Scene one:

In the British camp near Dover, Regan asks Edmund if he loves Goneril and if he has found his way into her bed. Edmund responds in the negative to both questions. Regan expresses jealousy of her sister and beseeches Edmund not to be familiar with her.

Abruptly, Goneril and Albany enter with their troops. Albany states that he has heard that the invading French army has been joined by Lear and unnamed others who may have legitimate grievances against the present government. Despite his sympathy toward Lear and these other dissidents, Albany declares that he intends to fight alongside Edmund, Regan, and Goneril to repel the foreign invasion. Goneril and Regan jealously spar over Edmund, neither willing to leave the other alone with him. The three exit together.

Just as Albany begins to leave, Edgar, now disguised as an ordinary peasant, catches up to him. He gives Albany the letter that he took from Oswald’s body—the letter in which Goneril’s involvement with Edmund is revealed and in which Goneril asks Edmund to kill Albany. Edgar tells Albany to read the letter and says that if Albany wins the upcoming battle, he can sound a trumpet and Edgar will provide a champion to defend the claims made in the letter. Edgar vanishes and Edmund returns. Edmund tells Albany that the battle is almost upon them, and Albany leaves. Alone, Edmund addresses the audience, stating that he has sworn his love to both Regan and Goneril. He debates what he should do, reflecting that choosing either one would anger the other. He decides to put off the decision until after the battle, observing that if Albany survives it, Goneril can take care of killing him herself. He asserts menacingly that if the British win the battle and he captures Lear and Cordelia, he will show them no mercy

Scene two:

The battle begins. Edgar, in peasant’s clothing, leads Gloucester to the shelter of a tree and goes into battle to fight on Lear’s side. He soon returns, shouting that Lear’s side has lost and that Lear and Cordelia have been captured. Gloucester states that he will stay where he is and wait to be captured or killed, but Edgar says that one’s death occurs at a predestined time. Persuaded, Gloucester goes with Edgar

Scene three:
Edmund leads in

Lear and Cordelia as his prisoners. Cordelia expects to confront Regan and Goneril, but Lear vehemently refuses to do so. He describes a vividly imagined fantasy, in which he and Cordelia live alone together like birds in a cage, hearing about the outside world but observed by no one. Edmund sends them away, giving the captain who guards them a note with instructions as to what to do with them. He doesn’t make the note’s contents clear to the audience, but he speaks ominously. The captain agrees to follow Edmund’s orders.

Albany enters accompanied by Goneril and Regan. He praises Edmund for his brave fighting on the British side and orders that he produce Lear and Cordelia. Edmund lies to Albany, claiming that he sent Lear and Cordelia far away because he feared that they would excite the sympathy of the British forces and create a mutiny. Albany rebukes him for putting himself above his place, but Regan breaks in to declare that she plans to make Edmund her husband. Goneril tells Regan that Edmund will not marry her, but Regan, who is unexpectedly beginning to feel sick, claims Edmund as her husband and lord.

Albany intervenes, arresting Edmund on a charge of treason. Albany challenges Edmund to defend himself against the charge in a trial by combat, and he sounds the trumpet to summon his champion. While Regan, who is growing ill, is helped to Albany’s tent, Edgar appears in full armor to accuse Edmund of treason and face him in single combat. Edgar defeats Edmund, and Albany cries out to Edgar to leave Edmund alive for questioning. Goneril tries to help the wounded Edmund, but Albany brings out the treacherous letter to show that he knows of her conspiracy against him. Goneril rushes off in desperation.

Edgar takes off his helmet and reveals his identity. He reconciles with Albany and tells the company how he disguised himself as a mad beggar and led Gloucester through the countryside. He adds that he revealed himself to his father only as he was preparing to fight Edmund and that Gloucester, torn between joy and grief, died.

A gentleman rushes in carrying a bloody knife. He announces that Goneril has committed suicide. Moreover, she fatally poisoned Regan before she died. The two bodies are carried in and laid out.

Kent enters and asks where Lear is. Albany recalls with horror that Lear and Cordelia are still imprisoned and demands from Edmund their whereabouts. Edmund repents his crimes and determines to do good before his death. He tells the others that he had ordered that Cordelia be hanged and sends a messenger to try to intervene.

