KING LIR

Duan Kastratovi II3

INTODUCTION

This article is about Shakespeare's play about the

legendary figure Leir of Britain.

King Learis atragedywritten byWilliam Shakespeare. It

depicts the gradual descent into madness of the title
character, after he disposes of his kingdom giving bequests
to two of his three daughters based on theirflatteryof
him, bringing tragic consequences for all. Derived from the
legend of Lear of Britain, a mythological pre RomanCeltic
king, the play has been widely adapted for the stage and
motion pictures, with the title role coveted by many of
the world's most accomplished actors.
Originally drafted in 1605 or 1606

CHARACTERS

Lear King of Britain

Goneril Lear's eldest daughter
Regan Lear's second daughter
Cordelia Lear's youngest daughter
Duke of Albany Goneril's husband
Duke of Cornwall Regan's husband
Earl of Gloucester
Earl of Kent later disguised as Caius
Edgar Gloucester's son
Edmund Gloucester's illegitimate son
Oswald Goneril's steward
Fool Lear's fool
King of France suitor and later husband to Cordelia
Duke of Burgundy suitor to Cordelia
Curan courtier
Old man tenant of Gloucester
Officer - employed by Edmund
Gentleman attends Cordelia
Servants to Cornwall
Knights of Lear's Train
Officers, Messengers, Soldiers, and Attendants.

SOURCES

Shakespeare's play is based on various accounts of the

semi-legendaryBrythonicfigureLeir of Britain, whose
name has been linked by some scholars to the Brythonic
godLir/Llr, though in actuality the names are not
etymologically related.Shakespeare's most important
source is probably the second edition ofThe Chronicles of
England, Scotlande, and IrelandebyRapha Holinshed,
published in 1587. Holinshed himself found the story in the
earlierHistoria Regum BritanniaebyGeoffrey of
Monmouth, that was written in the 12th century.Edmund
Spenser'sThe Faerie Queene, published 1590, also
contains a character named Cordelia, who also dies
fromhanging, as inKing Lear.