Takes on many roles. One of the last living. Albany: married to Goneril. Good, hates Goneril for what she is doing. Loyal to Lear. One of last living. First described as milky livered, then turns brave. Wants to kill Goneril but wont because she's a lady. Kent: endlessly loyal to Lear. Banished by Lear, disguises himself as peasant so he could still help Lear. "Caius". Knows Lear is acting blindly throughout, starting with Cordelia. One of last living. Cornwall: husband of Regan. cruel, works with his wife and Goneril to destroy Lear and Gloucester. Fool: like Greek chorus. Tells Lear he is being foolish. Uses songs to give him advice. Symbols: props- 9 letters which propel the plot, Kent's ring for Cordelia, purses, land, weather, wheel of fortune, Motif: Hearts, garments, clothing showing someone's status, "nothing", eyes, age, Madness, betrayal, death Themes: Natural vs. Unnatural (Edmond's birth). Good vs. Evil (Cordelia vs. sisters). Spoken vs. unspoken word. Love. Nature. Appearance vs. reality. Self-knowledge. Age. Elizabethans believed person's birth reflected their inner self. .
Act I Main- Lear decides to divide kingdom into 3 parts. He's too old to have responsibility. Uses love test on daughters. Cordelia says nothing, banishes her. France chooses her even without a dowry. Gives her no blessing. They move to France. Kent tells Lear he's wrong for banishing his favorite daughter, the only one who actually loves him, he banishes Kent. R&G plot against Lear- they want the kingdom. Cordelia knows they are bad. Kent comes to Lear in disguise asking to serve him. G tells her servant Oswald to disrespect Lear, Kent trips him proving his loyalty to Lear. Lear loses grip b/c lost his authority. Knights recognize Lear is being wronged. Fool tells him he made a mistake with Kent, giving up land, and Cordelia. G mad about crazy knights, gets rid of some. Strips Lear of more power. Lear curses G, goes to R's (3rd letter, "I"m coming to you").