and subsequent miscarriage. As a result of this incident, Cordelia becomes openly aggressive, determined to wage war on those responsible for shattering her life. Cordelia, along with her new husband, John, lead an army against the forces of Bodice and Fontanelle. Having successfully acquired control of the state, she sets about creating the society of which Lear could only dream. Unfortunately for Cordelia, in doing so she repeats the mistakes of Lear.

John the Carpenter

John the Carpenter, a character who demonstrates integrity and bravery. Despite his love for Cordelia, John respects her marriage to the Gravedigger’s Boy and settles for simply visiting her at the farm. One such occasion is the time of the soldiers’ attack. John saves Cordelia, murders the aggressors, and subsequently marries her. Together, they attack the armies of Bodice and Fontanelle. John is unrelenting in his attitude toward Lear’s daughters, apparently unconcerned by the pain and suffering he causes.

Ben
Ben is an orderly in the prison who shows kindness to Lear. When soldiers chase Ben, he later finds refuge at the Gravedigger's Boy's house, and despite the risk, Lear decides to take him in.

Bishop
The Bishop makes a brief appearance in the first act, offering a blessing to Lear's army. He assures Lear that God will support him rather than the women who oppose him.

Bodice
Bodice, Lear's daughter and Fontanelle's sister, initially protests her father's harshness in executing a workman. However, after marrying the Duke of North and leading a successful rebellion against Lear, she becomes even more ruthless, meticulously planning her husband's murder. Although similar to her sister in many ways, Bodice is notably more calculating. During Warrington's torture, Bodice knits with such focus that it turns the scene darkly comic. As the play unfolds, her hunger for power intensifies; she imprisons her husband and contemplates killing her sister. Despite her introspective nature, revealed in a monologue about feeling enslaved by her own power, Bodice learns nothing by the end. Imprisoned and as calculating as ever, she is ultimately killed by Cordelia's soldiers.

Carpenter
The Carpenter first appears at the Gravedigger's Boy and Cordelia's home. The Gravedigger's Boy mentions that the Carpenter frequently visits due to his affection for Cordelia. After soldiers kill the Gravedigger's Boy and rape Cordelia, the Carpenter arrives and kills the soldiers. He then marries Cordelia. Although his actions seem noble, he later becomes part of her corrupt regime when she gains power.

Cordelia
The audience is first introduced to Cordelia, the Gravedigger's Boy's wife, at their home when Lear seeks shelter. Unlike her compassionate husband, she wants Lear to leave. Following the murder of her husband and her own rape by soldiers, Cordelia marries the Carpenter and leads a rebellion against Bodice and Fontanelle. Though her rebellion succeeds, she becomes equally as cruel as those she overthrew. Cordelia abandons a wounded soldier to die alone, orders the executions of Bodice and Fontanelle, and blinds Lear. While she allows Lear to live, she tries to silence his public speaking. Ultimately, one of her soldiers kills Lear.

Duke of Cornwall
Initially an adversary of Lear's kingdom, the Duke of Cornwall is seen as a potential peacemaker through his marriage to Fontanelle. However, he soon joins Fontanelle and Bodice in their rebellion against Lear. Fontanelle quickly becomes disillusioned with him and attempts to have him killed. Though he survives, she later has him imprisoned. His character is nearly indistinguishable from the Duke of North.

Duke of North
The Duke of North also starts as an enemy of Lear's kingdom. He marries Bodice under the guise of promoting peace but ends up supporting Bodice and Fontanelle's revolt. Bodice soon tires of him and tries to have him killed. Although that attempt fails, she eventually has him imprisoned. He is almost identical to the Duke of Cornwall, Fontanelle's husband.

Farmer
The Farmer appears near Lear's wall with his wife and son shortly after Lear is released from prison, blinded. When Lear asks to rest in his home, the Farmer reveals that he has lost everything due to Lear's obsession with building the wall. Lear begins to understand the real consequences of his actions and starts to feel empathy for his kingdom's people.

Farmer's Son
The Farmer's Son arrives at Lear's wall with his parents. At the time of their meeting, he is being conscripted into Cordelia's army. Lear pleads with him to flee instead of joining. In the final scene, the Farmer's Son, now a soldier, is the one who shoots and kills Lear.

Farmer's Wife
The Farmer's Wife appears at Lear's wall alongside her husband and son. She has resigned herself to the grim fate awaiting her family.

Firing Squad Officer
The Firing Squad Officer leads the squad assigned to execute one of Lear's workers at his command. When they hesitate, Lear takes matters into his own hands and shoots the man himself.

