Shakespeare, William: 1564-1616
King Lear, 1608 - Information about the Play
- General Information
- The play is about political authority as much as it is about family dynamics. Lear is not only a father but also a king, and when he gives away his authority he delivers not only himself and his family but all of Britain into chaos and cruelty.
- Information from Wikipedia
- Information from StageAgent
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- Facts
- Characters
- King Lear was written about 1605 or 1606. It is based on the legendary King Leir of the Britons, whose story is outlined in Geoffrey of Monmouth’s pseudohistorical History of the Kings of Britain (written in about 1136).
- Articles
- Emma Smith, Oxford University, lectures about King Lear and the question of tragedy and why it gives pleasure.
- Christopher Moore reads a chapter from his book "Fool: A Novel" a retelling of "King Lear" from the perspective of the Royal Fool. From WQED
- Audio (2:14)
The structure and economy of King Lear and many more audios. RTÉ Radio; March 9, 2021 - The use of blindness in King Lear.
- Shakespeare Wrote Three of His Famous Tragedies During Turbulent Times: 'King Lear,' 'Macbeth' and 'Antony and Cleopatra'
- Melvyn Bragg and guests examine Shakespeare's bloodthirsty tragedy
- Christopher Plummer on the Different Versions of King Lear. PBS; January 30, 2015
- Emma Smith, Oxford University, lectures about King Lear and the question of tragedy and why it gives pleasure.