SHAKESPEARE ON DISK. KING LEAR. Copyright (c) Interconnection Publications Inc., 1989 DRAMATIS PERSONAE. LEAR. King of Britain. GONERIL. Daughter of Lear. REGAN. Daughter of Lear. CORDELIA. Daughter of Lear. EARL OF GLOSTER. EDMUND. Bastard son of Gloster. EDGAR. Son of Gloster. EARL OF KENT. DUKE OF CORNWALL. Husband of Regan. DUKE OF ALBANY. Husband of Goneril. OSWALD. Steward of Goneril. FOOL. KING OF FRANCE. DUKE OF BURGUNDY. CURAN. A courtier. GENTLEMAN. Attendant to Cordelia. OLD MAN. Tenant of Gloster. THREE SERVANTS. Serving Cornwall. OFFICER. Employed by Edmund. DOCTOR. HERALD. KNIGHTS attending on Lear, OFFICERS, MESSENGERS, SOLDIERS, SERVANTS, ATTENDANTS. SYNOPSIS. 1/1 Britain. King Lear's palace. KENT, GLOSTER, and EDMUND converse. LEAR, CORNWALL, ALBANY, GONERIL, REGAN, CORDELIA, and ATTENDANTS enter; GLOSTER and EDMUND exit. LEAR announces that he will divide his kingdom amongst his daughters, in proportion to their love for him; GONERIL and REGAN profess unbounded love, but CORDELIA admits to only a daughter's love; LEAR angrily disowns CORDELIA. KENT pleads for CORDELIA; KENT exits, banished. GLOSTER enters with the KING OF FRANCE, BURGUNDY, and ATTENDANTS; LEAR informs them of CORDELIA's changed circumstances; BURGUNDY rejects CORDELIA; the KING OF FRANCE proposes to her; LEAR, BURGUNDY, CORNWALL, ALBANY, GLOSTER, and ATTENDANTS exit. CORDELIA enjoins her sisters to look after Lear; the KING OF FRANCE and CORDELIA exit. GONERIL and REGAN discuss Lear. 1/2 The Earl of Gloster's castle. EDMUND soliloquizes on his ambitions. GLOSTER enters and is convinced by EDMUND that Edgar has murderous intentions towards him; GLOSTER exits. EDGAR enters; EDMUND persuades EDGAR to flee Gloster's anger; EDGAR exits. 1/3 The Duke of Albany's palace. GONERIL instructs OSWALD to be insolent to Lear. 1/4 A hall in the Duke of Albany's palace. KENT, disguised, enters and speaks. LEAR, KNIGHTS, and ATTENDANTS enter; KENT joins LEAR's service; an ATTENDANT exits. OSWALD enters, then exits immediately; a KNIGHT exits after him; the KNIGHT re-enters; an ATTENDANT exits; OSWALD re-enters, and is disrespectful; KENT throws OSWALD out; the FOOL enters, and speaks. GONERIL enters and complains; LEAR becomes angry; ALBANY enters and is bewildered; LEAR exits, re-enters, and rages at GONERIL for dismissing half his men; LEAR, KENT, and ATTENDANTS exit; the FOOL exits. GONERIL dismisses ALBANY's protests; OSWALD enters; GONERIL sends OSWALD with a letter to Regan. 1/5 Court before the Duke of Albany's palace. KENT, LEAR, and the FOOL enter. LEAR sends KENT to Regan; KENT exits. The FOOL tries to divert LEAR, but LEAR dwells on Cordelia and Goneril. 2/1 A court within the castle of the Earl of Gloster. EDMUND and CURAN speak; CURAN exits. EDGAR enters and EDMUND tells him to flee; EDGAR exits. GLOSTER and SERVANTS enter; some SERVANTS pursue Edgar; EDMUND says Edgar planned patricide; GLOSTER disowns Edgar in favor of EDMUND. CORNWALL, REGAN, and ATTENDANTS enter; they sympathize with GLOSTER; EDMUND enters CORNWALL's service. 2/2 Before Gloster's castle. KENT and OSWALD enter; KENT beats OSWALD; EDMUND enters and parts them. CORNWALL, REGAN, GLOSTER, and SERVANTS enter and speak; CORNWALL orders KENT put in the stocks; GLOSTER pleads in vain for KENT. All exit, except KENT and GLOSTER; GLOSTER synpathizes with KENT; GLOSTER exits; KENT reads a letter from Cordelia. 2/3 The open country. EDGAR says he will escape capture by disguising himself as a crazy beggar. 