King Lear was first performed on 26th December 1606. William Shakespeare’s King Lear is one of his greatest tragedies, drawing inspiration from British folklore, historical chronicles, and contemporary sources. The story of Lear is rooted in the legend of Leir of Britain, a mythical king first recorded by Geoffrey of Monmouth in his Historia Regum Britanniae (c. 1136). Shakespeare also likely drew on The True Chronicle History of King Leir (an earlier anonymous play), and themes from Sir Philip Sidney’s Arcadia (1590). Shakespeare adapted these sources to explore universal human themes such as power, loyalty, betrayal, and the vulnerability of aging.
The play begins with the aging King Lear deciding to divide his kingdom among his three daughters—Goneril, Regan, and Cordelia—based on their declarations of love for him. Goneril and Regan, the older daughters, flatter Lear with deceitful proclamations, while Cordelia, the youngest and most truthful, refuses to embellish her love. Offended by her perceived disloyalty, Lear disowns Cordelia and splits his kingdom between the scheming Goneril and Regan.
Lear’s decision triggers a tragic chain of events. Goneril and Regan quickly betray their father, stripping him of his power and dignity. Cast out into a storm, Lear undergoes a harrowing descent into madness as he confronts his mortality and folly. Meanwhile, Cordelia, who marries the King of France, returns with an army to restore Lear’s authority, but their reunion is short-lived and doomed.
Parallel to Lear’s story is the subplot of Gloucester, one of Lear’s noblemen, who is similarly deceived by his illegitimate son, Edmund. Edmund schemes to turn Gloucester against his legitimate son, Edgar, leading to Gloucester’s eventual blinding and his own tragic epiphany about Edgar’s loyalty. The two plots mirror each other, emphasizing themes of betrayal and redemption.
The play’s climax is devastating. Lear and Cordelia are captured by Edmund, and although Edmund is eventually defeated, Cordelia is hanged on his orders. Lear, heartbroken, dies cradling her body. Gloucester also succumbs to grief after being reunited with Edgar. Goneril and Regan destroy each other in their rivalry for Edmund, and he, too, meets a bitter end. In the final act, the stage is strewn with the consequences of human pride, ambition, and cruelty.
Ultimately, King Lear is a profound meditation on the fragility of human relationships and the chaos unleashed when authority is divorced from wisdom and justice. Shakespeare’s play remains a timeless exploration of power, family, and the endurance of love amidst devastation.