Scene Summary
1 Gloucester and Kent discuss Edmund’s illegitimacy.
Lear conducts a love test, banishing Cordelia who says ‘nothing’.
The King of France admires her, marrying her anyway.
2 Edmund makes it clear that he is dissatis ed with society’s treatment of bastards.
He tells Gloucester that Edgar is plotting to kill him through a feigned letter, while Edgar believes that
Gloucester is very angry with him so avoids him regardless.
3 Lear spends the rst part of his retirement at Goneril’s castle, she complains that he is an obnoxious
guest and orders her servants to be rude to him.
4 Kent disguises himself as Caius, gets back into Lear’s good books; Oswald disrespects Lear and the
Fool arrives.
Goneril tells Lear his knights are rude so he has to send 50 out of 100 away, he declares he will stay
with Regan instead.
5 Lear sends Kent to deliver a message to Gloucester, the Fool foresees Regan’s equally poor
treatment of Lear.
He calls on the heavens to stop him going mad, then leaves for Regan’s castle.
6 Gloucester is in his castle with Edgar, Edmund, Cornwall and Regan.
Edmund tells Edgar Cornwall is angry with him for being on Albany’s side, Edgar ees, Gloucester
sends men in vengeful pursuit.
7 Disguised Kent attacks Oswald, Cornwall puts him in the stocks.
Lear arrives at Gloucester’s castle, he is disgusted to discover Kent in the stocks and Regan
unwilling to allow him his knights at her castle - in protest, he goes outside into the storm.
8 Storm rages, Kent seeks Lear in vain, nding one of his knights alone; Kent gives him a ring to take
to Cordelia, before leaving to search for Lear.
9 Lear wanders around irrationally in the storm with his Fool urging him to be humble and seek shelter
indoors.
Kent nds them, getting Lear to agree to take shelter in a nearby hovel.
10 Gloucester urges Regan, Goneril and Cornwall to give him permission to help Lear, they grow angry
and usurp his castle.
He leaves, Edmund rejoices and tells Cornwall of Gloucester’s plan to help Lear.
11 The Fool, Kent and Lear arrive at the hovel, nding Edgar (disguised as Poor Tom).
Lear sympathises with him, tearing o his own clothes too.
Gloucester appears, convincing Lear (alongside Kent) to go back to the castle with him.
12 Cornwall vows revenge against Gloucester, allies himself with Edmund who has supposedly helped
him.
13 Gloucester, Kent, Edgar, Lear and the Fool shelter in a small building on Gloucester’s property, who
leaves to nd provisions.
Gloucester hurries back, telling Kent he overheard a plot to kill Lear, so he needs to be transported
towards Dover where allies are waiting.
14 Oswald brings word to Cornwall, Goneril and Regan that Gloucester helped Lear escape to Dover,
Gloucester is found and his eyes are gouged out as punishment.
A servant steps in, ghting and wounding Cornwall with a sword, Regan kills the former and tells
Gloucester that it is Edmund who betrayed him - he realises his mistake too late.
15 Edgar talks to himself on the heath, before confronted with the sight of his blinded father.
He decides to stay disguised as Poor Tom, Gloucester asks Edgar to lead him to the highest cli in
Dover.
16 Oswald tells Goneril that Albany is displeased with her, she no longer allies herself with him, taking
power and kissing Edmund.
News arrives that Cornwall died from his wound, Albany vows revenge against Edmund while
helping Gloucester and Lear.
fi fi fi fi fffi fi fi fl ff
1 Gloucester and Kent discuss Edmund’s illegitimacy.
Lear conducts a love test, banishing Cordelia who says ‘nothing’.
The King of France admires her, marrying her anyway.
2 Edmund makes it clear that he is dissatis ed with society’s treatment of bastards.
He tells Gloucester that Edgar is plotting to kill him through a feigned letter, while Edgar believes that
Gloucester is very angry with him so avoids him regardless.
3 Lear spends the rst part of his retirement at Goneril’s castle, she complains that he is an obnoxious
guest and orders her servants to be rude to him.
4 Kent disguises himself as Caius, gets back into Lear’s good books; Oswald disrespects Lear and the
Fool arrives.
Goneril tells Lear his knights are rude so he has to send 50 out of 100 away, he declares he will stay
with Regan instead.
5 Lear sends Kent to deliver a message to Gloucester, the Fool foresees Regan’s equally poor
treatment of Lear.
He calls on the heavens to stop him going mad, then leaves for Regan’s castle.
6 Gloucester is in his castle with Edgar, Edmund, Cornwall and Regan.
Edmund tells Edgar Cornwall is angry with him for being on Albany’s side, Edgar ees, Gloucester
sends men in vengeful pursuit.
7 Disguised Kent attacks Oswald, Cornwall puts him in the stocks.
Lear arrives at Gloucester’s castle, he is disgusted to discover Kent in the stocks and Regan
unwilling to allow him his knights at her castle - in protest, he goes outside into the storm.
8 Storm rages, Kent seeks Lear in vain, nding one of his knights alone; Kent gives him a ring to take
to Cordelia, before leaving to search for Lear.
9 Lear wanders around irrationally in the storm with his Fool urging him to be humble and seek shelter
indoors.
Kent nds them, getting Lear to agree to take shelter in a nearby hovel.
10 Gloucester urges Regan, Goneril and Cornwall to give him permission to help Lear, they grow angry
and usurp his castle.
He leaves, Edmund rejoices and tells Cornwall of Gloucester’s plan to help Lear.
11 The Fool, Kent and Lear arrive at the hovel, nding Edgar (disguised as Poor Tom).
Lear sympathises with him, tearing o his own clothes too.
Gloucester appears, convincing Lear (alongside Kent) to go back to the castle with him.
12 Cornwall vows revenge against Gloucester, allies himself with Edmund who has supposedly helped
him.
13 Gloucester, Kent, Edgar, Lear and the Fool shelter in a small building on Gloucester’s property, who
leaves to nd provisions.
Gloucester hurries back, telling Kent he overheard a plot to kill Lear, so he needs to be transported
towards Dover where allies are waiting.
14 Oswald brings word to Cornwall, Goneril and Regan that Gloucester helped Lear escape to Dover,
Gloucester is found and his eyes are gouged out as punishment.
A servant steps in, ghting and wounding Cornwall with a sword, Regan kills the former and tells
Gloucester that it is Edmund who betrayed him - he realises his mistake too late.
15 Edgar talks to himself on the heath, before confronted with the sight of his blinded father.
He decides to stay disguised as Poor Tom, Gloucester asks Edgar to lead him to the highest cli in
Dover.
16 Oswald tells Goneril that Albany is displeased with her, she no longer allies herself with him, taking
power and kissing Edmund.
News arrives that Cornwall died from his wound, Albany vows revenge against Edmund while
helping Gloucester and Lear.
fi fi fi fi fffi fi fi fl ff