Fontanelle
Fontanelle, Lear's daughter and Bodice's sister, initially appears compassionate when she objects to her father's execution of a workman in the first scene. However, as she leads the rebellion against Lear with Bodice, her immense cruelty becomes evident. She plots to kill her husband, though unsuccessfully, and shows her true brutality during Warrington's torture, finding dark humor in his suffering. Her excitement contrasts with Bodice's calm demeanor. Despite their supposed alliance, Fontanelle and Bodice are not loyal to each other; Fontanelle has her own spies. Eventually, Cordelia imprisons and executes Fontanelle. Her autopsy is performed onstage, and Lear is struck by the beauty of her internal organs. This moment leads Lear to recognize his role in shaping his children's characters. While Fontanelle learns nothing herself, her death helps Lear gain a clearer understanding of his own cruelty.

GhostSee Gravedigger's Boy

Gravedigger's Boy
The Gravedigger's Boy plays a crucial role in teaching Lear about empathy. When Lear first encounters him, the Gravedigger's Boy lives in a rural setting with his pregnant wife, Cordelia. The simplicity and kindness of his life spark the initial change in Lear. After soldiers kill the Gravedigger's Boy, he later appears to Lear in prison as a Ghost. As a Ghost, he continues to guide Lear, although he himself is in a state of ongoing decay. The Ghost is slowly dying and is filled with fear. Lear, referring to the Ghost as "his boy," tries to protect him but cannot halt the Ghost's decline. Despite this, the Ghost maintains a protective stance toward Lear. They learn to support and teach each other, showing genuine kindness and compassion. Tragically, the Ghost is ultimately killed by frenzied pigs, causing Lear to experience the agony of losing him a second time.

Gravedigger's Boy's WifeSee Cordelia

John
John resides with Thomas, Susan, and Lear at the Gravedigger's Boy's home. He is more critical of Lear and eventually leaves for the city, inviting Susan to abandon Thomas and join him. However, Susan chooses to stay with Thomas and Lear.

Judge
The Judge, who is clearly under the influence of Bodice and Fontanelle, oversees Lear's trial and concludes that Lear is insane.

Lear
Lear is the central character of the play. The narrative largely focuses on his personal growth. Initially, he appears as a ruthless king determined to build a wall around his kingdom, supposedly to protect his people. However, his actions reveal his disregard for their lives, as he kills a laborer who accidentally caused another's death, delaying the wall's construction. When Lear is overthrown by his daughters, Bodice and Fontanelle, he begins to suffer and transform through his suffering. At the start of the rebellion, Lear denies having daughters but eventually accepts responsibility for shaping their characters. His interactions with the Gravedigger's Boy and later with the Gravedigger's Boy's Ghost significantly influence his transformation as he starts to recognize the potential for genuine kindness. Much of Lear's change stems from his relationships with others. By seeing the world through their perspectives, he develops compassion and is ultimately willing to sacrifice his life for the greater good. His final act, attempting to dismantle his own wall, symbolizes the depth of his transformation, which is central to the play.

Officer
The Officer arrives at the Gravedigger's Boy's house while Lear is staying there with Thomas, Susan, and John. He accuses Lear of sheltering deserters and takes the Small Man away for execution.

Old Councilor
The Old Councilor remains loyal to whichever regime holds power. Initially, he serves as a minister under Lear, then aligns with Bodice and Fontanelle during their rule, and eventually works for Cordelia.

Prisoners
Four prisoners accompany Lear in a prison convoy. Among them is the Prison Doctor, who performs the autopsy on Fontanelle and later blinds Lear.

Small Man
The Small Man, a deserter pursued by soldiers, seeks refuge with Lear, Thomas, Susan, and John. Although Lear attempts to protect him, the soldiers ultimately find him and take him away for execution.

Soldiers
Fourteen soldiers have speaking roles in the play, with additional soldiers appearing on stage. These soldiers frequently engage in acts of killing or torturing people, serving the various corrupt regimes throughout the play.

Susan
Susan, Thomas's wife, lives with him, John, and Lear at the Gravedigger's Boy's house. Like Thomas, she worries that Lear's compassion for others will put their household in danger. However, she leads Lear to his wall so he can perform his final defiant act.

Thomas
Thomas, along with his wife Susan and John, lives with Lear at the Gravedigger's Boy's house after Lear is blinded and released from prison. Although compassionate, Thomas is hesitant to risk the household's safety by aiding those hunted by Cordelia's army. He fears that Lear's public speeches will cause trouble, yet expresses a desire to fight for the people's good. Despite Susan and John's pleas, he refuses to abandon Lear.

Warrington
Warrington remains loyal to Lear and is captured and brutally tortured by Lear's daughters when they first rebel. Although they decide not to kill him, he lives in the woods for a time, referred to as "the wild man" by the Gravedigger's Boy and his wife. He eventually drowns in their well.

Wild ManSee Warrington

Workmen
The three workmen appear in the opening scene, building Lear's wall. Lear values them only for their labor on the wall. When one is accidentally killed, Lear's primary concern is the delay in construction.

Wounded Rebel Soldier
The Wounded Rebel Soldier is injured while fighting in Cordelia's army. He is abandoned by Cordelia, the Carpenter, and the other rebel soldiers, left to die alone.