Underlying book story — recording-specific coverage unverified
Coverage is limited to the scope described in this write-up. Recording changes, further installments or an unwritten ending may remain outside it.
This synopsis covers the underlying book linked to this recording: King Lear. Recording-specific abridgements, added material or adaptation changes have not been verified.
The play begins with the Earls of Gloucester and Kent discussing Lear's succession plans. Gloucester introduces his illegitimate son, Edmund. The court arrives and Lear announces he will finalise the marriage of his youngest daughter, Cordelia, to either the Duke of Burgundy or the King of France. Lear will also abdicate, granting a third of his kingdom to each daughter, provided they declare their love for him. Goneril and Regan make flattering speeches but Cordelia says she loves him according to her duty. Outraged, Lear disowns Cordelia, dividing her inheritance between her two sisters. Lear sets conditions: he retains the title of king, he will reside with Goneril and Regan, and he keeps a retinue of a hundred knights. Kent chastises Lear for abdicating and for disowning Cordelia, so Lear banishes him. Lear offers Cordelia without a dowry to her suitors. France accepts, admiring her honesty.
Ambitious Edmund resents the way he carries a stigma for his birth and plots to supplant his legitimate brother, Edgar, with a forged letter. Meanwhile, rather than leaving, Kent has disguised himself as 'Caius'. Lear hires him after he beats Goneril's servant, Oswald, for lack of manners. Goneril has lost patience with hosting the king and his retinue of knights, who have become a disorderly mob, and so orders him to dismiss half his knights. Enraged, Lear curses Goneril and threatens to take back his power, before departing for Regan's residence. In a private conversation, Lear fears he might be going mad. After encouraging Edgar to fly the castle, Edmund insinuates his brother was planning to murder Gloucester. Convinced, the earl disinherits Edgar, proclaiming him an outlaw. Edgar is pursued across the countryside, causing him to adopt the persona of a mad beggar named Tom o' Bedlam.
Regan and her husband, the Duke of Cornwall, arrive at Gloucester's home. Kent and Oswald quarrel, leading Cornwall and Regan to place Kent in the stocks. When Lear sees his messenger stocked, he struggles to control his rage. Together, Goneril and Regan decide to dismiss his knights. Lear goes mad, running out into a storm. Regan, Goneril, and Cornwall shut the gates after him, despite Gloucester's protests. Lear and the Fool are found on the heath by Kent, who leads them to shelter. In a hovel, they encounter Edgar as the mad beggar. During the stormy night, Gloucester arrives and encourages Kent to take Lear to Dover, where he knows a French army will land to restore the king. Edmund reveals Gloucester's intelligence to Cornwall and Regan. When Gloucester returns, Cornwall gouges out his eyes as retribution. One of Cornwall's servants intervenes, mortally wounding Cornwall. Discovering Edmund's betrayal, Gloucester realises that Edgar was innocent. The blinded earl is thrown out, hiring Poor Tom, whom he fails to recognise as his outlawed son, to lead him to Dover.
Goneril instructs Oswald to kill Gloucester and to deliver a letter to Edmund, for whom she has an adulterous infatuation. The widowed Regan is also attracted to Edmund, who is pitting the two sisters against each other. Edgar tricks the suicidal Gloucester into thinking he has survived a leap from the cliffs of Dover. They meet Lear again, who discourses madly about kingship, flattery, and hypocrisy. Oswald tries to kill Gloucester but is slain by Edgar. In Oswald's pocket, Edgar finds Goneril's letter to Edmund. Cordelia is reconciled with Lear, whose madness abates enough for him to ask her forgiveness. Regan, Goneril, Albany, and Edmund meet with their forces, preparing for battle. In disguise, Edgar gives Goneril's letter to Albany. The British defeat the French, capturing Lear and Cordelia. Edmund sends them to prison with covert orders for execution.
Regan declares she will marry Edmund, not knowing she has been poisoned by Goneril. Albany uses the letter to proclaim Edmund and Goneril as traitors. Regan collapses and dies. Edmund calls for trial by combat and Edgar appears as an anonymous champion, defeating Edmund. Goneril flees, killing herself off-stage. Edgar reveals himself and Gloucester's recent death. A repentant, dying Edmund discloses his order to kill Lear and Cordelia. Lear carries the dead Cordelia in his arms, before dying of grief. Albany offers to share power: Kent refuses, expecting soon to follow Lear into the grave. Edgar neither accepts nor declines.
