Scene Summary
1 Gloucester and Kent discuss Lear being about to divide his kingdom, Kent asks Gloucester to introduce his son;
Edmund is a bastard raised away from home but loved dearly by Gloucester. Lear plans to divide the kingdom between
his three daughters, giving the biggest share to her who loves him the most. Goneril and Regan atter him while Cordelia
refuses, as she cannot put into words how much she loves him and her sisters wouldn’t have husbands if they felt the
same. Lear is enraged and disowns her, while Goneril and Regan get the kingdom. Kent disagrees, is therefore banished.
King of France and Duke of Burgundy await Lear’s decision as to who shall marry Cordelia, he reveals she no longer has
any title or land, Burgundy withdraws his o er while France is impressed and decides to make her his queen. Lear sends
her away without blessing. Goneril and Regan scheme in secrecy to reduce Lear’s authority.
2 Edmund enters, dissatis ed with society’s attitude towards bastards and resenting his legitimate half-brother Edgar, who
will inherit Gloucester’s state; he resolves to do away with Edgar and seize the privilege society has denied him. He
forges a letter in which Edgar appears to plot the death of Gloucester, making a show of hiding it from their father who
demands to read it. Gloucester believes that Edgar has been scheming to kill him to get his inheritance early, Edmund
tells Edgar that Gloucester is very angry with him so he should be avoided, making the lie seem more plausible.
3 Lear spends the rst part of his retirement at Goneril’s castle. She complains to her steward, Oswald, that Lear’s knights
are becoming riotous and Lear himself is an obnoxious guest. To provoke confrontation, she orders her servants to
behave rudely to Lear and his attendants.
4 Kent goes to Goneril’s castle disguised as a peasant (Caius), putting himself in Lear’s way and emphasising his honesty,
until he accepts him into service. Lear’s servants and knights notice that Goneril’s servants no longer obey them. Lear
asks Oswald where Goneril is, Oswald leaves the room without replying then returns, but his disrespect induces Lear to
strike him. Kent trips Oswald. The Fool arrives, telling Lear he has made a mistake in handing his power to Goneril and
Regan. Goneril arrives to speak with Lear, telling him his servants and knights are disorderly and he has to send them
away. He is shocked at her betrayal, she remains adamant that he has to send 50 of his 100 knights away, he repents
handing his power to her and curses her, calling on nature to make her childless. He calls for his horses and declares he
will stay with Regan, a “true daughter”. Albany is upset with Goneril for how she treated Lear, but she has written to
Regan who won’t house his 100 knights either.
5 Lear sends Kent to deliver a message to Gloucester. The Fool needles Lear further about his bad decisions, foreseeing
that Regan will not treat him any better than Goneril did. Lear calls on Heaven to stop him going mad, he leaves with his
attendants for Regan’s castle.
6 Gloucester’s castle, his servant Curan tells Edmund that he informed Gloucester of Cornwall and Regan’s impending visit
that night, as well as rumours of trouble brewing between Cornwall and Albany. Edmund is delighted to hear of
Cornwall’s visit, he can help him to get rid of Edgar; Edmund tells Edgar that Cornwall is angry with him for being on
Albany’s side, Edgar is bewildered. Edmund tells him that Gloucester has discovered his hiding place, Edgar ees while
Edmund pretends to ght him, cutting his arm and lying to Gloucester that Edgar wanted him to join in his plot against
Gloucester’s life - Edgar “tried to kill him for refusing”, Gloucester vows to pursue him and sends men to search for him.
Cornwall and Regan arrive, believing Edmund’s lies, she asks if Edgar is one of the disorderly knights that attend Lear.
Edmund says that he is, she speculates that knights put the idea of killing Gloucester into his head to acquire his wealth.
Regan asks Gloucester his advice in answering letters from Lear and Goneril.