Lear enters, carrying the dead Cordelia in his arms: the messenger arrived too late. Slipping in and out of sanity, Lear grieves over Cordelia’s body. Kent speaks to Lear, but Lear barely recognizes him. A messenger enters and reveals that Edmund has also died. Lear asks Edgar to loosen Cordelia’s button; then, just as Lear thinks that he sees her beginning to breathe again, he dies.

Albany gives Edgar and Kent their power and titles back, inviting them to rule with him. Kent, feeling himself near death, refuses, but Edgar seems to accept. The few remaining survivors exit sadly as a funeral march plays.

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Animal imeragy: The Animal Imagery used in King Lear is constantly used to describe situations, people and behaviors.

Kite: bird of prey that occurs in several varieties. It feeds on small land animals, fish, garbage, and carrion. In Act I, Scene IV, Lear speaks this line to Goneril: “Detested kite! thou liest”

Vulture: scavenger bird that feeds primarily on carcasses. In Act II, Scene IV, Lear bemoans Goneril’s behavior by saying that “she hath tied / sharp-tooth’d unkindness, like a vulture, here [points to his heart]” (Lines 136-137). This line also is used to describe Goneril’s actions. She is acting very much like a vulture waiting for Lear to die so she may inherit his kingdom.

Serpent: large snake, such as a python or boa constrictor; any poisonous snake; the devil in the form of a snake. In Act II, Scene IV, Lear says Goneril “struck me with her tongue, / Most serpent-like, upon the very heart.” Lear also states: “How sharper than a serpent’s tooth it is. To have a thankless child! Away, away!” He is referring to the fact that having ungrateful or thankless children hurts him more then being bitten by a snake would. Albany states to Edmund “This gilded serpent”. Albany is arresting Edmund and calling him a gilded serpent. This in translation is like calling someone a wolf in sheep’s clothing.

Pelican: bird of prey that feeds on fish. In Act III, Scene IV,  Lear “scolds” himself for fathering Regan and Goneril, saying “‘twas this flesh begot those pelican daughters”

Tiger: largest member of the cat family. Vicious, dangerous animals In Act IV, Scene II,  the Duke of Albany condemns Regan and Goneril for their treatment of Lear, comparing them to tigers.

Dragon: Mentioned twice in Act 1 in two different contexts. First used by Lear in (Act 1 scene 1 line 124) Lear uses the term dragon to describe himself saying “Come not between the dragon and his wrath”. This is used as a warning to Kent who is calling Lear a fool. The dragon is used in biblical use as a description of the devil. Later on we see Lear threatening to unleash terror upon his daughters while he is losing his kingdom much like the Devil lost all he had (Angel of Light). The second time the dragon is mentioned is by Edmund in (Act 1 Scene 2 line 129). It is used as a reference to the constellation he was born under “The Dragons Tail (Draco)“. Because he was born under this constellation his nature is very rough and lecherous. Connections can be made between Edmund and the character Draco Malfoy from Harry Potter. Both characters are antagonists and make plots that cause others turmoil while bettering themselves. (see later post for more detail)

Wolf: Occurs in Act 1, Scene 4 (Line 305). Lear is in a rage toward Goneril when she asked him to reduce the amount of knights. He says that Regan will “flay thy wolvish visage.” Lear is basically saying that Goneril is as greedy as a wolf, and that he believes Regan will rip her apart because of her mistreatment.

In act three the fool also states “He’s mad that trusts in the tameness of a wolf, a horse’s health, a boy’s love, or a whore’s oath”. The fool is describing how a man is mad if he trusts a wolf to be tame,  the health of a horse from a seller, a boy’s love, and an oath of a whore. This is an insult toward King Lear who trusted his daughters with his Kingdom and his Life.

In act two Lear states “Return to her, and fifty men dismissed?  No, rather I abjure all roofs, and choose. To wage wage against the enmity o’ the air, To be a comrade with the wolf and the owl” King Lear is telling Regan he would rather live in the wild and become friends with the wolves and owls rather than return to Goneril and give up his Guards.

In act three the gentleman states “This night, wherein the cub-drawn bear would couch, The lion and the belly pinched wolf Keep their fur dry, unbonneted he runs, And bids what will take all”. The Gentlemen is describing how animals are smart enough to shelter during the storm while King Lear runs around naked in the storm gambling with nature.

