King Lear Plot Summary
Act One
• Scene 1 – Kent, Gloucester, and Edmund are first on stage. They discuss Lear’s plan and introduce Edmund. Lear holds
the love contest: Goneril and Regan play along but Cordelia refuses. Lear banishes Cordelia, when Kent tries to stop him
Lear banishes Kent too. France takes Cordelia to be his wife without a dowry. Goneril and Regan are left alone on stage
discussing their concerns about Lear.
• Scene 2 – Edmund has the first soliloquy, explaining his desire for Edgar’s inheritance. Gloucester enters and Edmund
takes his chance to frame his brother with a letter written ‘by Edgar’ which states that ‘Edgar’ thinks he should be in
charge of his father’s affairs. They agree to meet later. Edgar arrives and Edmund tells him to hide from his father’s rage
and that he should go armed.
• Scene 3 – Goneril talks with Oswald about how disruptive Lear is in her household – she insists him to be cold to his
servants and writes to Regan telling her of the situation.
• Scene 4 – Kent takes on a disguise and offers his services to Lear. Oswald and Kent fight. The Fool arrives and talks to
Lear in riddles. Goneril asks Lear to get rid of some of his men, Lear is very offended and plans to leave for Regan’s – in
his rage, he curses Goneril to sterility. Goneril again writes to Regan. Her conversation with Albany already suggests a
dysfunctional relationship.
• Scene 5 – Lear, Kent, and the Fool make ready to leave for Regan’s. Kent goes ahead with a letter.
Act Two
• Scene 1 – Edmund is informed of rumours that there is a rift between Cornwall and Albany, Edmund tricks Edgar into
believing it is his fault. Edgar flees, Edmund injures himself to make it look as though they had fought. Gloucester
arrives, send men in pursuit of Edgar and rewards Edmund with the promise of his inheritance. Regan and Cornwall
arrive to stay at Gloucester’s castle to avoid Lear.
• Scene 2 – Kent and Oswald argue. Edmund, Cornwall, Regan, and Gloucester enter. Cornwall puts Kent in the stocks –
Gloucester tires to object.
• Scene 3 – Edgar has a soliloquy with Kent asleep in the stocks. He decides to take on the persona of Poor Tom
• Scene 4 – Lear arrives to find Kent in the stocks, Regan refuses to speak with his at first but eventually comes out. Lear
rants to Regan about Goneril, Regan asks him to return to her. Goneril arrives and teams up with Regan to reduce his
father’s followers and eventually reach one. Lear is angry and says he will seek revenge on them before going out into
the storm.
Act Three
• Scene 1 – Kent sends the knight in search of Cordelia to try to help Lear
• Scene 2 – Lear stands up to the storm. Kent arrives and tells Lear and the Fool that he has found shelter
• Scene 3 – Gloucester tells Edmund he has decided to side with Lear. Edmund decides to tell Cornwall
• Scene 4 – Lear says he isn’t bothered by the storm because it is nothing compared to his internal torment. Lear becomes
aware of the poverty in his kingdom and his failure to do anything about it. They meet Poor Tom in the hovel. Lear
realises the nature of man and the falseness of society and attempts to strip himself of his clothing. Gloucester joins them
and tries to bring him home, Lear refuses, wanting to stay with the ‘philosopher’. Gloucester revels that Goneril and
Regan seek Lear’s death
• Scene 5 – Edmund informs Cornwall of Gloucester’s treachery, Cornwall makes Edmund Earl of Gloucester
• Scene 6 – There is a parody of a trial with Kent, Edgar, Lear, and the Fool. Lear is totally mad and Edgar finds it hard to
keep his disguise. Gloucester arrives, telling them of a plot to kill the king, telling them to go to Dover where they will
find help
• Scene 7 – Cornwall, Regan, Goneril, and Edmund meet to discuss Gloucester’s fate. Goneril and Edmund leave before
Gloucester is brought in. Gloucester is tortured. A servant stands up to the cruelty and slays Cornwall, Regan then slays
the Servant. Gloucester is told that Edmund is the treacherous son and realises the Edgar was loyal
Act Four
• Scene 1 – Edgar meets Gloucester, who, now blinded, is being led by an old man
• Scene 2 – Goneril and Oswald talk, revealing the discourse in Goneril and Albany’s marriage. Goneril flirts with
Edmund before he leaves. Albany arrives and they argue. Goneril hears of Cornwall’s death and is jealous of her sister
who could now marry Edmund. Albany is appalled at Gloucester’s fate and is now set on supporting Lear
• Scene 3 – Kent talks with a Gentleman who tells him Cordelia is back in England leading the army
• Scene 4 – Cordelia sends men to find her father in the hope she can help heal his madness
Act One
• Scene 1 – Kent, Gloucester, and Edmund are first on stage. They discuss Lear’s plan and introduce Edmund. Lear holds
the love contest: Goneril and Regan play along but Cordelia refuses. Lear banishes Cordelia, when Kent tries to stop him
Lear banishes Kent too. France takes Cordelia to be his wife without a dowry. Goneril and Regan are left alone on stage
discussing their concerns about Lear.
