The eldest, Goneril, speaks first, declaring her love for her father in fulsome terms. King Lear of Britain, elderly and wanting to retire from the duties of the monarchy, decides to divide his realm among his three daughters, and declares he will offer the largest share to the one who loves him most. Characters Ĭordelia in the Court of King Lear (1873) by Sir John Gilbert In his A Defence of Poetry, Percy Bysshe Shelley called King Lear 'the most perfect specimen of the dramatic art existing in the world', and the play is regularly cited as one of the greatest works of literature ever written. The play was often revised after the English Restoration for audiences who disliked its dark and depressing tone, but since the 19th century Shakespeare's original play has been regarded as one of his supreme achievements.īoth the title role and the supporting roles have been coveted by accomplished actors, and the play has been widely adapted. The quarto versions differ significantly from the folio version.

The three extant publications from which modern editors derive their texts are the 1608 quarto (Q1) and the 1619 quarto (Q2, unofficial and based on Q1) and the 1623 First Folio. The first known performance of any version of Shakespeare's play was on Saint Stephen's Day in 1606. He becomes destitute and insane and a proscribed crux of political machinations. King Lear, in preparation for his old age, divides his power and land between two of his daughters. It is based on the mythological Leir of Britain. King Lear is a tragedy written by William Shakespeare.

Lear william shakespeare