act summaries

• Act 1 scene 1

  • Gloucester and Kent are discussing his sons (introduction of Edmund the illegitimate son)
  • Lear enters with trumpets showing his power
  • Love test for Lear to divide his kingdom between his daughters
  • Regan and Goneril profess their love in an exaggerated manner
  • Cordelia refuses as she loves her father according to her bond
  • Cordelia is disowned and her dowry is lowered however the King of France still wants to marry her
  • Kent out of loyalty tells Lear he is wrong causing Kent to be banished by Lear
  • Goneril and Regan are revealed to be villains as they discuss their father's poor judgement
• Act 1 scene 2 

  • Edmund’s soliloquy resenting his bastard making and how he is treated differently to his legitimate brother 
  • He declares that he must have his brother’s land and shows a letter that he will use to manipulate his father by making him think Edgar is going to betray him 
  • Uses the gods and the sun and moon to further manipulate his father by using his own beliefs 
  • Edgar then arrives to be told his father is angry with him and that are villain has done him wrong 
• Act 1 scene 3 

  • Lear arrives at Goneril’s house with a hundred knights 
  • She complains to her servant Oswald and tells him to not serve on Lear treating him poorly (corrupt loyalty)
  • She and her sister are not prepared to tolerate him 
• Act 1 scene 4 

  • Kent disguises himself as a peasant introducing himself to Lear and therefore becoming his servant (loyalty)
  • Beginning of Oswald/kent rivalry as Oswald abides by Goneril to treat Lear poorly 
  • Fool arrives and starts suggesting Lear has been a fool to give his kingdom away 
  • Goneril enters and complains to Lear about his knights and behaviour  - insults him 
  • He grows angry and curses her with sterility undaughtering her as well 
  • He leaves to stay with Regan believing she will be kinder to him 
  • Goneril calls Oswald to send a letter to Regan warning her 
• Act 1 scene 5 

  • Lear sends Kent to take letters to Regan to tell her he is staying 
  • Lear is left with the Fool and fears he is going mad 
• Act 2 scene 1 

  • Edmund learns Regan and Cornwall are going to Gloucester's house (rumours of war between Albany and Cornwall)
  • Edmund calls his brother out of hiding to further manipulate them both 
  • He cuts his hand and claims Edgar did it to turn his father against his legitimate son 
  • Regan and Cornwall enter sympathising about Edgar’s betrayal and say they have come here after hearing about Goneril and Lear in A1 S4 
• Act 2 scene 2 

  • Oswald and Kent both arrive at Gloucester’s house and fight 
  • Kent is punished and put in the stocks by the rising villains even though he is a servant of the King 
  • Edgar wants to disguise himself and run away (Kent parallel)
  • Lear arrives and sees Kent in the stocks and is outraged 
  • Regan and Cornwall also refuse to see Lear further aggravating him 
  • Regan and Goneril try to make Lear give up his knights (symbolic of his power) and he insults them walking away from the castle as a storm brews 
• Act 3 scene 1 

  • Kent is looking for the king and a knight tells him Lear is in the storm with the fool 
  • Kent sends the knight with a ring to find Cordelia 
• Act 3 scene 2 

  • lear is in the storm with the fool going mad 
  • Kent finds him and persuades Lear to take shelter 
• Act 3 scene 3 

  • Gloucester confides in Edmund about his dislike of Lear’s treatment 
  • He tells Edmund about a letter detailing the civil war that is being planned by France 
  • Edmund tells the audience he shall report this to Cornwall 
• Act 3 scene 4 

  • madness scene 
  • Poor Tom enters (Edgar pretends to be mad), Fool is professionally mad and Lear is actually mad 
• Act 3 scene 5 

  • Edmund betrays his father by telling Cornwall about France’s plans 
  • Cornwall makes Edmund the Earl of Gloucester as Gloucester has become a traitor to his country
• Act 3 scene 6 

  • Mock trial of Lear and his daughters 
  • Kent persuades him to rest 
  • Gloucester returns telling Kent they must return to Dover (Lear Inc)
  • Fool’s final scene 
• Act 3 scene 7 

  • villains are angry about Gloucester’s betrayal 
  • Interrogated and tells them he has sent Lear to Dover 
  • Gloucester’s blinding 
  • Gloucester’s recognition that Edmund his is villainous son 
  • Cornwall is injured in the fight with a servant who disagrees with their violent actions 
• Act 4 scene 1 

  • Edgar as poor Tom comes across his blinded father 
  • Gloucester says he has been unfair to his son Edgar (not knowing he is speaking to Edgar)
  • He asks poor Tom to lead him to the cliffs of Dover (suicide)
• Act 4 scene 2 

  • Goneril arrives home with Edmund and Oswald 
  • Goneril sends Edmund back and kisses him (adultery)
  • Albany is furious with their treatment of Gloucester 
  • Cornwall is dead 
  • Goneril is concerned Regan will take Edmund now she is a widow 
• Act 4 scene 3

  • Kent talks to a gentleman in Dover about the letters sent to Cordelia 
  • Very emotional reading of her father’s state 
• Act 4 scene 4

  • Cordelia is concerned about her father as his madness unravelled 
  • Getting ready for battle against the British 
• Act 4 scene 5 

  • Regan talks to Oswald about the impending battle 
  • She wants him to reveal the letter between Goneril and Edmund but Oswald remains loyal 
  • Regan gives him a message to take to Edmund and if he sees Gloucester kill him 
• Act 4 scene 6 

  • Edgar has led Gloucester to ‘Dover Cliff’ (manipulates his father)
  • Gloucester agrees to not kill himself as the gods ‘want’ him to live
  • Lear joins him and recognises Gloucester 
  • Edgar kills Oswald protecting Gloucester 
  • Edgar reads the Goneril/Edmund letter which asks Edmund to kill Albany to marry Goneril 
• Act 4 scene 7 

  • recognition scene between Cordelia and Lear 
  • Kent asks Cordelia not to reveal his identity 
  • Lear is brought in and Cordelia kisses him - Lear is more calm and rational 
• Act 5 scene 1 

  • Edmund hold command 
  • Regan questions his relationship with Goneril and he lies to her 
  • Goneril and Albany arrive and after they discuss their strategy only Albany is left 
  • Edgar stops Albany giving him a letter 
  • Soliloquy Edmund tells the audience he has sworn love to both sisters and doesn’t know who to pick 
  • Wants to stop the pardon of Cordelia and Lear that Albany is planning to give them for siding with the French
• Act 5 scene 2

  • battle rages Edgar lets Gloucester rest under a tree 
  • News that Lear has lost 
• Act 5 scene 3

  • Edmund locks up Cordelia and Lear in prison and tells his captain to kill them 
  • Regan and Goneril fight over Edmund 
  • Goneril poisoned Regan 
  • Albany arrests Edmund for treason and Goneril promises to marry Edmund 
  • Edgar enters and wants to fight his brother (disguised)
  • Edmund dying
  • Gloucester is dead through the telling of Edmund 
  • Goneril kills herself with a bloody knife 
  • Edmund reveals his plan to hang Cordelia in prison 
  • Lear carries Cordelia’s dead body 
  • Lear dies 
  • Albany and Edgar remain left with the kingdom to rule