King Lear by William Shakespeare

Name: King Lear
Author: William Shakespeare

King Lear is a tragedy written by William Shakespeare. It tells the story of an aging king who decides to divide his kingdom among his three daughters. He gives the largest portion to the daughter who professes to love him the most. The other two daughters, however, are more cunning and flatter him with false declarations of love. The king is deceived and banishes his youngest and most honest daughter. The play follows the consequences of the king’s decision. His two deceitful daughters take control of the kingdom and treat their father cruelly. Meanwhile, the banished daughter finds refuge with a loyal courtier and his family. The courtier’s daughter, Cordelia, falls in love with the king’s youngest son, who is also in exile. The play culminates in a battle between the king’s forces and those of his two daughters. In the end, the king is reunited with his youngest daughter and realizes the error of his ways. He dies, leaving his kingdom to Cordelia and her husband.

By William Shakespeare · First published 1606 · Genre: Tragedy, Drama, Classical Literature · 26 chapters · 30,397 words

First lines

Enter Edmund and Curan, meeting.

EDMUND. Save thee, Curan.

What this Textopian page supports

King Lear is listed on Textopian as a play by William Shakespeare, dated 1606 CE.

This source record anchors work identity, reading entry points, and catalog context for checking claims about the work.

Work type: Play
Author: William Shakespeare
Date: 1606 CE
Language: English
Genres: Tragedy, Drama, Classical Literature, Historical Fiction, Romance
Length: 30,397 words
Structure: 26 chapters, 1,296 paragraphs
Reading fit: Fairly Easy (7th Grade)

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Work identity for King Lear by William Shakespeare
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Genre and topic classification from the Textopian catalog
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Discussion starters

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Similar titles

Genres

Tragedy — King Lear is a tragedy written by William Shakespeare, and is considered one of his greatest works. It follows the story of a king who is betrayed by his daughters and ultimately dies, making it a classic tragedy.
Drama — King Lear is a dramatic play, with a focus on the relationships between characters and the consequences of their actions. It is full of intense scenes and dialogue that make it a classic example of a dramatic work.
Classical Literature — King Lear is a classic work of literature, written by one of the most famous playwrights of all time. It is considered to be one of the greatest works of English literature, and is studied in classrooms around the world.
Historical Fiction — King Lear is set in a fictionalized version of ancient Britain, and is based on the legend of King Leir of Britain. It is a work of historical fiction, as it is based on a real-life figure and is set in a period of British history.