7 Outside Gloucester’s castle, disguised Kent meets Oswald who does not recognise him. Kent verbally abuses him, while
Oswald maintains that he does not know him, until Kent draws his sword and attacks. Oswald cries for help, bringing
Cornwall, Regan and Gloucester; Kent replies rudely to their requests for an explanation so Cornwall orders him to be
punished in the stocks. Gloucester objects: humiliating punishment of Lear’s messenger seems disrespectful of Lear
himself, but Cornwall and Regan maintain that Kent deserves it and puts him in the stocks. When alone, Kent reads a
letter from Cordelia, promising she will nd a way to help improve conditions in Britain from her current position in
France. He is unhappy and resigned, falling asleep in the stocks. As Kent sleeps, Edgar enters having escaped the
manhunt thus far yet still afraid. He removes his ne clothing and covers himself with dirt, disguising himself as Poor Tom
- a beggar released from an insane asylum wandering the countryside seeking food and shelter. Lear arrives at
Gloucester’s castle with the Fool and a knight, shocked seeing his “servant” Kent in the stocks, who reveals that Regan
and Cornwall put him there. Lear is in disbelief, demands to speak to them, they refuse as they are sick and weary from
travelling. Lear insists, struggling to control his emotions, Cornwall and Regan eventually appear. Lear tells her of
Goneril’s unkindness towards him, Regan suggests she may have been justi ed and he is just old and unreasonable, he
should beg her forgiveness. Regan refuses to shelter Lear, he curses Goneril, who arrives and gains Regan as an ally
against their father. They tell him he is old, weak and he has to give up half his men if he wants to stay with either of
them. Lear is confused, says that he and his 100 men will stay with Regan, who says she will only allow him 25. He turns
to Goneril, saying he is willing to come down to 50 men if he can stay with her, eventually the sisters refuse to allow him
any servants. Outraged, he curses them and goes outside, where a storm is brewing. Gloucester begs Goneril and
Regan to bring Lear back inside, they are unyielding and order that the doors be shut and locked.
8 Storm rages on the heath, Kent seeks Lear in vain and runs into one of Lear’s knights - Lear is in the area accompanied
only by his Fool. Kent tells the knight secret information: the unrest between Albany and Cornwall, spies from France in
the English courts, the knight should go to Dover where he may nd friends who will help Lear’s cause. He gives the
knight a ring, ordering him to give it to Cordelia, who will know who has sent him. Kent leaves to search for Lear.
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1 Gloucester and Kent discuss Lear being about to divide his kingdom, Kent asks Gloucester to introduce his son;
Edmund is a bastard raised away from home but loved dearly by Gloucester. Lear plans to divide the kingdom between
his three daughters, giving the biggest share to her who loves him the most. Goneril and Regan atter him while Cordelia
refuses, as she cannot put into words how much she loves him and her sisters wouldn’t have husbands if they felt the
same. Lear is enraged and disowns her, while Goneril and Regan get the kingdom. Kent disagrees, is therefore banished.
King of France and Duke of Burgundy await Lear’s decision as to who shall marry Cordelia, he reveals she no longer has
any title or land, Burgundy withdraws his o er while France is impressed and decides to make her his queen. Lear sends
her away without blessing. Goneril and Regan scheme in secrecy to reduce Lear’s authority.
2 Edmund enters, dissatis ed with society’s attitude towards bastards and resenting his legitimate half-brother Edgar, who
will inherit Gloucester’s state; he resolves to do away with Edgar and seize the privilege society has denied him. He
forges a letter in which Edgar appears to plot the death of Gloucester, making a show of hiding it from their father who
demands to read it. Gloucester believes that Edgar has been scheming to kill him to get his inheritance early, Edmund
tells Edgar that Gloucester is very angry with him so he should be avoided, making the lie seem more plausible.
3 Lear spends the rst part of his retirement at Goneril’s castle. She complains to her steward, Oswald, that Lear’s knights
are becoming riotous and Lear himself is an obnoxious guest. To provoke confrontation, she orders her servants to
behave rudely to Lear and his attendants.
4 Kent goes to Goneril’s castle disguised as a peasant (Caius), putting himself in Lear’s way and emphasising his honesty,
until he accepts him into service. Lear’s servants and knights notice that Goneril’s servants no longer obey them. Lear
asks Oswald where Goneril is, Oswald leaves the room without replying then returns, but his disrespect induces Lear to
strike him. Kent trips Oswald. The Fool arrives, telling Lear he has made a mistake in handing his power to Goneril and
Regan. Goneril arrives to speak with Lear, telling him his servants and knights are disorderly and he has to send them
away. He is shocked at her betrayal, she remains adamant that he has to send 50 of his 100 knights away, he repents
handing his power to her and curses her, calling on nature to make her childless. He calls for his horses and declares he
will stay with Regan, a “true daughter”. Albany is upset with Goneril for how she treated Lear, but she has written to
Regan who won’t house his 100 knights either.
