King Lear

Side Characters

Earl of Kent

King Lear banishes the Earl of Kent (A1, S1)

Returns under a disguise and asks to serve King Lear (A1,S4)

Curan (a servant of Gloucester) comes to Edmund to tell him trouble may be stirring between Cornwall and Albany (A2, S1)

The Fool

Goneril

Regan

Cordelia

Oswald (Goneril)'s servant is introduced when she describes her dislike of her father to him (A1,S3)

After finding out Goneril has power, Lear curses her and decides to visit Regan, certain of better treatment (A1,S4)

is given her share after professing love for her father (A1,S1)

Disinherited by Lear after refusing to profess love (A1,S1)

Edmund (son of EOG)

Lear sends him with a letter to the Earl of Gloucester, (A1,S5)

Cryptically tells Lear about the mistake of placing his faith in his daughters (A1,S4)

Continues to tell Lear that Regan will treat him no better and he is a fool for doing this (A1,S5)

Prepares to send a letter to Regan to tell her to follow her (Goneril's) lead (A1, S3)

after tricking Edmund into fleeing the castle, stabs himself and makes it look as though his brother has done it (A2, S1)

is illegitimate, therefore he won't receive his land (A1, S2)

a faked letter is found detailing how Edgar is planning to overthrow the Earl when in reality Edmund is (A1,S2)

lies about Edmund helping Lear and is praised by Gloucester and Cornwall (A2, S1)

For no apparent reason starts a fight with Oswald, Goneril's servant (A2, S2)

Kent is shown reading a letter from her where she promises to do her best to help the country (A2, S2)

Earl of Gloucester

Expresses his displease at Lear being forced out into the storm and continues to hint at trouble with the Dukes (A3, S3)

refuses Lear's request for shelter and suggests he ask forgiveness from Goneril (A2, S4)

She and Regan ally themselves against Lear and both refuse to give him shelter unless he reduces the number of soldiers (A2, S4)

Lear

after Regan and Goneril refuse to let him into the castle, he leaves and disappears into the raging storm outside (A2, S4)

while searching for Lear, tells a knight that there is trouble brewing between Cornwall and Albany (A3, S1)

while searching for Lear, gives the knight a ring and tells him to give it to Cordelia (A3, S1)

Lear and the Fool wander through the storm, where the Fool urges him to ask forgiveness of his daughters (A3, S2)

finds Lear and the Fool in the storm and tells them to take shelter (A3, S2)

delivers a strange and cryptic prophecy at the end of the scene (A3, S2)

plans to betray EOG and inherit his lands and wealth (A3, S3)

after refusing to go into the shelter, he finds Edgar, still in his disguise (A3, S4)

sympathizes with Edgar's state and wonders if his daughters caused him to end up where he is now (A3, S4)

finds Lear and convinces him to come back to the castle, despite Regan and Goneril (A3, S4)

tells Kent he has overheard a plan to kill Lear and he must be moved immediately (A3, S6)

her and Albany argue, he is angered over her treatment of Lear (A4, S2)

betrays EOG to Cornwall by showing him the letter (A3, S5)

Cornwall then gives him the title of the Duke of Gloucester (A3, S5)

spiraling further into madness, Lear holds a mock trial for his daughters (A3, S6)

together with Cornwall, they apprehend EOG on charges of treason after seeing the letter (A3, S7)

Cornwall

at Regan's urging, proceeds to tear out both of EOG's eyes (A3, S7)

after a servant tries to stand up against the cruel treatment of EOG and injures Cornwall, Regan kills him (A3, S7)

Goneril receives the news that he is dead (A4, S2)

Albany

vows to take on revenge on Edmund and help Gloucester (A4, S2)

learns that the French troops, with Cordelia at their head have arrived (A4, S3)

receives the news about Lear's treatment sadly (A4, S3)

has safely arrived in Dover but is spiraling further into madness (A4, S3)

talks with a doctor about Lear and gets the response that he needs sleep (A4, S4)

receives the news that the British army is coming (A4, S4)

clearly states that she is interested in Edmund (A4, S5)

promises Oswald a reward if he can kill Gloucester (A4, S5)

meets Gloucester on the moor (A4, S6)

Edgar (son of EOG)

agrees to accompany Gloucester to Dover (A4, S1)

meets his blinded father on the moor (A4, S1)

disguises himself as a beggar (A2, S3)

having fled the kingdom has successfully evaded all the guards and comes up with a plan to shake off his pursuers (A2, S3)

legitimate son of EOG and the source of Edmund's jealously (A1, S2)

convinces his father not to kill himself (A4, S6)

kills Oswald when he tries to murder Gloucester (A4, S6)

recognizes Kent despite his disguise but promises to keep quiet (A4, S7)

Cordelia finally sees Lear again (A4, S7)

it is revealed that Edmund now commands Cornwall's army (A4, S7)

despite his loyalty to Lear continues to stand by Goneril, Edmund, etc (A5, S1)

gives Albany the letter from Oswald (A5, S1)

declares he will show Cordelia and Lear no mercy if he wins the battle (A5, S1)

returns with the news Lear's side has lost (A5, S2)

fights with Edgar, who has revealed himself, and after becoming mortally wounded, dies (A5, S3)

poisoned Regan before killing herself (A5, S3)

both her and Lear die in the final scene (A5, S3)