View a FREE sample

Act 1, Scene 1

• Gloucester acknowledges Edmund as his illegitimate son.

• King Lear announces he wants to retire and divide up his lands between his daughters.

• Lear requires each of his daughters to profess her love for him. On the basis of that declaration, he will give each daughter lands.
• Goneril and Regan profess their unending love for their father.

• Cordelia says she can only give half her love to her father, because half will be given to her future husband.

• Cordelia is disowned by Lear.

• Goneril and Regan split Lear's lands in half.

• Kent protests Cordelia's disowning and because of his protest, is banished from the kingdom by Lear.

• Cordelia's two suitors--the Lord of Burgundy and the King of France--are asked, by Lear, who will have her as their wife if she has no dowry.

• The Lord of Burgundy wants nothing to do with Cordelia now that she is...

(read more Chapter Abstracts)

This section contains 1,968 words (approx. 7 pages at 300 words per page) View a FREE sample