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As Lear sinks into rage and madness he is deserted by everyone except his "bitter" Fool, the loyal Kent and the exiled Cordelia. The play descends into a nighmarish theatre of cruelty and absurdity as Lear realises he has "ta'en / Too little care" of the poverty and corruption of his kingdom, and his loyal but foolish friend Gloucester has his eyes gouged out. Metaphors of monstrosity and perversions of nature structure the dramatic action, and the play's ending remains one of the most harrowing in all of Shakespeare. Many see a profound despair and nihilism in King Lear, and would agree with Kent's conclusion that "All's cheerless, dark and deadly". Other writers have identified a radical but pessimistic critique of contemporary conceptions of kingship and absolutist authority, yet it remains a remarkable tragedy of public misjudgement and intensely private grief and anguish. --Jerry Brotton

Average Customer Rating:

Death, madness and fear- Shakespeare's best

Customer Rating:

I studied this play years ago for A-level and even flogging its themes and plot to death didn't detract from its brilliance. Taking away its dubious misogynies (which, of course, are a sign of the time it was written) we are left with a work of brilliance. The pain Lear goes through to be betrayed by two of his daughters after his own lack of foresight is heartbreaking- as is the climax. This is a truly dark and disturbing work but never was Shakespeare so powerful and provocative in his treatment of realtionships and human evil. Read it, watch it or act it- and shudder

Powerful and Everlasting

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The tale of Lear's betrayal by his family and subsequent tragic descent into madness is powerfully gripping. Shakespeare keeps the plot simple, but ensures that the undertones are remarkably complex. In Lear's most poignant speech, when he begins the journey to insanity, he demands that we "allow not nature more than nature needs" and forewarns that his heart will "break into a hundred thousand flaws". These predictions unfold in vivid and dramatic style throughout a play laced with reference to nature's omnipotence. The ending shatters your heart.

Amazingly Tragic!

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I am not an intellectual by no means. I am just a regular young adult studying 'A' Level English Literature, so when told I would be studying King Lear, probably the most dark and tragic of all Shakepeare's plays, you can imagine.... I paniced!! I saw a video version of King Lear and read the play in progression to the video. It is a fantastic play that kept me intrigued the whole way through. Yes, ok, this can be quite a heavy going play; It certainly makes you wonder about the purpose of life, but let me tell you, I don't think you would regret reading it. Even if your afraid you won't understand, this version comes with a few notes guiding you through any bits that may cause problems. Go on, read this play. Its amazingly tragic!!

A great read... and very educational too!

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To be honest with you, I never really liked Shakespeare books, I never could understand it. Then I was told I had to buy a King Lear book and study it for my A levels. I searched high and low for a book I thought I could understand and get into, then came this marvellous book. It comes complete with a huge introduction about the play and (lo and behold)it also includes pictures of the marvellous play and how it was performed. It basically, is in script form but for the casual reader it also has definitions on the bottom of the page. A Shakespearean play has never been edited so good! I do understand the play now and thanks to R.A Foakes, I might even get a decent grade. For you people out there who don't understand Shakespeare but are curious about it, I recommend this book as it is a great read. But I warn you now, you might not be able to put it down!