Regan and Cornwall arrive to discuss with Albany their ensuing war against Lear. Gloucester, thankful for Edmund's support of him, vows to capture Edgar and reward Edmund. Lear fears he (himself) is becoming insane.Īt Gloucester's castle, Edmund convinces Edgar to flee, then wounds himself to make it look like Edgar attacked him. While leaving, the fool again criticizes Lear for giving his lands to his daughters. However, as a result of the servants' lack of respect for Lear, his own fool's derisions of him, and Goneril's ill respect toward him, Lear storms out of Goneril's home, never to look on her again. Kent arrives, disguised as a servant, and offers his services to Lear, who accepts. Goneril instructs her steward, Oswald, to act coldly to King Lear and his knights, in efforts to chide him since he continues to grow more unruly. Later, Edmund warns Edward that he is in trouble with his father, pretending to help him. Gloucester is enraged, but Edmund calms him. Edmund does this by showing his father a letter he (Edmund) forged, which makes it seem that Edgar wants to take over his father's lands and revenues jointly with Edmund. Next, Lear passes all powers and governance of Britain down to Albany and Cornwall.Įdmund, bastard son of Gloucester, vows to himself to reclaim land his father has given to his 'legitimate' son Edgar. Burgundy declines, but the French King, impressed by Cordelia's steadfastness, takes her as Queen of France. Gloucester then brings the King of France and the Duke of Burgundy in and Lear offers Cordelia to Burgundy, though without a dowry of land, contrary to a previous agreement. The Earl of Kent tries to convince Lear to reconsider, but Lear refuses then banishes Kent for acting traitorously by supporting Cordelia. Lear, unjustly enraged, gives her no land. Lear's youngest and most beloved daughter, Cordelia, refuses to flatter her father, going only so far as to say that she loves him as much as a daughter should. The two oldest, Goneril and Regan, both flatter him with praise and are rewarded generously with land and marriage to the Duke of Albany and the Duke of Cornwall, respectively. He asks his daughters the extent of their love for him. However, he declares that they must first be wed before being given the land. In Britain, King Lear, in old age, chooses to retire and divide up Britain between his three daughters.

King Lear by William Shakespeare