King Lear : Key info
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, to various questions of King Lear.
Key info
Full Title: The Tragedy of King Lear
Author: William Shakespeare
Type of Work: Play
Genre: Tragedy
Acts and Scenes: 5 acts 26 scenes (5+4+7+7+3)
Source: Geoffrey of Monmouth’s Historia Regum Britanniae or The History of the Kings of Britain from 1135.
Language: English
Written In: England, between 1604–1605
First Published: 1623 in the First Folio
Publisher: John Heminge and Henry Condell, Shakespeare’s acting colleagues
Climax: The blinding of Gloucester in Act 3, Scene 7
Protagonist: King Lear, the aging king of Britain
Antagonists: Lear’s two ungrateful daughters, Goneril and Regan, and Edmund, the illegitimate son of Gloucester.
Tone: Serious and tragic, though there are moments of dark humor.
Setting
- Time: Set in a distant time, around the 8th century B.C.
- Place: Various parts of England
Background: “King Lear” is based on the legend of Leir. He was a mythical king of Britain. Shakespeare wrote it in 1605, during King James I’s early reign. Elizabeth I died in 1603, leaving no direct heir. This incident caused fear and uncertainty about the monarchy. Shakespeare’s play reflects these concerns. It also shows a king’s struggle with power and succession. Lear’s decision to divide his kingdom between his daughters mirrors his authentic leadership worries. King James I also united England and Scotland. He made themes of unity and division in “King Lear” even more relevant to the time.
Moral Lessons
- Pride and blindness to truth can lead to one’s downfall.
- True love and loyalty are often revealed in times of hardship.