| What is Lear’s flaw at the beginning of the play? | He values appearance over reality. |
| By the end of the play, whom does Lear value above everyone else? | Cordelia |
| Which of the play’s villains fights against the established social order? | Edmund |
| What does Edmund want throughout the play? | To be recognized as legitimate |
| What trait do Goneril and Regan share? | A capacity for evil |
| Why does the King of France marry Cordelia? | For her virtue |
| Which character disguises himself as a crazy beggar? | Edgar |
| Who is married to Goneril? | Albany |
| Who is married to Regan? | Cornwall |
| How does Lear react when he realizes his daughters are betraying him? | He begins to go insane. |
| What do Regan and Cornwall do to Gloucester upon discovering that he is helping Lear? | Blind him |
| What do Goneril and Edmund conspire to do? | Kill Albany |
| Which three characters are still alive at the end of the play? | Edgar, Kent, and Albany |
| Which two characters parallel each other the most? | Lear and Gloucester |
| 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. |
| 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 |
| Goneril | Lear’s ruthless oldest daughter and the wife of the duke of Albany. Goneril is jealous, treacherous, and amoral |
| Regan | Lear’s middle daughter and the wife of the duke of Cornwall. Regan is as ruthless as Goneril and as aggressive in all the same ways |
| Gloucester | A nobleman loyal to King Lear whose rank, earl, is below that of duke |
| Edgar | Gloucester’s older, legitimate son |
| Edmund | Gloucester’s younger, illegitimate son. Edmund resents his status as a bastard and schemes to usurp Gloucester’s title and possessions from Edgar |
| Kent | A nobleman of the same rank as Gloucester who is loyal to King Lear. Kent spends most of the play disguised as a peasant, calling himself “Caius,” so that he can continue to serve Lear even after Lear banishes him |
| Albany | The husband of Lear’s daughter Goneril. Albany is good at heart, and he eventually denounces and opposes the cruelty of Goneril, Regan, and Cornwall |
| Cornwall | The husband of Lear’s daughter Regan. Unlike Albany, Cornwall is domineering, cruel, and violent, and he works with his wife and sister-in-law Goneril to persecute Lear and Gloucester. |
| Fool | Lear’s jester, who uses double-talk and seemingly frivolous songs to give Lear important advice |
| Oswald | The steward, or chief servant, in Goneril’s house. Oswald obeys his mistress’s commands and helps her in her conspiracies. |
| why was Kent banished? | he suggested that Lear wasn’t acting properly and shouldn’t disown Cordelia |
| who is Poor Tom? | Edgar |
| Who marries Cordelia? | King of France |
| What is the note Edmund makes? | he forges a letter from Edgar suggesting that Edgar will kill Gloucester for his land/title |
| why does Edgar initially hide? | Edmund tells him that Gloucester is furious with him, so Edgar hides in Edmund’s room |
| What does Goneril tell Oswald when Lear first arrives at her house? | that the servants should treat Lear and the 100 knights poorly |
| who is Caius? | Kent; he disguises himself and shows up at Goneril’s house so that he can advise Lear |
| Why does Lear leave Goneril’s? | her servants treat him poorly and she dismisses 50 knights without asking |
| why do Regan and Cornwall visit Gloucester? | because Goneril writes to Regan telling her Lear is coming |
| who cuts Edmund? | Edmund; but he calls for help and tells Edgar to run so it looks like Edgar tried to kill him |
| what does Cornwall tell Gloucester? | he will use his resources to help arrest Edgar |
| Why do Kent and Oswald fight? | Kent was sent ahead to tell Regan and Cornwall that Lear was coming, and Oswald was sent to tell Regan and Cornwall to avoid Lear |
| who puts Kent in the stocks? | Cornwall |
| Why does Lear begin to lose his mind? | Goneril and Regan team up and say Lear can’t keep any servants and they shut the doors on him |
| Gloucester shows Edmund a letter saying… | an army from France has landed in Dover, and is led by Cordelia so she can make Lear king again. Gloucester says they need to side with Lear even though it’s treason |
| what happens after Gloucester shows Edmund the letter? | Gloucester goes into the storm to find Lear and Edmund goes to Cornwall to tell his what Gloucester is up to |
| What happens when Edmund shows Cornwall Gloucester’s secret letter? | Cornwall makes Edmund Earl of Gloucester |
| what does Gloucester tell Kent in the hut? | to take Lear to Dover |
| what happens when Gloucester goes back to his house? | Cornwall arrests him for treason and then gouges out his eyes |
| how is Cornwall wounded? | one of his servants stabs him in an attempt to help Gloucester |
| what happens when “Poor Tom” finds Gloucester? | he tries to lead him to Dover |
| who carries Goneril’s love letters to Edmund? | oswald |
| why doesn’t Albany want to fight? | he thinks Lear is right and hates Goneril |
| what does Regan tell Oswald to do? | kill gloucester |
| who kills Oswald? | Edgar |
| who fights Edmund? | Edgar ( he accuses Edmund of treason) |
| who loses the battle? | Cordelia’s forces and Edmund gives orders for Lear and Cordelia to be killed |
| who poisons Regan? | Goneril |
| what happens to Goneril? | She kills herself by stabbing after Albany shows her the letter she wrote in which she plans to kill Albany |
| what does Edmund do before dying? | tries to save Lear and Cordelia |
| who are the last people left to rule Britain? | Albany and Edgar |
| who dies? | Lear, Cordelia, Oswald, Goneril, Regan, Edmund, Cornwall, Gloucester |
King Lear
July 1, 2019