King Lear (Cyclopedia of Literary Characters)
At a glance:
- Author: William Shakespeare
- First Published: 1608
- Type of Work: Play
- Type of Plot: Tragedy
- Time of Work: First century
- Setting: Britain
- Genres: Drama, History play, Tragedy
- Subjects: Parents and children, Blindness or blind persons, Betrayal, Mental illness, Fathers, Sisters, Kings, queens, or royalty, Greed, Cruelty, Great Britain, First century
- Locales: England
Characters Discussed
Lear (leer), the king of Britain. Obstinate, arrogant, and hot-tempered, he indiscreetly plans to divide his kingdom among his daughters, giving the best and largest portion to his youngest and best-loved, Cordelia. When she refuses to flatter him with lavish and public protestations of love, he casts her off with unreasoning fury. Disillusioned and abandoned by his older daughters, he is driven to madness by his age and exposure to internal and external tempests. During his suffering, signs of unselfishness appear, and his character changes from arrogance...
[The entire page is 1342 words long]
Navigate
- King Lear (Cyclopedia of Literary Characters)
- King Lear (Magill Book Reviews)
- King Lear (Masterplots, Revised Second Edition)
- King Lear (Cyclopedia of Literary Places)
See Also:
William Shakespeare (Censorship--Ready Reference series)William Shakespeare (Cyclopedia of World Authors)William Shakespeare: The Poet (Poetry)William Shakespeare: The Dramatist (Magill’s Choice: Shakespeare)William Shakespeare: The Man (Magill’s Choice: Shakespeare)
See Also:
- - Read the King Lear text online.
- - For teachers, the King Lear Lesson Plan.
- - King Lear summary and study guide in the eNotes.
- Add King Lear to your favorites