• Scene 2 – Edmund has the first soliloquy, explaining his desire for Edgar’s inheritance. Gloucester enters and Edmund
takes his chance to frame his brother with a letter written ‘by Edgar’ which states that ‘Edgar’ thinks he should be in
charge of his father’s affairs. They agree to meet later. Edgar arrives and Edmund tells him to hide from his father’s rage
and that he should go armed.
• Scene 3 – Goneril talks with Oswald about how disruptive Lear is in her household – she insists him to be cold to his
servants and writes to Regan telling her of the situation.
• Scene 4 – Kent takes on a disguise and offers his services to Lear. Oswald and Kent fight. The Fool arrives and talks to
Lear in riddles. Goneril asks Lear to get rid of some of his men, Lear is very offended and plans to leave for Regan’s – in
his rage, he curses Goneril to sterility. Goneril again writes to Regan. Her conversation with Albany already suggests a
dysfunctional relationship.
• Scene 5 – Lear, Kent, and the Fool make ready to leave for Regan’s. Kent goes ahead with a letter.
Act Two
• Scene 1 – Edmund is informed of rumours that there is a rift between Cornwall and Albany, Edmund tricks Edgar into
believing it is his fault. Edgar flees, Edmund injures himself to make it look as though they had fought. Gloucester
arrives, send men in pursuit of Edgar and rewards Edmund with the promise of his inheritance. Regan and Cornwall
arrive to stay at Gloucester’s castle to avoid Lear.
• Scene 2 – Kent and Oswald argue. Edmund, Cornwall, Regan, and Gloucester enter. Cornwall puts Kent in the stocks –
Gloucester tires to object.
• Scene 3 – Edgar has a soliloquy with Kent asleep in the stocks. He decides to take on the persona of Poor Tom
• Scene 4 – Lear arrives to find Kent in the stocks, Regan refuses to speak with his at first but eventually comes out. Lear
rants to Regan about Goneril, Regan asks him to return to her. Goneril arrives and teams up with Regan to reduce his
father’s followers and eventually reach one. Lear is angry and says he will seek revenge on them before going out into
the storm.
Act Three
• Scene 1 – Kent sends the knight in search of Cordelia to try to help Lear
• Scene 2 – Lear stands up to the storm. Kent arrives and tells Lear and the Fool that he has found shelter
• Scene 3 – Gloucester tells Edmund he has decided to side with Lear. Edmund decides to tell Cornwall
• Scene 4 – Lear says he isn’t bothered by the storm because it is nothing compared to his internal torment. Lear becomes
aware of the poverty in his kingdom and his failure to do anything about it. They meet Poor Tom in the hovel. Lear
realises the nature of man and the falseness of society and attempts to strip himself of his clothing. Gloucester joins them
and tries to bring him home, Lear refuses, wanting to stay with the ‘philosopher’. Gloucester revels that Goneril and
Regan seek Lear’s death
• Scene 5 – Edmund informs Cornwall of Gloucester’s treachery, Cornwall makes Edmund Earl of Gloucester
• Scene 6 – There is a parody of a trial with Kent, Edgar, Lear, and the Fool. Lear is totally mad and Edgar finds it hard to
keep his disguise. Gloucester arrives, telling them of a plot to kill the king, telling them to go to Dover where they will
find help
• Scene 7 – Cornwall, Regan, Goneril, and Edmund meet to discuss Gloucester’s fate. Goneril and Edmund leave before
Gloucester is brought in. Gloucester is tortured. A servant stands up to the cruelty and slays Cornwall, Regan then slays
the Servant. Gloucester is told that Edmund is the treacherous son and realises the Edgar was loyal
Act Four
• Scene 1 – Edgar meets Gloucester, who, now blinded, is being led by an old man
• Scene 2 – Goneril and Oswald talk, revealing the discourse in Goneril and Albany’s marriage. Goneril flirts with
Edmund before he leaves. Albany arrives and they argue. Goneril hears of Cornwall’s death and is jealous of her sister
who could now marry Edmund. Albany is appalled at Gloucester’s fate and is now set on supporting Lear
• Scene 3 – Kent talks with a Gentleman who tells him Cordelia is back in England leading the army
• Scene 4 – Cordelia sends men to find her father in the hope she can help heal his madness