2/4 Before Gloster's castle. KENT is in the stocks. LEAR the FOOL, and a GENTLEMAN enter; KENT tells LEAR what occurred; LEAR is outraged; LEAR exits; the others speak. LEAR and GLOSTER enter and speak; GLOSTER exits; CORNWALL, REGAN, GLOSTER, and SERVANTS enter; KENT is set free, and exits; REGAN reproves LEAR. OSWALD enters, followed by GONERIL; the sisters steadily reduce the number of LEAR's followers that they will accept; LEAR bursts out in rage; the anguished LEAR, GLOSTER, KENT, and the FOOL exit into a storm. 3/1 A heath. Storm still. KENT and a GENTLEMAN enter; KENT says the King of France plans to invade Britain; KENT sends the GENTLEMAN to Cordelia in Dover. 3/2 Another part of the heath. Storm still. LEAR and the FOOL enter; LEAR exposes himself to the storm; the FOOL longs for shelter; KENT enters to lead them to a hovel; LEAR and KENT exit, followed by the FOOL. 3/3 Gloster's castle. GLOSTER confides to EDMUND that he knows of a plot to avenge Lear, and that he, himself, will try to help Lear; GLOSTER exits. EDMUND decides to betray Gloster, and so inherit the Earldom. 3/4 The heath, before a hovel. LEAR, KENT, and the FOOL enter; KENT coaxes LEAR to take cover; LEAR says the physical storm pales beside the tempest in his mind; the FOOL exits into the hovel; LEAR pities the poor, and regrets having neglected them. The FOOL enters, running from the hovel, followed by EDGAR, disguised as a madman; inspired by the FOOL, LEAR tears off his clothes. GLOSTER enters; GLOSTER ushers the others to a safe house. 3/5 Gloster's castle. CORNWALL dubs EDMUND earl, and directs him to find Gloster. 3/6 A farmhouse adjoining Gloster's castle. GLOSTER escorts LEAR, KENT, the FOOL, and EDGAR to the farmhouse; GLOSTER exits. The crazed LEAR, EDGAR, and the FOOL enact the judgement of Goneril and Regan. GLOSTER enters and says LEAR is in danger; LEAR, KENT, GLOSTER, and the FOOL exit; EDGAR soliloquizes. 3/7 A room in Gloster's castle. CORNWALL, REGAN, GONERIL, EDMUND, and SERVANTS enter. Some SERVANTS exit to find Gloster; the nobles speak; OSWALD enters and says that Lear has left for Dover; GONERIL, EDMUND, and OSWALD exit. More SERVANTS exit to find Gloster; GLOSTER enters, bound; REGAN insults GLOSTER; CORNWALL puts out one of GLOSTER's eyes; FIRST SERVANT restrains CORNWALL; CORNWALL and FIRST SERVANT fight; CORNWALL is wounded; REGAN kills FIRST SERVANT; CORNWALL blinds GLOSTER; GLOSTER calls on Edmund and is told that Edmund has betrayed him; GLOSTER exits, led out. CORNWALL and REGAN exit; SECOND SERVANT and THIRD SERVANT decide to help GLOSTER. 4/1 The heath. EDGAR soliloquizes. GLOSTER enters, led by an OLD MAN; they all speak; the OLD MAN exits. GLOSTER asks EDGAR to lead him to the edge of a cliff in Dover. 4/2 Before the Duke of Albany's palace. GONERIL and EDMUND enter, expecting Albany; OSWALD enters and says that Albany's attitude is not what was expected; GONERIL gives EDMUND her favor; EDMUND exits, followed soon by OSWALD. ALBANY enters and condemns GONERIL's behavior; GONERIL mocks ALBANY. A MESSENGER enters with the news of Cornwall's death and Gloster's blinding; GONERIL exits; the MESSENGER informs ALBANY Gloster was betrayed by Edmund. 4/3 The French camp near Dover. KENT and a GENTLEMAN enter; the GENTLEMAN describes Cordelia's reactions to KENT's letters; KENT says Lear is too ashamed to visit Cordelia. 