Edgar also states “wine loved I deeply, dice dearly: and in woman out-paramoured the Turk: false of heart, light of ear, bloody of hand; hog in sloth, fox in stealth, wolf in greediness, dog in madness, lion in prey.” In this section there are many references to animals as Edgar describes himself. “Hog in sloth” means he is as lazy as a pig since “Sloth” is one of the seven deadly sins, which stands for laziness. He also calls himself a fox, which is known for being clever. “Wolf in greediness” is likely referencing how wolves will often attack weaker or wounded animals in a herd opposed to the stronger ones. “Lion in prey” further suggests nature is opposite than the way it should be going. Since lions are often the ones attacking prey, nature must be opposite if lions are being prey. Edgar is likely referencing the way Edmund will get his inheritance, and how that is opposite of nature.

Seven Deadly sins:

PRIDE: is excessive belief in one’s own abilities, that interferes with the individual’s recognition of the grace of God. It has been called the sin from which all others arise. Pride is also known as Vanity.

ENVY :is the desire for others’ traits, status, abilities, or situation.

GLUTTONY: is an inordinate desire to consume more than that which one requires.

LUST: is an inordinate craving for the pleasures of the body. (sexual desire)

ANGER: is manifested in the individual who spurns love and opts instead for fury. It is also known as Wrath.

GREED: is the desire for material wealth or gain, ignoring the realm of the spiritual. It is also called Avarice or Covetousness.

SLOTH: is the avoidance of physical or spiritual work. (Laziness)

In King Lear greed, pride and envy are prominent character flaws in most of the characters you mention. King Lear himself is guilty of pride. At the beginning of the play, his elevated opinion of himself results in him conducting his foolish “who loves me more” contest as well as prematurely turning his kingdom over to his two unworthy daughters, Gonreil and Regan, and their equally unworthy husbands. These four people are guilty of greed and envy.

Edmund is also guilty of greed and envy, and tries to trick both his father and his brother. These tragic human flaws, related to the seven deadly sins, bring down all of these characters. The only redeeming part of this play is Cordelia, who loves her father with no strings attached, not because he deserves her love, but because her love is a pure, unconditional love, much like the love of Christ. It is a love that mankind does not deserve because of his sin, but a love that God exhibits towards man anyway. The Bible says, “while we were yet sinners, Christ died for our sins” – so mankind did not deserve this type of unconditional love, no more than King Lear did, and yet Cordelia loved him this way. Even though she is a woman, Cordelia is a Christ-like character.

Lears death:

The suffering that takes place at the end of King Lear seems meaningless for multiple reasons. First, Lear’s reconciliation with Cordelia momentarily seems to make all Lear’s suffering worthwhile. When she dies, Lear’s redemption is snatched away. Second, Cordelia dies for no reason. The person who wanted her dead, Edmund, has changed his mind and is dying himself, so her death serves no political purpose. The blindness that caused Lear to give his kingdom to the wrong heirs and fail to see Cordelia’s love persists through the end of the play, as Lear is unable to see that his mistakes have resulted in the death of the one person who truly loved him.

Other deaths:

Duke of Cornwall (Wonded by servant of Gloucester)

Oswald, servant of Cornwall’s (killed in fight with Edgar)

Regan (Poisoned by Goneril)

Gloucester (Heart attack from the happiness of being reunited with Edgar)

Goneril (Commits suicide by stabbing herself, distraught about killing her sister)

Edmund (Killed in the fight with Edgar)

Cordelia (Hung in a prison)

King Lear (Died from a broken heart)

The death of the hero’s in the play show the injustice that occurs. This develops the significance that one decision can cause an unjust world., which also results in the loss of innocence. This teaches the audience that people don’t always deserve what they receive. Cordelias death symbolises the unjust world because of her acts of innocence and loyalty towards her father, ever after she was mistreated by him. There is a plato in the play where King Lear is reunited with Cordelia and we believe everything with end up sky (Happily ever after) giving the audience hope. Then this is ripped away when Cordeila is killed.

Cordelia:

The hero or heroine in a Shakespearean tragedy suffers and ultimately meets his or her death. This suffering is undeserved but it is not caused by some malignant Destiny or Power. Rather it results from the deeds or misdeeds of the hero or heroine himself or herself. He or she suffers as a result of his/ her own faults, and the fall of the hero/heroine from the highest social position rouses pity and fear in the minds of the audience. Cordelia in King Lear is undoubtedly a tragic character. Cordelia has a fatal flaw of kindness and truth (being a good person) and she gets given worse than she deserves therefore she is a tragic hero.