King Lear

Why does Lear ask his daughters the fateful question at all? What does the first scene reveal about Lear’s character, and how does Lear’s question relate to the terrible events that follow?

Lear’s Fool disappears without a trace after the storm scenes. Why might this be? What does the Fool mean to the first half of the play, and why might he not fit into the second half?

What role does disguise play in King Lear? How do Edgar and Kent’s disguises change them? For example, consider how they speak in and out of disguise.

King Lear, with its three daughters—the elder two villainous, the youngest virtuous—at first seems to be structured like a fairy tale. But that fairy tale turns grimly realistic pretty fast. How and why does the play work with and against the shape of a fairy tale or folk tale?

What do you make of Edmund’s deathbed repentance? Consider Edmund’s last scene in light of the rest of the play. Does his remorse strike you as genuine? And is his sudden turn consistent with his actions up to this point?

There’s a notable lack of mothers in King Lear: Lear and Gloucester are both single fathers, and none of the daughters have children. Why might that be? How does the absence of a “Queen Lear” or a “Countess of Gloucester”—or a “Gloucester’s mistress,” for that matter—work with the play’s themes?

Edmund introduces himself with a big speech about human nature: Only idiots, he says, believe that their character is determined by the stars. How does the rest of the play reflect on that idea? What roles do fate and randomness play in the world of King Lear?

Write a scene in the Lear household that takes place when the daughters are all children. What do you imagine home life might have been like for Lear’s daughters? Why might the sisters have the relationships with each other and with their father that they do? Reread their scenes carefully to inform your imagination.