King Lear : Characters
King Lear is a notable literary work by William Shakespeare. A complete discussion of this literary work is given, which will help you enhance your literary skills and prepare for the exam. Read the Main texts, Key info, Summary, Themes, Characters, Literary devices, Quotations, Notes, and various study materials of King Lear.
Characters
Major Characters
King Lear: The aging king of Britain. His tragic flaws lead to his downfall. He misjudges his daughters, dividing his kingdom based on flattery.
Cordelia: Lear’s youngest and most loyal daughter. Disowned by Lear for refusing to flatter him, she remains devoted to him until the end.
Goneril: Lear’s eldest daughter. She is power-hungry and ruthless. She flatters Lear to gain his favor and then betrays him.
Regan: Lear’s middle daughter. Like Goneril, she flatters Lear for power and later turns against him. She stands for cruelty, especially in the blinding of Gloucester.
Edmund: The illegitimate son of Gloucester. He is a manipulative schemer who seeks to overthrow his legitimate brother, Edgar, and gain power.
Edgar: Gloucester’s legitimate son. He is initially naive but becomes resourceful. He disguises himself as a beggar (Poor Tom) to survive Edmund’s schemes.
Earl of Gloucester: A nobleman loyal to Lear. He is betrayed by his illegitimate son, Edmund. He undergoes a parallel tragic arc, including being blinded.
Earl of Kent: A loyal nobleman. Being banished by Lear for defending Cordelia, he disguises himself as a servant (Caius) to continue serving the king.
The Fool: Lear’s jester, who speaks the truth in riddles and remains by Lear’s side.
Duke of Albany: Goneril’s husband. He starts as a passive figure but later stands against his wife’s cruelty and allies with the forces of good.
Duke of Cornwall: Regan’s violent and ruthless husband. He plays a central role in blinding Gloucester.
Minor Characters
Oswald: Goneril’s steward. He is loyal to Goneril and is disliked by the other characters for his blind obedience to her.
Curan: A gentleman in Gloucester’s household. He is a relatively minor figure in the play.
King of France: He is Cordelia’s suitor. He marries her despite her lack of dowry and later brings an army to help her father.
Duke of Burgundy: Another suitor of Cordelia. He withdraws his proposal when Lear disowns her.
First Servant: A servant of Cornwall. He tries to stop him from blinding Gloucester, but he is killed for his efforts.
Other Servants: Various servants in the households of Lear, Goneril, Regan, and Gloucester. They sometimes intervene in key scenes.
Knights: Lear’s loyal followers. These figures accompany Lear after he divides his kingdom. They are dismissed by Goneril and Regan.