KING LEAR
Albany, Edgar, and the elderly Kent are left to take care of the country under a
cloud of sorrow and regret.
King Lear - The aging king of Britain and the protagonist of the play. Lear is used to enjoying
absolute power and to being flattered, and he does not respond well to being contradicted or
challenged. At the beginning of the play, his values are notably hollow—he prioritizes the
appearance of love over actual devotion and wishes to maintain the power of a king while
unburdening himself of the responsibility. Nevertheless, he inspires loyalty in subjects such as
Gloucester, Kent, Cordelia, and Edgar, all of whom risk their lives for him.
Read an in-depth analysis of King Lear.
Cordelia - Lear’s youngest daughter, disowned by her father for refusing to flatter him. Cordelia is
held in extremely high regard by all of the good characters in the play—the king of France marries
her for her virtue alone, overlooking her lack of dowry
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