The play begins with the Earls of Gloucester and Kent discussing Lear's succession plans. Gloucester introduces his illegitimate son, Edmund. The court arrives and Lear announces he will finalise the marriage of his youngest daughter, Cordelia, to either the Duke of Burgundy or the King of France. Lear will also abdicate, granting a third of his kingdom to each daughter, provided they declare their love for him. Goneril and Regan make flattering speeches but Cordelia says she loves him according to her duty. Outraged, Lear disowns Cordelia, dividing her inheritance between her two sisters. Lear sets conditions: he retains the title of king, he will reside with Goneril and Regan, and he keeps a retinue of a hundred knights. Kent chastises Lear for abdicating and for disowning Cordelia, so Lear banishes him. Lear offers Cordelia without a dowry to her suitors. France accepts, admiring her honesty.
Ambitious Edmund resents the way he carries a stigma for his birth and plots to supplant his legitimate brother, Edgar, with a forged letter. Meanwhile, rather than leaving, Kent has disguised himself as 'Caius'. Lear hires him after he beats Goneril's servant, Oswald, for lack of manners. Goneril has lost patience with hosting the king and his retinue of knights, who have become a disorderly mob, and so orders him to dismiss half his knights. Enraged, Lear curses Goneril and threatens to take back his power, before departing for Regan's residence. In a private conversation, Lear fears he might be going mad. After encouraging Edgar to fly the castle, Edmund insinuates his brother was planning to murder Gloucester. Convinced, the earl disinherits Edgar, proclaiming him an outlaw. Edgar is pursued across the countryside, causing him to adopt the persona of a mad beggar named Tom o' Bedlam.
Regan and her husband, the Duke of Cornwall, arrive at Gloucester's home. Kent and Oswald quarrel, leading Cornwall and Regan to place Kent in the stocks. When Lear sees his messenger stocked, he struggles to control his rage. Together, Goneril and Regan decide to dismiss his knights. Lear goes mad, running out into a storm. Regan, Goneril, and Cornwall shut the gates after him, despite Gloucester's protests. Lear and the Fool are found on the heath by Kent, who leads them to shelter. In a hovel, they encounter Edgar as the mad beggar. During the stormy night, Gloucester arrives and encourages Kent to take Lear to Dover, where he knows a French army will land to restore the king. Edmund reveals Gloucester's intelligence to Cornwall and Regan. When Gloucester returns, Cornwall gouges out his eyes as retribution. One of Cornwall's servants intervenes, mortally wounding Cornwall. Discovering Edmund's betrayal, Gloucester realises that Edgar was innocent. The blinded earl is thrown out, hiring Poor Tom, whom he fails to recognise as his outlawed son, to lead him to Dover.
Goneril instructs Oswald to kill Gloucester and to deliver a letter to Edmund, for whom she has an adulterous infatuation. The widowed Regan is also attracted to Edmund, who is pitting the two sisters against each other. Edgar tricks the suicidal Gloucester into thinking he has survived a leap from the cliffs of Dover. They meet Lear again, who discourses madly about kingship, flattery, and hypocrisy. Oswald tries to kill Gloucester but is slain by Edgar. In Oswald's pocket, Edgar finds Goneril's letter to Edmund. Cordelia is reconciled with Lear, whose madness abates enough for him to ask her forgiveness. Regan, Goneril, Albany, and Edmund meet with their forces, preparing for battle. In disguise, Edgar gives Goneril's letter to Albany. The British defeat the French, capturing Lear and Cordelia. Edmund sends them to prison with covert orders for execution.
Regan declares she will marry Edmund, not knowing she has been poisoned by Goneril. Albany uses the letter to proclaim Edmund and Goneril as traitors. Regan collapses and dies. Edmund calls for trial by combat and Edgar appears as an anonymous champion, defeating Edmund. Goneril flees, killing herself off-stage. Edgar reveals himself and Gloucester's recent death. A repentant, dying Edmund discloses his order to kill Lear and Cordelia. Lear carries the dead Cordelia in his arms, before dying of grief. Albany offers to share power: Kent refuses, expecting soon to follow Lear into the grave. Edgar neither accepts nor declines.
Sources and content license
Source and revision history ↗ · Underlying book identified by the catalog’s explicit book_slug relation. Exact source annotation 954. Adapted from Wikipedia contributors, King Lear. Section headings and formatting adjusted. · Content license