King Lear (Annotated by Henry N. Hudson with an Introduction by Charles Harold Herford)

by William Shakespeare, Henry N. Hudson (Noted by), Charles Harold Herford (Introduction)

Overview

The historical basis for "King Lear" comes from Geoffrey of Monmouth's account of the legendary King Leir of the Britons recorded in the historian's "History of the Kings of Briton." King Lear is an elderly man and wishes to retire from power. In the decision to divide up his estate he requests that his daughters profess their feelings for him, vowing to give whomever loves him the most the largest share. His two eldest daughters Regan and Goneril go first and based on their responses are rewarded their respective portions. However when it is his youngest daughter Cordelia's turn, she refuses to flatter her father as her older sisters have done, insisting that there are no words to describe her love. This enrages the King prompting him to disinherit Cordelia and split the remaining inheritance amongst the two eldest sisters instead. As the play progresses, the foolishness of this decision becomes evident, descending the King into madness. In its portrayal of the tragic effect of human weakness and cruelty, "King Lear" has come to be regarded as one of the most powerful of Shakespeare's works. This edition is printed on premium acid-free paper, is annotated by Henry N. Hudson, and includes an introduction by Charles Harold Herford.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781420953343
Publisher:	Neeland Media
Publication date:	05/21/2016
Pages:	138
Product dimensions:	5.51(w) x 8.50(h) x 0.32(d)

About the Author

No writer will ever equal William Shakespeare's influence on the English language. Born in 1564 in Stratford-upon-Avon, England, "The Bard" was an actor and playwright who had staged his own shows in London by 1592. Though little is known about his early life, he forsooth proved himself a virtuoso for the ages. Expanding the boundaries of the English language, Shakespeare penned dozens of plays -- from enduring tragedies like Romeo and Juliet, Hamlet and Othello, to bawdy comedies like A Midsummer Night's Dream -- plus more than 150 sonnets during his towering career. He shuffled off this mortal coil in 1616, but more than half a millennium later, his works are still read and produced around the world, including at a modern thatched-roof reconstruction of his troupe's Globe Theatre in London.