There are really two plots in King Lear, a main plot and a fully Each has its own set of characters. In the main plot, there is the head of the family, the80-plus-year-old king of Britain, Lear. He has three daughters,Goneril, Regan, and Cordelia. The Duke of Albany is married tothe oldest, Goneril, and the Duke of Cornwall is married toRegan, the middle daughter. Cordelia has two suitors, the Dukeof Burgundy and the King of France. The court jester, the Fool,is by extension a member of the Lear family and part of the mainplot, as is the Earl of Kent, Lear's loyal follower. The Earl of Gloucester, also a member of Lear's court, is thehead of another family and the focus of the subplot. He has twooffspring, an older, legitimate son named Edgar and a younger,illegitimate or bastard son named Edmund. Various minor characters appear from time to time. They areeasily identified by their connections with whatever maincharacter they serve or speak of. As the play opens, Lear has decided to retire and divide hiskingdom among his three daughters. Cordelia's husband will bechosen for her immediately after Lear executes this "livingwill." Before he allots the shares, Lear asks each daughter tomake a profession of her love for him in order to receive herentitlement. Goneril and Regan waste no time professing lovefor their father, but Cordelia is speechless. She loves herfather as any daughter should, no more and no less. Lear isoutraged by what he sees as her lack of devotion. He cutsCordelia out of her share and banishes her. Her share isdivided between Goneril and Regan. Lear gives them everythingbut keeps a retinue, a following of 100 knights who willaccompany him as he alternates monthly visits between his twodaughters. Cordelia's suitors are called in. Without a dowry,Burgundy rejects her; but the King of France sees her true worthand leads Cordelia off to marriage and his protection. At Gloucester's castle, Edmund reveals th...