5 Lear sends Kent to deliver a message to Gloucester. The Fool needles Lear further about his bad decisions, foreseeing
that Regan will not treat him any better than Goneril did. Lear calls on Heaven to stop him going mad, he leaves with his
attendants for Regan’s castle.
6 Gloucester’s castle, his servant Curan tells Edmund that he informed Gloucester of Cornwall and Regan’s impending visit
that night, as well as rumours of trouble brewing between Cornwall and Albany. Edmund is delighted to hear of
Cornwall’s visit, he can help him to get rid of Edgar; Edmund tells Edgar that Cornwall is angry with him for being on
Albany’s side, Edgar is bewildered. Edmund tells him that Gloucester has discovered his hiding place, Edgar ees while
Edmund pretends to ght him, cutting his arm and lying to Gloucester that Edgar wanted him to join in his plot against
Gloucester’s life - Edgar “tried to kill him for refusing”, Gloucester vows to pursue him and sends men to search for him.
Cornwall and Regan arrive, believing Edmund’s lies, she asks if Edgar is one of the disorderly knights that attend Lear.
Edmund says that he is, she speculates that knights put the idea of killing Gloucester into his head to acquire his wealth.
Regan asks Gloucester his advice in answering letters from Lear and Goneril.
7 Outside Gloucester’s castle, disguised Kent meets Oswald who does not recognise him. Kent verbally abuses him, while
Oswald maintains that he does not know him, until Kent draws his sword and attacks. Oswald cries for help, bringing
Cornwall, Regan and Gloucester; Kent replies rudely to their requests for an explanation so Cornwall orders him to be
punished in the stocks. Gloucester objects: humiliating punishment of Lear’s messenger seems disrespectful of Lear
himself, but Cornwall and Regan maintain that Kent deserves it and puts him in the stocks. When alone, Kent reads a
letter from Cordelia, promising she will nd a way to help improve conditions in Britain from her current position in
France. He is unhappy and resigned, falling asleep in the stocks. As Kent sleeps, Edgar enters having escaped the
manhunt thus far yet still afraid. He removes his ne clothing and covers himself with dirt, disguising himself as Poor Tom
- a beggar released from an insane asylum wandering the countryside seeking food and shelter. Lear arrives at
Gloucester’s castle with the Fool and a knight, shocked seeing his “servant” Kent in the stocks, who reveals that Regan
and Cornwall put him there. Lear is in disbelief, demands to speak to them, they refuse as they are sick and weary from
travelling. Lear insists, struggling to control his emotions, Cornwall and Regan eventually appear. Lear tells her of
Goneril’s unkindness towards him, Regan suggests she may have been justi ed and he is just old and unreasonable, he
should beg her forgiveness. Regan refuses to shelter Lear, he curses Goneril, who arrives and gains Regan as an ally
against their father. They tell him he is old, weak and he has to give up half his men if he wants to stay with either of
them. Lear is confused, says that he and his 100 men will stay with Regan, who says she will only allow him 25. He turns
to Goneril, saying he is willing to come down to 50 men if he can stay with her, eventually the sisters refuse to allow him
any servants. Outraged, he curses them and goes outside, where a storm is brewing. Gloucester begs Goneril and
Regan to bring Lear back inside, they are unyielding and order that the doors be shut and locked.
8 Storm rages on the heath, Kent seeks Lear in vain and runs into one of Lear’s knights - Lear is in the area accompanied
only by his Fool. Kent tells the knight secret information: the unrest between Albany and Cornwall, spies from France in
the English courts, the knight should go to Dover where he may nd friends who will help Lear’s cause. He gives the
knight a ring, ordering him to give it to Cordelia, who will know who has sent him. Kent leaves to search for Lear.
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