King Lear

By William Shakespeare

A king's madness spirals as betrayal and power struggles shatter his realm.

3.9/5 Goodreads · 242,454 ratings

184 pages

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Bookroo's summary

King Lear's decision to divide his kingdom among his daughters leads to chaos and madness. As Goneril and Regan vie for control, Lear's rejection of Cordelia sets off a tragic chain of events. With sanity slipping away, Lear faces the devastating consequences of his choices. Will love and loyalty prevail, or will ambition and deceit destroy everything? This timeless tale explores the thin line between good and evil, and the destructive power of pride and betrayal.

From the publisher

A royal family is thrown into utter ruin by its own poisonous web of distrust, deceit and struggle for power. Shakespeare’s tragedy is one unsurpassed power and depth. It follows the descent of the ageing King Lear into madness, perpetuated by his malevolent daughters Goneril and Regan who struggle to gain power over the kingdom. Having banished his favorite daughter Cordelia, a loving, compassionate and honest woman, when she refuses to partake in a competition of flattery, he sets in motion a catastrophic sequence of events that will ultimately destroy his sanity, family and kingdom. The lines between good and evil are faultlessly drawn in this exploration of filial ingratitude, injustice, avarice and love. In a time when swollen words, false pretexts and the struggle for power are again the order of the day the message of King Lear carries renewed significance.

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