
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.