King Lear - A Short Summary



There was a king of England called Lear.  He had ruled his land wisely.  But now he was old and felt that it was time to pass the kingdom to younger hands.  Lear had no sons but had three daughters, Goneril, Regan and Cordelia.  King Lear wanted to divide the kingdom among them.  Before telling them of his decision he sent for them and asked them whether they truly love him.

 Goneril his eldest daughter  answered that she loved him more than words could say.  The king was happy and gave a part of his kingdom.  He asked the same question to Regan, she too like her sister answered the same insincere way as Goneril.  The father was happy and gave the another part of his kingdom.  He then asked the same question his last and beloved daughter Cordelia, she knowing her sisters' pretense for the kingdom.  She answered honestly that she loved as she should neither  more nor less.

 The King was hurt and unhappy and grew angry and chased Cordelia out of his kingdom giving nothing to her.  Now the happy king divided the kingdom between his two elder daughter who were very greedy and cruel.  Very soon they proved their true nature by treating the king and his knights with careless rudeness, and they took no notice of his orders pretending not to hear them.  Soon the king realized  that he was not being treated with the respect due to a king.

 Now he set off for Regan's place.  Regan too treated her father as rudely as Goneril had done.  But the king could not believe it. Regan had no sympathy for her father. At last  Lear realized, to the full, the wickedness and greed of his two elder daughters.   With bitter sorrow the King Lear left the castle and walked into the stormy night. He was going mad with sorrow.

 The old king was, by this time, so disturbed in mind that he did not notice the storm.  He at last found a hut to stay and saw Poor Tom.  He was really the elder son of the Earl of Gloucester.  Edmund was jealous and turned their father against Edgar the poor Tom and was driven away from the kingdom and now he pretended to be a mad man to avoid recognition and imprisonment.


 The Earl of Kent sailed across to France and told Crodelia who was a Queen by marrying a French Prince, about her father's sufferings. They returned in search of king Lear found him to be mad and talked strangely, and wearing a crown of eaves and flowers.  Crodelia's wish was to bring him back to happiness.  The time had come for two enemy armies to meet.  Edmund wished to become King of England, and made love to both Goneril and Regan.  In the battle Cordelia was defeated and taken prisoner.  There was hated and bitterness in English camp.  Regan's husband had dies and she announced her marriage with Edmund; but Goneril, angry and jealous, poisoned her sister.   Goneril was sent to prison for her crimes, and she killed herself in anger.  Finally the evil Edmund was killed by his brother Edgar.  After the death of Cordelia the old king cried and fell dead beside he beloved daughter.


 And so ended, in sorrow and despair,the  long life of the good King Lear; But the crown passed to the noble Duke of Albany, who became king of all England. England became a rich and peaceful land once more.

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