4/4 The French camp near Dover. A tent. CORDELIA, a DOCTOR, and SOLDIERS enter; CORDELIA orders the field searched for the mad Lear; an OFFICER exits. The DOCTOR says sleep may restore Lear. A MESSENGER enters and says that the British are near. 4/5 A room in Gloster's castle. REGAN questions OSWALD about Goneril's letter to Edmund; REGAN says Edmund has gone to kill Gloster; REGAN gives OSWALD her own letter to Edmund. 4/6 The country near Dover. GLOSTER and EDGAR enter; EDGAR tells GLOSTER they are the top of a cliff; GLOSTER rewards EDGAR and falls; GLOSTER is convinced, by EDGAR, that he has been miraculously saved; GLOSTER vows to accept his fate. LEAR enters and speaks madly; GLOSTER sympathizes with LEAR; LEAR speaks about injustice, then recognizes GLOSTER. A GENTLEMAN and ATTENDANTS enter seeking LEAR; LEAR exits; the ATTENDANTS exit, following him. The GENTLEMAN says that the battle is imminent, then exits. OSWALD enters and tries to kill GLOSTER; EDGAR interposes; GLOSTER and EDGAR fight; EDGAR wounds OSWALD; OSWALD gives EDGAR a letter for Edmund; OSWALD dies. EDGAR reads the letter, in which Goneril asks Edmund to kill Albany and marry her; EDGAR exits, leading GLOSTER. 4/7 A tent in the French camp. CORDELIA, KENT, a DOCTOR, and a GENTLEMAN enter; CORDELIA thanks KENT. LEAR enters, carried in by SERVANTS; CORDELIA pities LEAR, who wakes and thinks he is dead; LEAR, seeing CORDELIA weep, cannot believe she loves him. All exit, except KENT and the GENTLEMAN, who speak about the coming battle. 5/1 The British camp, near Dover. EDMUND, REGAN, OFFICERS, SOLDIERS, and others enter. EDMUND speaks; an OFFICER exits; REGAN questions EDMUND about Goneril. ALBANY, GONERIL, and SOLDIERS enter; the nobles speak; all exit, except ALBANY. EDGAR enters, gives ALBANY a letter, and exits. EDMUND enters to say that the enemy has arrived; ALBANY exits; EDMUND soliloquizes about Goneril and Regan. 5/2 A field between the two camps. LEAR, CORDELIA, and their FORCES enter, then exit. EDGAR and GLOSTER enter; EDGAR leaves GLOSTER in safety and exits; EDGAR re-enters, says that the battle is lost and leads GLOSTER away. 5/3 The British camp, near Dover. EDMUND, LEAR and CORDELIA as prisoners, OFFICERS, and SOLDIERS enter. EDMUND sends LEAR and CORDELIA to prison; nevertheless, LEAR rejoices at being with CORDELIA; LEAR and CORDELIA exit, guarded. EDMUND orders an OFFICER to kill Cordelia; the OFFICER exits. ALBANY, GONERIL, REGAN, OFFICERS, and ATTENDANTS enter; ALBANY and EDMUND quarrel about the prisoners; REGAN announces that she will marry EDMUND; ALBANY accuses GONERIL and EDMUND of treason; REGAN falls sick and exits. A HERALD enters; trumpets sound; EDGAR enters and fights EDMUND, who is wounded; ALBANY produces the letter; GONERIL defies ALBANY, then exits; an OFFICER exits after her. EDMUND confesses; EDGAR reveals himself; ALBANY welcomes EDGAR; EDGAR says that Gloster is dead. A GENTLEMAN enters, he says that Goneril has killed herself, after confessing to poisoning Regan; the GENTLEMAN exits. KENT enters seeking Lear; the bodies of Goneril and Regan are brought in; EDMUND says he ordered Cordelia's death; EDGAR exits to remand the order; EDMUND exits, borne off. LEAR enters with CORDELIA, dead in his arms; EDGAR, OFFICERS, and others enter; LEAR despairs and loses his wits; LEAR greets KENT; an OFFICER enters and says that Edmund is dead; LEAR dies upon CORDELIA's body. ALBANY hands power to EDGAR and KENT; KENT refuses his portion.