Synopsis
King Lear
King Lear determines to retire and divide Britain among his three daughters. He asks them to declare the extent of their love for him. Goneril and Regan flatter him and are generously rewarded. Lear's youngest and favorite daughter, Cordelia, refuses to flatter her father, saying that she loves him as much as a daughter should. Enraged, Lear disinherits her. The Earl of Kent tries to convince Lear to reconsider, but Lear refuses and then banishes Kent for defying him. Lear offers Cordelia in marriage to the King of France and the Duke of Burgundy. Burgundy declines, but the French King, impressed by Cordelia's steadfastness, makes her Queen of France.
Edmund, Gloucester’s illegitimate son, determines to claim land his father gave to his "legitimate" son, Edgar. Edmund shows Gloucester a forged letter, which makes it seem that Edgar plots treason against his father. Gloucester is enraged, but Edmund calms him; he then pretends to help Edgar by warning him that he is in trouble with his father.
Kent, disguised as a servant, offers his services to Lear, who accepts. Goneril determines to act coldly toward Lear and his knights, so Lear storms out of her home, vowing never to see her again, and goes to Regan. The Fool mocks Lear for giving his lands to his daughters; Lear fears he will go insane.
Edmund convinces Edgar to flee, then wounds himself to make it seem that Edgar attacked him. Gloucester, thankful for Edmund's support, vows to punish Edgar and reward Edmund. Kent attacks Oswald, a treacherous servant of Cornwall and Regan, who have Kent put in the stocks. Edgar, still running, disguises himself as Poor Tom, a mad beggar. Lear finds Kent in the stocks; Regan and Cornwall at first refuse to see Lear, further enraging him. After Regan and Goneril chide Lear, he leaves Gloucester's castle, entering a storm. The daughters and Cornwall are glad he leaves.
Kent sends word of Lear’s plight to Cordelia and her French forces while Lear madly curses the storm and his daughters. Gloucester tells Edmund of the French invasion and departs to seek Lear; Edmund betrays his father to Cornwall. Kent tries to shelter Lear from the storm. The disguised Edgar and Gloucester (not recognizing Edgar) join them. Cornwall, learning from Edmund of Gloucester's dealings with the French army, vows to arrest Gloucester and names Edmund the new Duke of Gloucester.
Lear stages a mock trial of his two eldest daughters for betraying him. Edgar, in his sympathy for Lear in his madness, has difficulty sustaining his disguise. Gloucester convinces Lear, Kent, and the Fool to flee to Dover. Cornwall captures Gloucester and, with Regan cheering him on, plucks out his eyeballs. Gloucester manages to escape and, with the aid of Poor Tom (Edgar), flees to Dover to meet the invading French force.
Goneril promises her love to Edmund, mocking her husband, Albany, who denounces her and Regan for abusing Lear. A messenger brings news that Cornwall is dead from a fatal jab he received when a servant attacked him while he was blinding Gloucester. Albany vows revenge against the treacherous Edmund and Goneril.
At Dover, Cordelia’s soldiers seek Lear. Regan sends word to Edmund that she wants to marry him since Cornwall is dead. Edgar pretends to help Gloucester commit suicide by jumping off a cliff; then Edgar pretends to be a different man and continues to help his father. Lear, now fully mad, accosts them. Cordelia's men capture Lear and take him to her. At the French camp, he awakes, regains his sanity, and is reunited with Cordelia.
Goneril says that she would rather lose the battle to the French than let Regan marry Edmund. Edgar, still disguised, warn Albany of Goneril’s plot. The French are defeated and Lear and Cordelia are captured by Edmund, who sends them to jail with instructions for them to be killed. Edgar fights and fatally wounds Edmund, who admits his villainy as he dies. Goneril poisons Regan, then stabs herself. Lear enters carrying the dead Cordelia; his death soon follows. Albany and Edgar are left to carry on.