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King Lear - Character Profiles

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These are in-depth character profiles of each character in 'King Lear'. For the major characters (Lear, Goneril, Regan, Cordelia, Gloucester, Edgar, Edmund and Kent), there major actions in each act are outlined, along with a consideration of the staging, their place on the wheel of fortune, and how they relate to Lear. It also includes the key quotes for each character and which scene the quote can be found in. The minor characters (Albany, Cornwall, Oswald, the Fool, France and Servant 1) are summarised into bullet points and also include the characters key quotes.

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Lear
A EVENT COSTUME SETTING ENTRANCES/ EXITS WHEEL OF
C FORTUNE
T
1 Decision to have the ‘love contest to divide his kingdom Rich clothing fit for his His castle? Grand/ Ceremonial High
Banishing his loving daughter, Cordelia, and his loyal friend Kent high status as a king. Goneril’s entrance on stage Begins to lower
castle slightly
Kent begins to work for Lear in disguise
Lear is offended by Goneril treatment he curses her and decides to go to Regan’s
instead
2 Lear arrives at Gloucester’s and find Kent in the stocks – he is outraged Similar to Act 1, but Gloucester’s Not the same Lowers further
Lear is furious at Regan and she casts him out, telling him to go to Goneril entrances less castle grandeur as act 1. as he loses
spectacular as he loses Keeps entering and respect and
Lear says he’d rather live outdoors than with his daughters and leaved into the storm
respect exiting in a rage status as king
3 Lear heroically fights the storm- shows he still has some power He starts to shed his In the Storm Halfway point –
He compares his mental suffering to the storm garments in the storm on the heath at this point
to become more like – finds Poor could go either
Meets Poor Tom and starts to go mad
Poor Tom – symbolises Tom’s hovel way
They have a trial parody with Lear as the Judge. Shows he hangs onto his power and his decline
emphasises how evil Regan and Goneril are
4 Lear is now totally mad and he meets Gloucester and Edgar Simple garments, Outside, Has to be Lower still as he
Some gentlemen who have been looking for Lear enter and Lear runs away possible flower crown – Cordelia’s supported- is completely
a symbol of madness in camp weakness mad
Lear is found and brought to Cordelia, she shows him love and tries to heal him Shakespeare Possible rise
5 Lear enters the stage carrying Cordelia Prison garments? Lear’s castle Enters carrying his Lowest of the
Lear dies in the hope that Cordelia is still alive – dies happy but deluded. Cut off – no dead child – chaos. low
heroic last words Contrast to
beginning entrance
Key Quotes
• “Which of you shall we say doth love us most?” 1:1 • “Is man no more than this?” 3:4
• “Come not between a dragon and his wrath” 1:1 • “come, unbutton here” 3:4
• “Better thou hadst not been born than not to have pleased be better” 1:1 • “they flattered me like a dog” 4:6
• “how sharper than a serpents tooth it is to have a thankless child” 1:4 • “Robes and furred gowns hide all” 4:6
• “I beg that you’ll vouchsafe me raiment, bed and food” 2:4 • “When we are born we cry that we are come to this great stage of fools” 4:6
• “Man’s life is cheap as beasts” 2: 4 • “I am mightily abused” 4:7
• “Blow wind and crack your cheeks. Rage, blow!” 3:2 • “I am old and foolish” 4:7
• “I am a man more sinned against than sinning” 3:2 • “Howl, howl, howl” 5:3
• “I have taken too little care of this” 3:4 • “Heaven’s vault should crack: she’s gone forever” 5:3
• “Why should a dog; a horse, a rat have life and thou no breathe at all?” 5:3

Connected book
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William Shakespeare, William Shakespeare King Lear
Publisher: Unknown ISBN: 9781903436592 Edition: 3

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