allied in their quest to wrench full power from their father. They treat him terribly, remove the knights from his entourage, and lock up his servant in the stocks.
CATHARSIS
After Kent is locked in the stocks, King Lear seems to realize his grave mistake and rides off into a terrible storm. He is wild with grief and begins to lose his sanity.
While Lear realizes his wrongs, and he does eventually reconcile with Cordelia, Albany and Edmund’s forces are already too strong. They readily defeat Lear and Cordelia, and Edmund takes them prisoner.
While Edgar is able to expose Edmund’s lies for what he really is, it is too late: Edmund has already sent a guard to kill Cordelia and King Lear. King Lear kills the guard, but it isn’t in time to save Cordelia’s life. Heartbroken, King Lear dies while holding her body in his arms. The audience feels pity that Lear realized his mistakes, but won’t be given a chance to rectify them.