Countdown

Exclusive offer - buy any three playtexts and receive 25% off the fourth!*

*Discount automatically applied at checkout.

King Lear

Regular price
£8.99
Sale price
£8.99
Regular price
£7.99
Sold out
Unit price
per 

Author: Shakespeare, William

Format: Paperback / softback

Pages: 368

Publication date:

Publisher: Penguin Books Ltd

For plays the EU representative is usually the publisher or authorised agent. Contact details for EU representatives are provided within the play or its packaging. For most titles, this information is provided on the imprint page of the play.

If you have any questions regarding product safety or you need assistance in contacting the authorised EU representative for a book or play you have purchased, please contact us.

Details

by William Shakespeare

A moving tragedy of political intrigue and family strife, William Shakespeare's King Lear is edited by George Hunter, with an introduction by Kiernan Ryan in Penguin Shakespeare.

The ageing King Lear, tired of office, decides to split his kingdom between his three daughters, Goneril, Regan and Cordelia; but the decision to allot their share based on the love they express for him proves to be a terrible mistake. When Cordelia refuses to take part in her father's charade, she is banished, leaving the king dependent on her manipulative and untrustworthy sisters. In the scheming and recriminations that follow, not only does the king's own sanity crumble, but the stability of the realm itself is also threatened. Cast out into the wilderness with a wise Fool and a cunning madman, it is only after losing what he values most that Lear understands the depth of his folly.

This book contains a general introduction to Shakespeare's life and Elizabethan theatre, a separate introduction to King Lear, a chronology, suggestions for further reading, an essay discussing performance options on both stage and screen, and a commentary.

Educational discounts

Are you a teacher or do you work in education? We offer discounts for educational orders.

  • 10% off orders over £100
  • 15% off orders over £250

Please contact us to find out more.*

*You need to work in education to validate the discount. We recommend emailing us from your work email address.